Built environment comment & blogs

Expert comment on town planning, urban regeneration, economic development, urban design, sustainable development & community building.

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Opinion: A plea to the next Tory leader

Whatever the long term programme to move towards levelling up, the government's short term priority should be to support the immediate spending needs of hardest hit communities, writes Tim Williams.

Opinion: Are we on the verge of localism 2.0?

The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill puts greater emphasis on allowing local voices to be heard in the planning process, but concerns remain, writes Lucy Anderson.

Opinion: Is planning becoming more top-down or bottom up?

Mark Edgerley looks at plans to strengthen aspects of strategic planning, from neighbourhood planning to mayoral authorities.

Opinion: Adapt places and buildings for the climate damage that's now inevitable

Our combined response to the climate emergency is too little, too late to prevent serious negative impacts, so we need to be working on adaptation, writes Chris Brown.

Opinion: We need better data about the performance of cities to drive climate action

Cities have a key part to play in combatting climate change and data can help highlight their individual challenges and provide the catalyst for tackling them, writes Alexis Haass.

Opinion: The conundrum of developer contributions

Australia and the UK have their own planning law and requirements around developer contributions, but serious conflicts can arise in both countries, writes Tim Williams.

Opinion: Successful communities are about more than bricks and mortar

New neighbourhoods can thrive on the wide-ranging benefits that effective stewardship can bring, writes Roger File.

Opinion: Planned changes to the CPO system hold promise for regeneration

Proposals in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill aimed at facilitating compulsory purchase are encouraging, writes Adam Rhead, although barriers remain.

Opinion: Get creative with ground floor activation to help new urban neighbourhoods thrive

The build to rent sector's focus on community and the long term is driving creative approaches to activating ground floor spaces in urban residential development, writes Pete Ladhams.

Opinion: Adapting city plans after the pandemic

Swansea's projects are responding to the challenges brought by the pandemic and suggest potential routes to post-pandemic regeneration, writes Caroline Searle.

Opinion: Learning what works in new neighbourhoods

There are numerous barriers to incorporating the popular characteristics of the vernacular into new places, but a fresh approach could provide valuable lessons, writes Chris Brown.

Opinion: Where's the money for levelling up?

The levelling up and regeneration bill introduced to parliament is lacking in the resources, will and planning needed to deliver change, writes Tim Williams.

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