Keeping Newton Abbot special

I have been working through last autumn helping Teignbridge District Council shape the designs of their masterplans for their Local Plan growth areas in three main areas around Newton Abbot in Devon. With Design Action, the Architecture Centre for Devon and Cornwall‘s enabling arm, I initially helped facilitate a collaborative design exercise with local people . . . → Read More: Keeping Newton Abbot special

Appointed as Design Council CABE ‘Built Environment Expert’

I have been working with CABE Space and CABE since 2003 when I joined their Enabler team assisting local authorities to raise the profile of good design in landscape, public realm, masterplanning and other aspects of urban design. I am delighted to have the relationship renewed as I have been appointed to their panel of . . . → Read More: Appointed as Design Council CABE ‘Built Environment Expert’

Portas pilot win with Liskeard Town Team

I am delighted to be on the Town Team for my home town Liskeard in Cornwall who celebrated at the weekend with the news that we had won our bid to be one of the first Portas pilot towns. The Liskeard team is a mix of people from the community who have volunteered their time . . . → Read More: Portas pilot win with Liskeard Town Team

Newquay Aerohub

I have been appointed to work on the Newquay Aerohub business village. A challenging project to make a real place in an on-the-face-of-it unlikely position, but with the potential to create a place that will be attractive to investors to locate high value aero-industry related employment. A new southern access road to the airport has . . . → Read More: Newquay Aerohub

Gardens design for Farringdon development

I have been appointed by the Aitch Group as their landscape architect for a new residential development in London EC1, an area I know well from my nearby work on St John’s Street improvements for the EC1 New Deal. I am designing a small courtyard garden for the development, with a green roofed cycle shelter . . . → Read More: Gardens design for Farringdon development

A wildlife garden in central London

I had the privilege of designing a two small wildlife gardens behind some Georgian terraces in a shady London square. The buildings are being proposed for conversion back to residential having been offices for some time. The project was very much about reaching EcoHome points with a plant mix that suits birds, insects and other . . . → Read More: A wildlife garden in central London

Cornwall Urban Design Group

Urban designers, planners, architects, developers and anyone with an interest in Cornish places are invited to join this new Cornwall Urban Design LinkedIn group for discussion on topical urbanism (and ruralism) issues in Cornwall. Recent topics include trees in new development in the county and the new Aero Hub Enterprise Zone at Newquay.

Join the . . . → Read More: Cornwall Urban Design Group

Cerne Valley Neighbourhood Plan visioning workshop

I was privileged last week to work with The Prince’s Foundation in assisting the villages of Cerne Valley parish in West Dorset to kick start their Neighbourhood Plan. This commenced with a visioning exercise looking at what their valley should offer over the next generation. The workshops attracted around 15% of the villages as well . . . → Read More: Cerne Valley Neighbourhood Plan visioning workshop

Is urban design consulting dead?

The role of the traditional urban design consultant is dead. It died, not with the announcement of the Big Society and a new planning framework, but with the new economic drivers and web empowerment now familiar to us all. The old ways are no longer applicable to the people it affects—communities, politicians and businesses, let . . . → Read More: Is urban design consulting dead?

Cornwall Design Guide: launch update

The Cornwall Design Guide announced for launch this autumn has been delayed until the spring. I understand this is to provide more opportunity for engagement with key partners, including I hope, the Cornwall Design Review Panel and local representation from the likes of practices, developers, interest groups, parishes/towns and professional institutions. It appears the issue . . . → Read More: Cornwall Design Guide: launch update