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
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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 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 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 The old ways are no longer applicable to the people it affects—communities, politicians and businesses, let .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? 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 Well it appears a new Cornwall design guide is due for launch in the autumn. I look forward to it enormously. I picked up the 1978 one in a secondhand bookshop last year. Apart from looking a little like the Essex Design Guide of that era, with lots of Design Bulletin 32 road hierarchies amd . . . → Read More: Cornwall Design Guide A feasibility study looks at whether Cornwall can accommodate more eco-development. . . . → Read More: New Cornwall eco-development? I have been appointed to produce public realm ideas for Blackwall in East London. I am supporting planning consultants Urban Practitioners in developing significant improvement in the walking and cycling connections around the Docklands Light Railway station and bus interchange in this marginal edge area of Tower Hamlets. Working with Colin Buchanan transport, consultants the . . . → Read More: New connections for Blackwall? Cornwall’s Big Design Challenge has appointed me as a mentor to a community group in Wadebridge, Cornwall. Wadebridge Renewable Energy Network (WREN) is a social enterprise whose question is one of 6 shortlisted challenges from over 150 entries. Theirs was ‘How do we reduce carbon emissions, generate renewable energy as a whole town and see . . . → Read More: Big Design Challenge in Cornwall Any project I am doing now is being looked at by communities in the light of the potential effects of the Localism Bill. Whilst this isn’t law yet, the intention to provide ‘us’ with greater say on development is a whole planning conundrum as it affects balances of power (not just between developers and communities, . . . → Read More: Localism and masterplanning rural settlements |
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