News
September 2025
18
September 2025
Politics, Philosophy, Economics >>>>
Homes England publishes Community Engagement notes
Who Owns Britain - statistical analysis by CommonWealth
Technology
Potential for Google to impact upon city layouts through to social interaction
Scenarios for the future of...
11
September 2025
Politics, Philosophy, Economics >>>>
Helping local news services evolve to meet local need
US house price inflation ..57 percent increase since 2020
History >>>>
Remembering the Great Fire of Northampton,1675
Movement >>>>
DfT publishes...
8
September 2025
Politics, Philosophy, Economics >>>>
Rural vs Urban resentment and polarisation
How expanding care and concern for protecting old buildings and traditions needs to extend to the planet
Lewes Pound Axed - last local exchange trading system in UK
History >>...
5
September 2025
Politics, Philosophy, Economics >>>>
Rural vs Urban resentment and polarisation
How expanding care and concern for protecting old buildings and traditions needs to extend to the planet
Lewes Pound Axed - last local exchange trading system in UK
History >>...
August 2025
29
August 2025
Restoring Council Housing after Right to Buy
- £194 billion transfer of wealth to private individuals between 1980 and 2023/3 (or £3,000 per head of population of UK)
New Zealand housing market down 13 percent since 2022 peak - could other countries follow?
Swift representation - who speaks up...
21
August 2025
Urban nature exposure has moderate to large impact on mental health - important meta-analysis
New transit systems driving neighbourhood change in Tokyo, not new construction
E-scooters and pedestrian stress
Assessing the accessibility provided by sidewalks/pavements/footways
Defra Group...
15
August 2025
New Towns - Brits unconvinced new towns will meet community needs
Materials re-use scheme
Geohazards mapping published by British Geological Survey
Geothermal potential online platform launched by British Geological Survey
Allotments vanishing when they are needed more than ever
15 minute...
8
August 2025
Housing for "ageing in place"
Nation States may be liable for damage caused by inaction on climate change: duty to prevent harm, duty to cooperate
How to make the most of mobility hubs
African city development - top down vision of world-class cities - versus the reality of...
July 2025
25
July 2025
House of Commons Select Committee calls for rethink of Council Tax and Local Government Funding
HS2 was doomed from the outset
HS1 was poor value for money - according to official report delayed for 2 years - BCR 0.7
Walking and Health - 5000-7000 steps per day optimal (approx 1¼...
18
July 2025
NHS 10 Year Plan - summarised for built environment practitioners by Tony Beaman
Moving from dark to light shades for road pavement surfaces and reduce air temperatures by 2 centigrade
Right to light - planning policies trumped by legal precedent
Heat network to be built in Derby
Feminist...
10
July 2025
Transport for New Homes report warns of continuation of car-dependent car-orientated development | £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes programme | Construction industry worker shortage | Obesity and overweight epidemic costing each household £1500 pa in hard...
1
July 2025
What features in a park attract the most visitors and at what time of day / season?
Death of Leon Krier
One third of Europeans exposed to harmful noise levels
Violence, Poverty and Lack of Education - breaking the cycle of inequality
NHS England survey of Adult Mental health - not good...
February 2025
6
February 2025
News and Research
Built Environment
Environmental sustainability of urban expansion: Implications for transport emissions, air pollution, and city growth - Environment International
January 2025
17
January 2025
Which measures actually reduce congestion and why?
The planning system as a barrier and a cause of delay – evidence of a failing system or an urban myth?
How the local environment affects the cognitive functioning of middle-aged and older adults
How to promote healthier and more...
10
January 2025
New Year - New Urgency
Jane Manning – Joint Editor of Urban Design writes….
December 2024
13
December 2024
Two proposals on Good Town Form from the Urban Design Group
Good town form
Strategic infrastructure delivery
England - Changes to the Planning System
NPPF - changes summarised and available as a download
Planning Decisions - committees vs officers - summarised
Using trees to...
6
December 2024
Tackling Air pollution using Green-Blue-Grey Infrastructure - comprehensive review of effectiveness
Restarting Housebuilding - two reports from the Centre for Cities
Communities strategy for Britain
Vehicle tyres responsible for 1/4 of microplastics in the environment
Photos of London...
November 2024
29
November 2024
How AI will transform urban mapping etc
New development in England locking in Car Dependency - New Economics Foundation
ONS Data on net Housing Additions
US Life expectancy declines - poor diet and insufficient physical activity among challenges
UK population stats - link to ONS data ...
22
November 2024
Fifth generation district heating and cooling - 21% greenhouse gas reductions
Sixth great extinction is happening
Cooling effect of urban greenspace reduced by raised humidity
Creating healthy communities - report on two highly successful 10 year case studies in activating and sustaining local...
15
November 2024
15 minute cities - understanding the differences between policies and physical barriers
What's so wrong with "right to buy"?
How community parks influenced social interaction during COVID
Greenspaces and mental health + a trend away from materialism?
Financing Nature Based Solutions
Polluted...
7
November 2024
How the Covid-19 Pandemic accelerated the trend towards staying at Home -and what to do about it
How greening urban areas can reduce premature mortalitUnderstanding the wellbeing benefits of urban nature in inner city neighbourhoods, and how to improve access and availability
Women's perceived...
October 2024
31
October 2024
UK Budget - Commentary from Paul Reynolds UDG Chair
Halloween Special: from the spread of the idea witch hunting in early modern Europe, to the spread of alt-truth and conspiracy theories and the victimisation of minority groups.
Barcelona's superblocks - 25% reduction in car traffic
25
October 2024
Vital green spaces disappearing from New Zealand Cities
More housing in cities possible without sacrificing green spaces - Netherlands study
What factors encourage city centre visits?
The changing retail environment.... series of articles
Urbanisation and loneliness - well...
17
October 2024
Energy and Climate Change
Urban areas found to intensify summer storms >>>>
Urban areas are thought to bring about higher rainfall because of:
4
October 2024
News and Research
Built Environment
What amenities drive footfall in UK town centres? A machine learning approach using OpenStreetMap data - Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science
