Urban Update 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
• Artwashing
• How to enable the experience of nature within cities - availability - accessibility- attractiveness
• Have major cities over-invested in major cultural buildings?
• Modernist megastructure municipal housing condemned
• Injunction issued against developer who failed to deliver affordable housing as detailed in Section 106 agreement
• Make gardens part of the Future Homes Standard
• How much are people willing to pay for sustainability
• 28 percent of species at risk, including hedgehogs; and 38 percent of tree species
• London's Ultra Low Emission Zone found to have boosted numbers of children walking to school
• Atmospheric rivers have shifted closer towards the Earth's poles - by around 500 miles over the past 40 years. 
• and much more

UK Budget Commentary

UDG Chair Paul Reynolds writes..

Yesterday the UK had its first Labour budget in 14 Years, and the first by a female Chancellor ever.  Many of the headlines were released (or leaked) in advance, and much of the detail is yet to follow, but there were some standout parts of interest to us in the Urban Design community.  The commitment to spending on Infrastructure is welcomed after some turbulent times and stop-go decision making on big projects, even if it is underwritten by changing the rules on borrowing to take on more debt. It is clear that to deliver the number of homes being talked about, we need the infrastructure to support it. We also need more capacity in local planning authorities, but I am not sure that 300 new graduates – less than one per local authority – will make much of a dent in departments which have been decimated and where staff with design expertise are now almost entirely absent. 
 
The announcement that discounts on ‘Right to Buy’ will be lowered, and that Local Authorities will be able to keep 100% of receipts and re-invest in new housing is a welcome move, but does it go far enough? You can’t fill the bath with the plug out, and council housing stocks are still being depleted quicker than we can build, with the massive knock-on costs in temporary housing eating up what precious budgets are left for local authorities. It will be interesting to see if the moves by the Chancellor to support small housebuilders, and to increase the affordable homes programme budget, will speed-up delivery of more homes as is hoped. 
 

News and Research

Halloween special

Ideational diffusion and the great witch hunt in Central Europe - Theory and Society
There was a surge in witch trials during early modern Europe from 1450 and 1750, around 90,000 witch trials were held and some 45,000 people were executed.  Despite belief in witchcraft going back centuries, large-scale witch-hunting emerged suddenly and violently.  This paper advances a theory of ideational diffusion (or simply put: a theory of the diffusion of ideas) to explain the emergence and spread of the witch-hunting phenomenon, focusing on the adoption of new ideas and corresponding behavioural changes.  A new theory of witchcraft emerged in the 15th century.  Its spread was then aided by the invention of the printing press.  The first printed books appeared around the year 1450, and the first handbook for witch hunters appeared in 1487, and a new genre of witch-hunting manuals followed.
 
It is interesting to consider the paper in the context of the 21st century. In terms of ideas, we see simplistic explanations for complex crises, the spread of alt-truth, conspiracy theories and factoids.  We see blame and anger directed towards personalized enemies rather than general issues such as environmental damage, disease, or climate change. We see attention turned to “the blob”, the "deep state", minority groups, or migrants.   And in terms of communications, the growth of social media now enables people to self-publish, and the rapid spread of ideas, be they right or wrong, just or unjust. 
 
Gainsborough Old Hall: 'Staggering array' of 'witches marks' discovered >>>>

Why don't some highway authorities allow crossroads in new development? 
Some past societies were strongly in favour of crossroads, believing that they were ideal places to bury criminals and suicides: any resurrected spirit being confused by the choice of routes. However there is an anti-crossroad lobby, with some societies believing that crossroads are places where it is possible to summon a/the devil, and others (within some but not all highway departments) which believe that crossroads are dangerous to traffic and that staggered junctions should be used instead. 

The UK Department for Transport's Manual for Streets weighs in favour of crossroads stating that "crossroads are convenient for pedestrians, as they minimise diversion from desire lines when crossing the street. They also make it easier to create permeable and legible street networks."  Manual for Streets is silent on devils and burials.   
 

Built Environment 

Urban design in a climate emergency: Barcelona’s Superblocks >>>>
Superblocks, also known as "superilles," are clusters of several blocks where traffic is rerouted to perimeter roads, allowing the inner streets to prioritize pedestrians and green spaces, which enhances safety, lowers pollution, and supports biodiversity.  It is the same concept as low traffic neighbourhoods.

Since its implementation in 2012, Barcelona's superblock model has reduced car traffic by 25%, improved bus use with a new grid network, and shortened travel times for many residents, while making streets safer for activities like children’s play.

Superblocks also help create “green lungs” in cities through urban greening projects, which improve air quality, provide shade, and reduce urban heat
 
Public art, urban sports and skateable cities and a warning against “Artwashing” >>>>
Research at the University of Sydney on the impact of public art and urban sports on inclusivity and social issues in city spaces, research suggests that combining public art with urban sports like skateboarding can empower young people, especially underrepresented groups, and reshape urban design.  It warns against "artwashing," where art superficially addresses urban issues without community input.

“Artwashing can conceal existing challenges such as exclusion and gentrification in high-density cities, by viewing art solely as something that should be beautiful or visually appealing rather than utilitarian, and by creating and installing art without consulting communities or amplifying local voices to understand what they need and want from their urban spaces.”
 
Enabling wild nature experiences in cities: A spatial analysis of institutional and physical barriers to using wild nature areas in Vienna, Austria - Landscape and Urban Planning
This research shows that people’s enjoyment of wild nature areas is compromised by a lack of availability, accessibility, or attractiveness. Key findings include

• Availability: Many wild urban areas (such as brownfields and spontaneous woodlands) lack formal protection in city zoning, leaving them vulnerable to redevelopment. This limits long-term use and fails to recognize their role in biodiversity.
• Accessibility: Often the public status of these areas is unclear, leading to restricted access. Landowners may block entry to avoid liability for injury, erecting physical barriers such as fences. Additionally, residents may be unsure about permitted uses due to the informal nature of these spaces.
• Attractiveness: Factors such as lack of paths, benches, poor maintenance, small size, dense vegetation, and possible hazards (e.g., soil contamination) make these areas less appealing. Dense vegetation can reduce safety perceptions, especially for women, due to obstructed views.

Small-scale improvements such as adding paths, clearing litter, and mowing, can enhance usability and make these spaces more inviting.
 
Exposure and connectedness to natural environments - Journal of Environmental Psychology
Women reported slightly higher nature exposure than men, which may relate to an increased tendency to “notice nature” despite traditionally lower nature contact.  Older adults showed higher nature exposure and connectedness, likely due to increased time and opportunity to engage with nature.
 
Mapping the construction of new major cultural buildings across the Globe- Urban Studies
This article describes how over the last three decades, global cities have increasingly invested in major cultural buildings, a trend closely tied to the globalization of urban spaces.  Since the 1990s, spending on cultural buildings has surged fivefold, from $10.6 billion to $52.2 billion (adjusted to 2019 values), far outpacing global GDP growth.  Large cities, the article contends, engage in “overconsumption” of prestigious architecture to achieve global distinction, making this strategy viable primarily for wealthier cities.  The distribution of urban cultural capital is increasingly concentrated in Asia, especially in China and the Arabian Peninsula, reflecting a shift from European dominance.
 
Following the same theme:
Invest in big arts and culture says top economist >>>>
 
The ransacking of Britain: a criticism of the modernist megastructure municipal housing movement >>>>
This article is a prelude to the publication of “A Short History of British Architecture – From Stonehenge to the Shard” by Simon Jenkins.  It speaks of a turning point in 1974 when popular opinion rejected the approach that was threatening the wholesale destruction of built heritage.  The article criticises a Corbusian philosophy that people would prefer to live in flats rather than streets – which led instead to social isolation.  £ billions of public money were wasted, yet no one was held accountable. “When, in 1965, a housing minister, Richard Crossman, had visited brutalist Cumbernauld in central Scotland, he delighted in its “austere, exhilarating, uncomfortable style”, and dismissed the fact that “the vast majority of people” who might have to live there did not like it. What did they know of architecture?”

See also the 1960s proposals for the redevelopment of Covent Garden >>>>  The site includes plans and contemporary photographs, and a quote by Anthony Crossland   “Excited by speculative gain, the property developers furiously rebuild the urban centres with unplanned and æsthetically tawdry office blocks; so our cities become the just objects of world-wide pity and ridicule for their architectural mediocrity, commercial vulgarity, and lack of civic or historic pride."
 
Turkey – the story of the development of a gothic ghost town >>>>
 
Lisburn: Permission sought to demolish most of listed Hilden mill >>>>
 
Cornwall planning: Homes approved despite impact fears on village with poor public transport >>>>
 
Maid Marian Way: street once declared ugliest in Europe receives work to replace roundabout with signal controlled T junction >>>>
 
Calgary waterfront scheme >>>>
The design includes a pavilion and riverside walks.
 
Court issues interim injunction to developer who has failed to deliver the quantum of affordable housing set out in a Section 106 agreement dating from 2011. >>>>
The injunction calls a halt to further development on the site.   The presiding judge said “a party who made promises under a s106 and then breaks those promises can expect themselves to be made subject to an injunction”.
 
Include gardens as a requirement in the Future Homes Standard, green groups urge >>>>
The groups propose that a home’s outside space should be thought about as much the inside space, and that there should be a garden performance certificate, to indicate the quality of the soil, the level of water retention, and biodiversity.

Humans, Health, Society

Nitrogen Dioxide pollution emitted by gas cookers kills 40,000 Europeans each year, report finds >>>>
The research, published in Spanish.  Additional deaths may arise from the effects of particulates and Benzene.
 

Politics, Philosophy, Economics, History

How much are people willing to pay for sustainability? - City and Environment Interactions
"Willingness to Pay" (WTP) refers to the maximum amount an individual is willing to spend to obtain a good or service, or to avoid a negative outcome, such as pollution or environmental degradation.
This study emphasizes the importance of understanding citizens’ willingness to pay for environmental improvements and socio-economic goods in promoting urban sustainability, especially in cities facing multiple environmental hazards. Findings show that people prioritize reducing biodiversity loss, air pollution, traffic, and noise — all of which have significant impacts on well-being and economic planning in urban areas. Lack of green spaces, for example, detracts from ecosystem health and human quality of life, highlighting the need for these spaces to counteract pollution and environmental degradation.

In a detailed review of 80 valuation studies from across the globe produced average willingness to pay for improvements of:
  €298 Effects of high population density
  €142 Heatwaves
  €76 Air pollution,
  €96 Biodiversity loss
  €63 Health risks
  €42 Traffic and noise

Unfortunately the paper is not clear as to whether the figures cited are one-off payments, or annual payments.  We think it is the latter.

There is further detail in the paper: eg a study in Portugal demonstrated that dwellers reveal higher willingness to pay for accessible instead of inaccessible green roofs.

Policy recommendations include addressing both primary hazards (like heat and pollution) and secondary effects (such as density-related issues) to enhance urban sustainability. For climate change impacts, specific measures are needed for indoor and outdoor workers, including heat mitigation strategies like shaded areas, scheduled breaks, and hydration stations. Air pollution, a driver of climate change and health issues, can be addressed by integrating green spaces, green roofs, and water features to improve air quality and provide cooling effects in dense urban areas.

Population density, closely linked to traffic and noise pollution, remains a challenge in developed and developing cities, affecting mental health and overall well-being. Policymakers are advised to promote sustainable transportation options and encourage noise-sensitive construction practices. For biodiversity and ecosystem services, creating green infrastructure like parks, green roofs, and wetland areas can increase climate resilience and provide aesthetic and recreational benefits to communities.

The study concludes that WTP insights should guide policy by emphasizing green infrastructure, pollution mitigation, and biodiversity preservation. Integrating economic valuation data into urban planning helps ensure resources are allocated according to public priorities, building urban resilience to both direct and cascading environmental hazards through coordinated and responsive planning efforts.
 
 
Public participation and NGO activity in nature-based solutions in urban areas of China - Nature-Based Solutions
This paper examines public participation in Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) projects in China, highlighting their impact on urban life and the benefits of citizen involvement. Through literature reviews, site visits, and interviews, it reveals that while Chinese legislation has improved public engagement in environmental decision-making since the 1990s, actual participation in NBS design remains limited.

The study finds that public involvement is greater in smaller projects than in larger ones. Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) can finance NBS but may limit community engagement. NGOs play a crucial role in fostering participation, and local organizations could enhance collaboration between citizens and government, necessitating significant training efforts.
 
Amenities and housing market dynamics: Implications for population change, urban attractiveness, innovation, and productivity - Urban Studies
This review article looks at the factors that bring about inward migration into urban areas.  
 

History

New Silk Road Survey Reveals Hundreds of Medieval Structures >>>>
 
Where were London's most famous 'lost' gardens? >>>>

Natural Environment 

Update to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List reports 28 percent of species at risk of extinction>>>>

• More than one third of the world’s tree species are facing extinction in the wild  >>>>
• European Hedgehogs ‘near threatened’ on red list after 30% decline over past decade >>>>

 
Wiltshire’s River to be 're-wiggled' to help reduce flooding >>>>
 
A new flow: pioneering UK river restoration declared a success >>>>

 

Movement

Children’s Health in London and Luton (CHILL) cohort: a 12-month natural experimental study of the effects of the Ultra Low Emission Zone on children’s travel to school - International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
This survey found that the Vehicle restriction schemes using financial disincentives may help promote active travel among children.

• Scaling up policies such as the Ultra Low Emission Zone in London or implementing similar policies in other cities could help increase the percentage of children walking to school.  The study suggests that it would support London’s target of 60% of children walking to school by 2026.
• Reducing car trips for school drop-offs lowers congestion, pollution, and boosts children's physical activity.  School runs constitute about 25% of peak morning traffic in London.
• While positive strategies (e.g., walking school buses, infrastructure, incentives) are common, research on negative motivators (e.g., restrictions, disincentives) shows these may be more effective at changing driving behaviour.

Energy and Climate Change 

Key Atlantic current could collapse soon, 'impacting the entire world for centuries to come,' leading climate scientists warn >>>>
 
Atmospheric Rivers Have Shifted Towards Earth's Poles, Bringing Big Changes To Weather >>>>
Atmospheric rivers have shifted around 6-10 degrees latitude in the direction of the poles, (approximately 400-700 miles). over the past 40 years. 
 
UK needs big emissions cut, climate watchdog says >>>>
 
CityUHK researchers develop next-generation radiative cooling technology. Providing energy-free cooling materials to combat global warming >>>>
 
Six towns and cities chosen to pilot England’s first clean heating networks >>>>