OpenPlan

Enjoying what promises to be a thought-provoking World Town Planning Day webinar considering the concept of Complete Communities, presented by the Barbados Town Planning Society. As always, joining a @_btps event is a pleasure, privilege and education.

5/… 2. Requiring all developments to contribute towards creating places that work well, feel right and look good. All easier to say than achieve, I know, but as the quoted report shows, more of the same just won’t work.

4/…Led by the new NPPF, urban planning should be based on 2 core principles: 1. Creating places that support the well-being of the people whose lives connect in and with them - now and in the future; and…

3/…With an exception for agricultural (and similar) needs, there should be a ban on developing further housing that is car-dependent: we have plenty of that already, so that choice will still be there for those who want it…

2/…Place-planning and transport planning have to be fully integrated, with the integrated planning bodies having the resources and powers to deliver as well as plan. Active travel provision and public transport connectivity must be primary requirements…

The depth of reform needed to ensure new housing is in the right places shouldn’t be underestimated. It has to include giving public planning and development bodies land assembly and “master developer” powers and a duty to create truly walkable places…1/ theguardian.com/politics/2024/…

Not reported much in some parts of The Commonwealth, but hugely important…

Enjoying Day 1 of this year’s Vitual Island Summit. Good panel session on ‘Decarbonising Islands” now on - and we’ll be dipping in as & when we can to learn from the wide range of discussions between now and Friday. Registration remains open: islandinnovation.co/events/virtual… #VIS2024

From this to this 👀 THE ZONE is open Under Pelham Bridge! From a disused car park to a pop-up youth space for young people aged 11-18 to chill, create, and be themselves! 💰 FREE 📍Under Pelham Bridge, LN5 7LQ ℹ️ getinthezone.uk

Lessons from #HurricaneBeryl: Everyone’s heart should cry out for the people of Union Island, Carriacou, St. Vincent, Grenada, parts of Jamaica, St. Lucia, and the fisherfolk of Barbados, all of whom suffered greatly under Hurricane Beryl’s severe blow. thestkittsnevisobserver.com/lessons-from-h…

Very happy to be back in the Dominican Republic for the opening of this year’s Caribbean Urban Forum #CUF2024 - the first in a non-English speaking part of the Caribbean. A really exciting agenda for the next 3 days.

@zopink @Keir_Starmer @KateRaworth /3 The tree has also contributed greatly to the quality of life our family and our neighbours have enjoyed and shared. It’s a mature tree; it’s not grown much but it has thrived - and it’s enhanced our well-being. Growth isn’t everything. #DoughnutEconomics

@zopink @Keir_Starmer @KateRaworth This Lime tree was already mature when we moved in, those 40 years ago. It hasn’t grown much since then - but it continues to thrive. It supports the well-being of generation after generation of birds (families of Jackdaws have lived in it for probably over 100 years) and bees 2/

@zopink @Keir_Starmer I’m sure you are right. I’m typing this sitting in our garden on a lovely May evening looking past our home to the street-side tree that was one of the reasons we fell in love with this place 40 years ago…1/ #DoughnutEconomics @KateRaworth

Great report @Localis! 1st recommendation is the need for strategic planning. How many more reports about building resilient places & addressing our key economic, climate & infrastructure challenges will we need before the Government listens? #Bringbackstrategicplanning

@CatrionaRiddel1 @Localis How about this set of 3 recent publications as core reading for everyone aiming to shape and repurpose places so that they can support the social, economic and overall well-being of those whose lives connect with them and in them?… #15minuteCity #DesignforLife @DemocracyNet_

We’ve got our copy and will be using it to check our work!

What a fascinating article about another very complex urban challenge. We urgently need to develop properly integrated urban planning, management and maintenance strategies.