European Urbanists Gain Support From Governments

The Council for European Urbanism (CEU) - formed of European architects, planners, urbanists and other supporters of New Urbanism in Europe - held a very successful first Congress in Berlin recently. INTBAU's special report - by CEU Chair Susan Parham - outlines the major themes, with a highlight on the major speech by British Deputy Prime Minister and head of the planning department (ODPM) in support of New Urbanist principles.

The European urbanism is growing in strength, Parham says, but faces formidable obstacles with many governments refusing to face the problem of urban sprawl that is defacing some of the finest landscapes of Europe. Britain, Parham says, is leading Europe, with Germany also a strong supporter of urbanist principles.