Prime Minister Gordon Brown has decided that the need for new homes is greater than the need to protect the environment in Britain, and is preparing to sweep away planning regulations across the country that limit building in undeveloped areas.
"Under reforms expected to be unveiled this month, councils will be told to:
-earmark new building sites in every village and hamlet where affordable housing is needed
-use sweeping powers to overrule normal planning curbs in protected areas
-provide incentives for farmers to sell land to developers
-create a generation of new communities on the outskirts of market towns, similar to Poundbury, the Prince of Wales's "model village".
The changes are aimed at helping the government to achieve its target of building 3m new homes by 2020. All the main political parties agree that the extra housing is needed, although the building programme is likely to be delayed by the recession.
About 16,000 small towns, villages and hamlets across England, and dozens of market towns, could be affected by what is being described by ministers as a 'fundamental shake-up' of rural planning policy. "
FULL STORY: Gordon Brown to bulldoze rural housing curbs
Prince Charles Lays Out a 10-Point Planning Agenda
The Prince of Wales took to the pages of The Architectural Review to share his vision for the future of architecture and planning.
London's Height Debate Reaches Fever Pitch
In the midst of a building boom and expecting another 1.4 million residents to live in the city by 2031, London is embroiled in a debate about how it should meet housing demands.
After 25 Years, Poundbury's Revolutionary Traditionalism Still Divides
Designed by architect Léon Krier, and spearheaded by Prince Charles, the 'model village' on 400 acres outside of Dorchester, England was begun 25 years ago. As Graham Norwood reports, its success is still a matter for debate.
Red Cities, Blue Cities, and Crime
Homicides rose across the nation in 2020 and 2021. But did they rise equally in all cities, or was the situation worse in some than in others?
The Shifting Boomer Bulge: More Bad News for America’s Housing Crisis?
In the first of a two-part series, PlaceMakers’ Ben Brown interviews housing guru Arthur C. Nelson on the sweeping demographic changes complicating the housing market.
A Serious Critique of Congestion Costs and Induced Vehicle Travel Impacts
Some highway advocates continue to claim that roadway expansions are justified to reduce traffic congestion. That's not what the research shows. It's time to stop obsessing over congestion and instead strive for efficient accessibility.
Tolling All Lanes
Bay Area transportation planners are studying a radical idea to reduce traffic congestion and fund driving alternatives: tolling all lanes on a freeway. Even more radical, the plan considers tolling parallel roads.
Federal SMART Grants Awarded for Transportation Safety, Equity Projects
The grant program focuses on the use of technology to improve safety, accessibility, and efficiency in transportation.
Fare Enforcement Upheld by Washington Supreme Court
But using armed police to enforce fare payment is less than ideal in the eyes of the top court in the state of Washington.
City of Greenville
City of Greenville
Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) AmeriCorps Program
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact: Mobility, Community, Possibility
City of Spearfish
City of Lomita
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
