Mitchell Silver's passionate defense of planning has earned admirers in England, where "a deflated planning profession is on the defensive". Peter Hetherington looks at Silver's advice for how English planners can show their value to skeptics.
"Last month, at a centenary congress of the International Federation of Housing and Planning in London, Silver effectively called for a reborn planning system with people at its heart and equity as the watchword," writes Hetherington. Planning in England is currently "on the back foot" due to a combination of top-down control, drastic budget cuts, and a reputation as being "unadventurous and obstructive".
"Why, then, has planning got such a bad name in England? Everyone, he says, is looking for a villain. 'But what I understand is that there are tens of thousands of [planning] permissions out there yet to be developed. First question: why are they still on the books? Is it the planners or the lending institutions? Second, planners have to show their value, talk very differently about how they create jobs, the economy, and not just focus on the regulations.'"
FULL STORY: Mitchell Silver: Redesigning the way we live
In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?
May Must-Reads: Top 10 Articles From Last Month
Mall redevelopment, saving California’s high-speed rail, and a provocative rethinking of the concept of redlining.
Four Reasons Urban Planners Can’t Ignore AI
It’s no longer a question of whether AI will shape planning, but how. That how is up to us.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.
Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train
The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.
The Subversive Car-Free Guide to Trump's Great American Road Trip
Car-free ways to access Chicagoland’s best tourist attractions.
San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion
The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont