United Kingdom

WorldGBC Report: Green Buildings Are Business-Friendly

Green buildings "make business sense," says Jane Hanley, World Green Building Council CEO.

March 14, 2013 - Office Insight

Urban Explorers

Place Hackers Explore Urban Space to Reclaim It

Matthew Power profiles Bradley L. Garrett, Ph.D. and his "research subjects," who are active participants in the urban explorer movement, which aims to "rediscover, reappropriate, and reimagine the urban landscape."

March 11, 2013 - GQ

Sustainability's Latest Tool: Gamification

Already popular in several sectors, 'gamification' is increasingly being used to educate and engage the public around sustainability issues. Can "using fun and games for serious purposes" bring about environmental improvements?

March 11, 2013 - The Guardian

Boris Backs Bikes with $1.4 Billion Infrastructure Plan for London

Mayor Boris Johnson has unveiled a wildly ambitious £913m 10-year plan to make cycling an integral part of London's transportation network.

March 8, 2013 - The Guardian

New Project Seeks to Boost Community Planning in the UK

The passage of the Localism Act gave broad new planning powers to local communities across the UK. A new project seeks to build a bottom-up planning culture to take advantage of new opportunities.

March 6, 2013 - The Guardian

New Study: Light Rail Fails at Discouraging Driving

Eric Jaffe reports on research that may give pause to light rail advocates who argue the mode can reduce congestion: ridership gains along new lines may come at the expense of buses, rather than cars.

February 28, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Smart Growth Approach Urged in the UK

An alliance of organizations in the United Kingdom has agreed on a policy statement promoting smart growth alternatives to current policies.

February 24, 2013 - Brownfield Briefing

Britain Offers Planning Expertise for Nine New Indian Cities

On a recent visit to India, UK Prime Minister David Cameron offered his country's assistance in planning and developing nine new cities along a 600-mile corridor linking Mumbai and Bangalore by 2030.

February 22, 2013 - The Economic Times

Local Planning Expands in the UK

Twenty English cities are joining an existing eight in the government's "city deal" program, which gives local governments expanded planning and financial powers.

February 21, 2013 - BBC News

The Forces Shaping London's Largest Redevelopment in 350 Years

At 195 hectares (480 acres), the Nine Elms redevelopment project being planned for the south bank of the Thames River will be "the most important regeneration story in London and in the UK over the next 20 years."

February 19, 2013 - The Economist

Is a Lack of Female Architects Harming Britain's Cities?

With women making up only 21 percent of the Britain's registered architects, a percentage far lower than other professions, "insidious" discrimination is common in the field, writes Andrew Hough. Is this harming the nation's built environment?

February 18, 2013 - The Telegraph

London Plans Low Emissions Zone; Too Little, Too Late?

With its congestion pricing scheme, London took drastic steps to reduce the number of vehicles entering the city. With a new plan announced by Mayor Boris Johnson, the city is moving to limit the impact of those vehicles on the environment.

February 15, 2013 - Business Green

Arup Proposes Radical Building of the Near Future

The global engineering firm envisions a "smart" building that will plug into "smart" urban infrastructure and cater to an increasingly dense and technology-savvy urban population.

February 11, 2013 - Building Design

Route for England's New High-Speed Rail Line Unveiled

This week, the UK government announced the controversial route for phase 2 of "the first major railway line north of London since Victorian times." The line, dubbed HS2, will halve journey times between northern cities and to the capital.

February 1, 2013 - The Guardian

Eco-Friendly Vehicles Lose Their Congestion Pricing Exemption in London

Scores of low emission and hybrid vehicles will no longer be exempt from London's spectacularly successful congestion pricing scheme because their growing popularity has increased pollution and traffic in the capital, reports the Daily Mail.

January 31, 2013 - Daily Mail

Television

The Next Reality TV Stars: 'The Planners'

A new documentary series on the BBC captures the scintillating stories of the planning world by following the work of Council Planning Officers across the UK. Meet "The Planners."

January 26, 2013 - BBC

Gearing Up Britain's Bike Use

Although Britain's sporting successes make it out to be a nation of cyclists, only 2.2% of Britons use a bike as their main mode of transportation. Peter Walker looks at how a pioneering parliamentary inquiry hopes to get more people on bikes.

January 23, 2013 - The Guardian

Only Six Months After the Games, London's Olympic Legacy in Doubt

The failure to secure a full-time tenant for the Olympic Stadium, the centerpiece of London's Olympic Park, has cast doubt on one of the selling points of the city's Olympic bid - its post-games impact.

January 23, 2013 - The New York Times

Two Brothers Walk to School

5 Good Reasons Why Children Should Walk To School

Susan Elkin points to alarmingly low statistics on the number of children who walk to school, especially when compared with historic rates. She lays out some “blindingly obvious” and “child-centered” reasons why this trend needs to be reversed.

January 19, 2013 - The Independent

Could London Lose its UNESCO Status?

New high-rise towers spreading throughout central London are threatening the character of the city's most important historic sites, reports Martin Bailey.

January 16, 2013 - The Art Newspaper

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.