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ACES Terrier
Urban Planning


SHAPING TOMORROW’S PLACES Does a new era of Government herald a new dawn for the revitalisation and regeneration of our centres?
Dr Steven Norris, Executive Director at Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH), summarises the findings of the 6th annual LSH/Revo survey, which confirms that successful town centre revitalization must look "beyond retail." The top initiative identified by respondents is the provision of new mixed-tenure homes (for the first time), followed by repurposing vacant retail space. The report also shows strong support for devolution and consistently ranks joint ventures/public-private partner

Dr Steven Norris
6 min read


AI GROWTH ZONES Positioning the United Kingdom’s AI strategy within a sustainable innovation framework
Kim Grieveson of Avison Young outlines the significant opportunity presented by the UK's AI Growth Zones initiative, backed by £600m in dedicated funding, with Culham Campus, Abingdon as the first location. She argues that for long-term success, these zones must be designed not just for technological advancement, but as catalysts for sustainable regeneration, requiring integration with net zero targets, renewable energy, and regional economic inclusion.

Kim Grieveson
4 min read


RIVERS AND COMMUNITIES How Rivers Can Breathe Life into Communities
Glen Richardson of Carter Jonas, who helped create the Central Abingdon Regeneration Framework, explains why rivers are crucial for breathing life back into communities. He argues that while rivers were once used for transportation, they are now vital cultural and natural assets that drive wellbeing and income. The key to successful river regeneration, as seen in Abingdon and Newcastle, lies in reconnecting town centres to the waterfront and strategically managing challenges

Glen Richardson
6 min read


THE NATURAL HEALTH SERVICE The health benefits of parks and green spaces
Chris Worman, MBE, a veteran in the parks industry, advocates for recognizing parks and green spaces as essential infrastructure due to their significant health benefits, arguing that undervaluing these areas contributes to rising healthcare costs.

Chris Worman
4 min read


BIODIVERSITY NET GAIN Unlocking value: Open mosaic habitats and the future of BNG
Tom Procter and Yvette Black of JLL explore the potential of Open Mosaic Habitats (OMHs) in meeting Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirements. They highlight how transforming brownfield sites into habitat banks can not only achieve ecological targets but also generate revenue, offering a unique opportunity for local authorities and developers.

Yvette Black
5 min read


INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE Reimagining our cities and towns: A new era of industrial and infrastructure alignment
Rebekah Formosa of Lambert Smith Hampton outlines how the government's 2025 Industrial and Infrastructure Strategies present a blueprint for transforming UK cities and towns. She emphasizes the critical role of local authorities in securing funding by adopting a holistic approach to regeneration that integrates social, environmental, and economic value.

Rebekah Formosa
4 min read


COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP Community ownership needs local authority support
With the Community Ownership Fund closed, Mark Walton of Shared Assets argues that local authorities are now crucial in supporting community asset ownership, acting as landowners, facilitators, and regulators to empower communities and revitalize neighborhoods

Mark Walton
6 min read


LEGACY HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS
Explore the evolving concept of "legacy" in housing developments with experts Johnny Clayton and James Cordery of Carter Jonas. This article delves into how legacy principles, rooted in the work of The King's Foundation, are shaping new communities, adding value, and influencing the future of urban design and strategic land projects.

Johnny Clayton and James Cordery
4 min read


LOCAL AUTHORITY TRADING COMPANIES Back to the Future? The challenge of building like it's 1977
Jemma Shorrock argues that achieving the government's ambitious housing targets requires a stronger partnership between public and private sectors and increased capacity within local authorities. She highlights the critical shortage of planning officers and the need for renewed investment in the front line to prevent housing applications from stalling.

Jemma Shorrock
5 min read


HIGH STREET RENTAL AUCTIONS From theory to practice
Dan Gordon, a Senior Policy Advisor at MHCLG, details the High Street Rental Auctions (HSRA) powers introduced to combat high street vacancy. He explains how these new regulations, effective from December 2024, empower local authorities to address persistent empty units and stimulate regeneration, citing a successful early intervention in Barnsley.

Dan Gordon
5 min read


HOUSING CASE STUDY, GERMANY Local authority residential development in Germany: A case study for the UK?
Iain Mulvey explores a German local authority's proactive approach to residential development, where a public development company directly builds housing, captures developer profits, and borrows private sector money. He examines whether this model, which prioritizes community needs and sustainability, could offer solutions to the UK's housing challenges.

Iain Mulvey
4 min read


REIMAGINING URBAN ASSET MANAGEMENT Unlocking value for sustainable cities
Richard Gawthorpe of Local Partnerships explores how public sector organizations can reimagine urban asset management to unlock value from their estates, focusing on collaborative working, data-driven strategies, and aligning property functions with service delivery.

Richard Gawthorpe
4 min read


BIODIVERSITY NET GAIN Successes and challenges
Mark Topping of Lanpro Services explores the successes and challenges of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) regulations, which became mandatory for major developments in February 2024. He discusses its impact on the development sector, the use of the Defra biodiversity metric, and how BNG can align with new Green Belt release policies to foster greener, healthier developments.

Mark Topping
4 min read


NET ZERO SUM GAME Decarbonising the residential estate: A case study
Sarah Butler of Drees & Sommer UK presents a case study on Manchester City Council's ambitious decarbonisation program for its residential and corporate estates. This article explores the strategies, challenges, and innovative approaches, including AI and GIS analysis, used to achieve net zero targets, reduce fuel poverty, and improve residents' quality of life.

Sarah Butler
6 min read


VULNERABILITY OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS The UK’s climate is changing fast: that’s going to cause us real problems - unless we can adapt public sector buildings successfully
The UK's climate is changing rapidly, which presents significant challenges for public sector buildings. This article explores the vulnerability of these assets and the urgent need to adapt them to withstand the impacts of a changing climate.

Karl Limbert
8 min read


HISTORIC PLACES PANEL Historic towns, new society
As Chair of the Historic Places Panel, Benjamin Derbyshire shares insights into the panel's work to revitalise historic towns and high streets across the UK. He argues that people and community engagement are the "well-spring for recreating faltering places."

Benjamin Derbyshire
6 min read


BNG AND HEALTH The benefits of biodiversity net gain for the health care industry
This blog post explores how Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) and biophilic design can be applied to healthcare facilities, using a case study from a Welsh project. It highlights the benefits for patient recovery, staff wellbeing, and the environment, demonstrating that even small-scale initiatives can have a significant positive impact.

Sowmya Shah
5 min read


CPO AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING Consideration of the government’s proposals to strengthen local authorities’ CPO powers to deliver affordable housing
This article examines the government's proposals to strengthen local authorities' Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) powers, with the aim of delivering more affordable housing.

Robert Smith And Paul Astbury
6 min read


YOUNG PROFESSIONALS 1 The importance of young voices in inspiring long-term visions
Planning is about the future, yet consultations often fail to engage young people who have the greatest stake in it. This article explores how ambitious plans for cities like Cambridge can shift the balance toward younger voices through innovative consultation methods.

John Mason
4 min read


HOUSING RETROFIT Tackling poverty, health, and building community resilience
Dr. Rory Moan’s lecture challenges us to re-evaluate the purpose and design of the built environment. He argues for a shift away from a top-down, "master-planning" approach to one that is more organic, resilient, and responsive to the needs of local communities and sustainable development.

Rachel Moan
6 min read
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