Placemaking in Practice – Learning from International Exemplars

George Weeks

Prince’s Foundation Graduate Fellow Urban Designer at Transport for London

Published in January 2011

Structure of Presentation

1.  Why was the research necessary?

2.  How did we answer the question?

3.  What were the salient points?

Why was it necessary?

“We live in well-designed, sustainable places where we are able to access the

amenities and services we need.”

Intended national outcome from Scottish Government’s National Performance Framework identifies

But! “Too much development in Scotland is a missed opportunity and of mediocre or indifferent quality. There are a few examples of new or regenerated places which are well thought out, some fine new buildings and smaller projects that are to be welcomed but they are the exception rather than the rule. The ultimate test of an effective planning system is the maintenance and creation of places where people want to be. We need to rise to that challenge”

Scottish Government’s Council of Economic

Advisers, First Annual Report, 2008

“Too much development in Scotland is a missed opportunity and of mediocre or indifferent quality. There are a few examples of new or regenerated places which are well thought out, some fine new buildings and smaller projects that are to be welcomed but they are the exception rather than the rule. The ultimate test of an effective planning system is the maintenance and creation of places where people want to be. We need to rise to that challenge”

The Question

What really matters in the delivery of high quality

places?

Some numbers

•  68 SSCI nominees analysed (11 of which exemplars) •  35 case studies shortlisted

•  8 case studies identified (4 English, 4 European)

•  4 months research (plus write-up)

•  3 research staff

•  2 client representatives (A+DS & RICS)

•  1 expert panel (client reps plus 6 professionals)

Four Case Studies in England Castlefield (Britannia Basin), Manchester

Upton, Northamptonshire

Allerton Bywater, Leeds

Newhall, Harlow, Essex

Castlefield (Britannia Basin), Manchester

500 homes, retail and office space close to Manchester City Centre.

Upton, Northamptonshire

1,350 homes on 43 ha new neighbourhood, with primary school and shops, forming part of south-west extension of Northampton

Allerton Bywater, nr. Leeds, Yorkshire

520 homes, plus 25,000 m² of commercial space, on a 23 hectare former colliery site near Leeds

Newhall, Harlow, Essex

550 new homes on 100 ha site, east of Harlow, Essex, forming first phase of much larger development comprising 2,500 homes, including primary school, shops, facilities and employment space

Four Case Studies Overseas Adamstown, Dublin, Republic of Ireland

IJburg, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Hammarby Sjöstad, Stockholm, Sweden

Vauban, Freiburg, Germany

Adamstown, Dublin, Republic of Ireland

New town of around 10,000 homes, west of Dublin, with schools and other social infrastructure and 125,000 m² of

commercial space on a 224 hectare site

IJburg, Amsterdam Netherlands

Complete neighbourhood of 20,000 homes, with everything library, parks, activities, sports activities/centres, schools

etc, built on artificial islands on eastern edge of Amsterdam

Hammarby-Sjöstad, Sweden

Mixed use 200 hectare waterside development of 10,800 apartments for 20-25,000 people at Stockholm, 200,000m²

of commercial space, plus schools, libraries, ski slopes, parks and open space and tram lines.

Vauban, Germany

Mixed use neighbourhood of 1,800 homes (plus 600 student units) providing some 600 jobs. Facilities include primary school, kindergartens,

shops, supermarkets, community centre, market square, child play spaces, sports field, various local services, plus cafes and restaurants.

Neighbourhood served by tram running along main avenue

How? Research Process •  Pro-forma used to structure

information gathering on case studies

•  Background reading

•  Travel to place •  Interviews undertaken (2 – 3 per

project) •  Projects evaluated according to

Building for Life criteria

•  Three meetings held with Expert Panel over course of research, plus intervening correspondence

Answering the Question

The ultimate test of an effective planning system is the maintenance and creation of places where people want to be. We need to rise to that challenge”

Scottish Government’s Council of Economic

Advisers, First Annual Report, 2008

What really matters in the delivery of

high quality places?

Report findings

The Answers Summary of key lessons

n  Ensure Good leadership n  Co-ordinate delivery n  Control the spatial development

framework n  Achieve fast and co-ordinated

regulatory approvals n  Exercise ownership power n  Attract funding for advance

infrastructure provision n  Secure design quality through

procurement strategies n  Thereafter: continue to invest and

provide stewardship over time

Key Lesson 1 – Land Ownership

ALL had land in single ownership or as a very few large holdings (public or private)

•  Economics

•  Long termism

•  Quality

Key Lesson 2 – Collaboration

•  Inherently multi party

•  Structure in place to collaborate

•  Openness, honesty, clarity, stability

•  REGULAR COMMUNICATION

Key Lesson 3 – Leadership •  Place Promoters needed

•  Inspire a vision – inspire people

•  Prevent a relapse into “standard” product

Next Steps Scottish Government

Learning Note Employers in Voluntary

Housing Design Skills Symposium European Urban

Knowledge Network

How? Summary of key lessons

“If Scotland wishes to create better places more often than before, politicians & those charged with delivery need to engage with market essentials by re-thinking public-sector commitment and investment to place quality”

£ Quality Places + + =

Thank you!