The Commonwealth Association of Planners has announced the winners of its Young Planners essay competition. The topics addressed by the winners were how to plan for better care of an aging population, and the nature of place-making. The Commonwealth Association of Planners (CAP) have announced that Joanna Patton (Canadian Institute of Planners) and Wessel Strydom (South…
The impacts of austerity in Greece have dropped out of the headlines, but not gone away. In a vivid account of conditions in his adopted city, Belgian planner Frank d’Hondt reviews the fate of Greeks forced to suffer to repay debts to big banks. Greek unemployment remains at over 20%, while for youths it is…
A new report on the impact of Airbnb and similar platforms calls for tighter regulation. In parts of Edinburgh, the proliferation of Airbnb and its imitators is having a detrimental impact on local amenity and community cohesion, says a new report by Edinburgh’s Civic Trust, the Cockburn Association. While recognising that short-term self-catering accommodation can…
A conference at the University of Birmingham on 22 March on “Planning Challenges in the Commonwealth” will be the venue for the UK launch of the book “Leading Change” My latest book, “Leading Change: Delivering the New Urban Agenda through Urban and Territorial Planning” will have its UK launch at the conference “Think Planning –…
The exhibition at the Ninth World Urban Forum highlights the Asian embrace of Smart Cities. This is my fourth World Urban Forum, and, as ever, the exhibition is worth visiting. Most of the booths are taken by national governments, some by cities or local government organisations, a few by research institutes or by campaigning NGOs.…
The ninth World Urban Forum opens on 7 February 2018, and I am here in Kuala Lumpur and will be reporting on it on this website and on other social media. The World Urban Forum (WUF) is held every other year, and in a different city each time. Hosted by UN-Habitat, it brings together representatives…
Might plans for a make-over for Edinburgh’s West Princes Street Gardens lead to a partial privatisation of an iconic public space? West Princes Street Gardens in the centre of Edinburgh are an outstanding feature of the city. They sit below the spectacular castle. A bandstand is at the centre of the gardens. It has long…
A major project to compare urban practices in 14 cities will be led by a team based in Glasgow University in Scotland. A £7.1 million research project into urban conditions and practices has been awarded to Glasgow University. The money will be used to conduct research over a 4 year period, and to establish a Centre for…
The planned reform of the planning system in Scotland will end in tears. I have an article in the newspaper The Scotsman. It draws on the responses to the consultation on the proposals by the Scottish Government to review the planning legislation. My article argues that an opportunity is being missed. Instead of looking internationally for…
The Cockburn Association, Edinburgh’s Civic Trust, is seeking a new Director. The Cockburn Association is Edinburgh’s leading civic organisation. Formed in 1874, it has contested numerous bizarre “improvements” to the city, such as a car park in East Princes Street Gardens, multi-storey car parks in Queen Street Gardens, and an Inner Ring Road built on…