1. Planning for sustainable places West of England Partnership Conference ‘Meeting the challenges, Achieving our ambitions’ Paul Lavelle 27 November 2009

2. Planning for sustainable places I.What are the attributes of a good place? II.Why should plan for this at the sub-regional scale? III.Example: Cambridge Futures NATION REGION SUB-REGION CITY/TOWN NEIGHBOURHOOD SITE

3. … people want ‘place’ Valuing sustainable urbanism (Savills research for Prince’s Foundation)

4. Places that are connected, overlapping and distinctive command greater value (economic, social, environmental) Regression Plot

5. Broad purpose  Maximise opportunity for exchange  Maximise choice Overarching values  Equal opportunities / social justice  Cultural identity/diversity  Environmental sustainability  Economic prosperity Principles of a ‘good place’ well-made decently-proportioned easy to walk around gardens, parks and squares adaptable Quality of life

6. Placemaking ‘Place’ is becoming more important as a driver of economic growth and prosperity. As technology and other changes enable labour, capital and information to move between countries with increasing ease, the particular characteristics of places, and their flexibility to respond to economic trends, become even more crucial to economic prosperity and resilience. Local Government White Paper

7. Drivers of change Population and household growth

8.  Cities consume 75% of all resources and produce 75% of all waste  96 months till we reach a tipping point on climate change  We have to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050, and 50% are related to the built environment  The International Energy Agency predicts an oil crunch as soon as 2012 Drivers of change Adapting places to environmental change

9. Drivers of change Health and well-being sustainable transport green infrastructure accessible and efficient services therapeutic environments adaptable accommodation...quality of place

10. 10  functional urban areas increasing in size –disintegration of employment and residential locations –high mobility –increase in dual career households no. of travel to work areas TTW areas year 6421981 3081991 Source: RTPI (2006) Uniting Britain Source: Hall P and Pain K (2006) The Polycentric Metropolis Drivers of change: The way the economy works  increasing emphasis on place –people + firms + physical environment –effects of globalisation and the move towards knowledge economies

11. A placemaking approach at the sub-regional scale  A process of creating and managing socially, environmentally and economically successful places by...  working across sectors including housing, health, transport, employment and education, to...  achieve well planned, well designed and well managed cities, towns and neighbourhoods.

12. 12 Understanding the components of place and the role of spatial planning  a clear and engaging ‘story of change’  an urban design/spatial framework for delivery of strategic objectives / projects  drawing on strategic themes  a way to resolve issues around sub- regional working within the planning system

13. New generation policy model / Statutory / Top-down Strategic urban design: Introduction13 Montpellier SCOT Drawing on examples from the UK and beyond

14. 14 Integration model / Non-statutory to statutory / Bottom- up and top-down Example – predictive analysis model: Cambridge Futures

15. 15 Cambridge Futures

16. 16 Cambridge Futures

17. 17 Cambridge: Alternative Futures

18. 18 Cambridgeshire Quality Charter Community Places where people live out of choice... Connectivity...with easy access for all to jobs and services Climate Places that anticipate climate change in ways that advance the desirability of development Character Places with distinctive neighbourhoods...

19. 19 Lessons from Cambridgeshire Using design in planning: generating positive options  Facilitating decision making and aligning interests among many stakeholders and communities  Modelling and testing options – eg. exploring options for urban extensions informally, outside the planning system  Giving confidence to challenge assumptions

20. Paul Lavelle plavelle@cabe.org.uk www.cabe.org.uk Thank you