“Somewhere in the Andes, they believe to this very day that the future is behind you. It comes up from behind your back, surprising and unforeseeable, while the past is always before your eyes, that which has already happened. When they talk about the past, the people of the Aymara tribe point in front of […]

“It is difficult to design a space that will not attract people. What is remarkable is how often this has been accomplished.” William H. Whyte Some new places feel characterful and joined up while others just seem out of kilter.  Some come across as over-planned and sterile while others look incoherent and inconsistent. None of this happens […]

Ponds, streams and lakes can attract wildlife, flora, fauna and bring a real sense of calm and beauty to any place.  They are fundamental to the landscape and crucial to the way we design new places. And yet water is an increasingly precious resource in the UK that is difficult to manage.  Extreme weather events […]

We live on a small island with a large population.  Private property – our right to own our home – is a fundamental principle of English law.  But we need appropriate controls on what is built where to balance the private and public good.  Without them, we would have construction anarchy. Planning is the antidote.  […]

Every policymaker promises more affordable homes.  Every Section 106 agreement includes an obligation to provide them.  Every developer promises to deliver them.  Every person struggling to buy or rent wants one. Yet, understandably, existing communities often resist. Like all new developments, affordable housing is a great idea — until it’s being built next door.  It has, […]

“If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” African proverb Three reasons that developers become unpopular: “They smile and make all the right noises until securing planning consent; then they stop smiling and go very quiet (apart from the noise of the construction traffic).” “They run public […]

Regular readers will be aware that many of these journal pieces focus on community.  That’s our passion and ‘community focus’ will remain the beating heart of every project in which we are involved. There is, of course, a simple premise that sits behind creating wonderful communities.  Namely, the need to build more homes in the first […]

A week in the life of Alice – our Head of Community 18th October 2024 My working week requires an intimate knowledge of train timetables.  And an alarm clock! Monday I’m up early to visit Canterbury.  When people hear I work in development they expect me to be an architect or an engineer.  The truth […]

“The nation that destroys its soil destroys itself.” Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1937   The planet has a nature problem.  In the UK, ours is particularly acute, the worst in the G7.  The abundance of UK species has declined* by an average of 19% since 1970. Some 1,500 species are now threatened with national extinction. That’s […]

“Our first priority is houses. In the next five years we intend to achieve – a Government target of 500,000 houses.” Those words were included in the 1966 Labour party manifesto.  Harold Wilson secured an increased Westminster majority that spring. Not since then has such a large proportion of an election manifesto been dedicated to […]

Read any opinion poll or listen to any public consultation and you will be left in no doubt that we live in a country that desperately needs more homes. Read or listen to the local reaction to any proposed new housing development and you will be left in no doubt that many people in the […]

Place naming can be particularly emotive. We understand that.  When it comes to names, everyone has a view and there is no rule book to follow.  Imagine a new grandparent’s reaction to a baby’s name they can’t stand and then multiply it many thousands of times for every person who has strong opinions on a […]

“It is not fair to ask of others what you are not prepared to do yourself.” Eleanor Roosevelt It is easy to preach the many benefits of a community-focused place.  But facilitating them requires hard work and a transparent process involving thousands of conversations and meetings.  Their outcomes will, inevitably, require adaptability and agility on […]

For thousands of years, communities were built around agriculture.  People settled on the land and stayed there, for generations and – in some cases – for centuries and millennia.  They worked together, worshipped together, married one another and had children who would grow up together in the same place, to do it all over again. […]