Equipping placemakers to shape a thriving and equitable city
The town has been written off in the past. Now Slough is one of the most interesting regeneration stories in the South East, with the borough council as the partner for inward investment. We went on a field trip to find out more. For years, Slough was better known for … Read more
A new report called Rights to Place by our members We Made That explores how the built environment can advance fairness and inclusion across urban communities. In a challenging economic climate, there is growing concern that the pressure to build at pace may come at the expense of quality. London … Read more
Hounslow Council has released a business case for inclusive economic development that shows how local authorities can influence the national ‘growth agenda’. We talked to the council about their ambitions for the borough. Growth is the order of the day, according to the new government. At a national level, it … Read more
SHIFT is an ‘innovation ecosystem’ that equips projects to deliver community and environmental impact. We sat down with Francesca Colloca to find out how thinking differently can help tackle London’s big challenges. At Gainsborough Primary School, food waste from school dinners is turned into fertiliser on site. With its help … Read more
Can investing in outdoor swimming improve health and create better places? Mark Baigent explains why Redbridge Council believes leisure-led regeneration will improve wellbeing in its urban communities. This focuses on London’s first new lido in decades, commissioned by Redbridge Council, and why ‘blue spaces’ can bring social, health and wellbeing … Read more
Find out how Lambeth Council hired a group of Black-led design practices to reimagine a valued community centre in Brixton as part of its regeneration plans, and why dominoes were key to the project. LB Lambeth has invested £1.4 million to renovate the Brixton Sports and Social Club on Coldharbour … Read more
There’s a lot of talk about rewilding our cities, but what does ‘letting nature go’ mean for a local authority? Ahead of our “Natural Renewal” event, this latest member Spotlight focuses on ecological design in LB Enfield. This summer, the first baby beaver was born in London in 400 years. … Read more
At the workshop during our conference, we asked if social value is really transforming lives. That will only happen if we engage residents in creating social value, says workshop leader Nina Burich. “Social value can transform lives” is a phrase I jotted down at the conference. This ambition drives our … Read more
Developer contributions usually pay for infrastructure or possibly public art. Find out how LB Hackney uses Section 106 to fund community arts projects that support people affected by development. The Shoreditch and Hoxton art fund run by LB Hackney has used Section 106 public art contributions to create a participatory … Read more
In our latest Spotlight, Alex Jones, Strategic Research Analyst at L&Q, explains how L&Q is putting residents at the heart of decision-making.
Andrew Travers, Director at Inner Circle Consulting, explains the vast potential of the UK’s cities to deliver the growth, jobs and greener futures we need – and show that better living is not so far away after all.
The concept of the 15-minute city is gaining popularity within the built environment sector, particularly post-Covid as the pandemic saw many of us spending more time in our local area than ever before. Our latest Spotlight considers the value of the concept in a London context.