Nicholas Falk’s report for Cambridgeshire Horizons was launched at their annual conference in Ely, and sets out proposals for how the principles of the Quality Charter can be implemented in practice. .

Cambridgeshire Horizons have appointed URBED to undertake a third phase of work on the Cambridgeshire Quality Charter for Growth, focussed on how new developments in the Cambridge Growth Area can be made truly sustainable..

Sustainable Urban Neighbourhood is the title of a new book by David Rudlin and Nicholas Falk published by the Architectural Press. It updates the 1999 edition Building the 21st Century Home that has come to be seen as an important text in the rediscovery of urbanism in the UK..

Nicholas Falk was asked to provide a briefing paper for the Mayor of London’s summit on new financial models for development. The paper is based on findings from study tours to Vathorst in Amersfoort.

Nicholas Falk contributed an article to the CECODHAS publication Urban Regeneration in Europe: The Place of social housing in integrated urban policies . The collection of essays includes work by Karien Dekker, John Flint and Gerard Van Bortel. For his contribution, Nicholas summarised research URBED had done for English Partnerships and the Housing Corporation on the subject of managing mixed communities. We summarised a large body of research, which showed that despite the benefits that are often claimed, there can be real issues in managing and paying for the communal areas, and avoiding conflicts..

Conclusions from new research into the success of new settlements in four European countries were debated at a crowded launch event in London's new Kings Place in October.

A panel of experts led by Professor Sir Peter Hall welcomed the findings. The research, sponsored by Scott Wilson, The Guinness Partnership and Grainger plc, analyses how some of today’s exemplary European Eco-town projects have successfully delivered high quality and sustainable housing..

Drawing on research into European experience this short paper sets out the case for government enabling local authorities to support the issue of bonds to help finance infrastructure in areas designated for major housing growth..

URBED’s report for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation of major European regeneration success stories has important lessons for transforming people and places together so that vulnerable groups do not lose out. The report is based on two years research into three industrial cities that have been leading the way in Europe – the regeneration of the shipyards in Gothenburg, Sweden’s second city; a former dock area in Rotterdam, Europe’s largest port; and Roubaix, a former textile town in the Lille conurbation in north-east France..

In October 2008 members of the TEN Group spent two days in Belfast looking at how to tackle worklessness and social cohesion in areas undergoing development. The report of the visit summarises the background and context, describes the places we saw, and the lessons that emerged. .

Following study tours organised through the Town and Country Planning Association, and also URBED's case studies of new settlements in Freiburg and Amersfoort, Sir Peter Hall and Nicholas Falk drew out the conclusions and asked 'Why not here?' Presentations of the findings are being made to a number of conferences. .

Over the Edge: Town Centres and the London Economy, for the North London Strategic Alliance and the West London Alliance, takes a fresh look at the health of the major and metropolitan town centres in north and west London, assessing how well they are doing in relation to centres in the Outer Metropolitan Area (OMA), and focussing on their non-retail functions. .

The second TEN Group visit to learn from Europe visited Lille and Roubaix, and drew on research that Clare Colomb has been doing for the Making Connections research project..

Built Environment Volume 32, Number 3
In the latest edition of Built Environment, Nicholas Falk brings together contributions from 12 experts on the future of our suburbs, and possible ways forward, drawing on a number of major research projects, and experience in the USA and Harlow. .

Proposals have been released for setting up a development trust, using innovative funding mechanisms, for the new town of Northstowe in South Cambridgeshire, where 10,000 new homes are expected to be built. A report by URBED with Marilyn Taylor Associates has been approved by South Cambs in principle as the basis for setting up the board and appointing staff. Further work is being commissioned on funding and legal matters..

The TEN Group's study tour to look at residential renewal and new communities in and around Berlin discovered some surprises..

London’s suburbs need a radical overhaul so that the capital can realise its potential as a city of vibrant villages, urges a new report by researchers at BURA and URBED plus Ben Kochan which accompanies the London Assembly’s enquiry into London’s suburbs. .

A masterplan for expanding the population of the City of Ely by up to 50% was released for consultation this week. .

A report on lessons from new Dutch suburbs, based on a study tour URBED organised for the board of Harlow Renaissance, stresses the very different approach taken by local authorities, who play a much more proactive role than their British equivalent..

The toolkit was commissioned by the Greater London Authority and produced in partnership with the London Development Agency, Transport for London, and the Association of London Government, with support from the Town and Country Planning Association in developing the initial framework. .

At the time of the first Urban Summit back in 2002 URBED was commissioned to work with 24 major towns and cities and the ODPM, and the resulting set of five reports set out the state of the cities and lessons from over 60 case studies. .

Stepping Out: Towards an action plan for Stroud's evening economy This report looks at the future of the evening economy in Stroud, Gloucestershire, and puts forward proposals for reinforcing the upsurge of activity in the town centre, by attracting a wider group of people to come into town at night. .

A study tour of major development projects in three Dutch cities suggests that planning in Britain would be improved by adopting their practices, particularly as far as collaboration between different agencies is concerned. .

Nicholas Falk addressed a fringe meeting of the LGA conference in Harrogate on July 7th, where he went through the findings. A summary report is available free, and the final report and literature review is available from the LGA..

Better Neighbourhoods: Making higher densities work proposes the use of charters and compacts between local authorities and developers on minimum standards as a way of overcoming barriers identified in a major research project..

A new report from URBED calls for action to promote neighbourhood revival in suburbs that are at risk or have special character..

‘Demonstrator masterplans’ for Werneth/Freehold Housing Market Renewal area, Oldham Town Centre and the ‘Oldham Net’ – a series of opportunities across the borough – are being launched for public consultation..

A survey of the attitudes of 240 councillors on Planning Committees in the South East found that housing was a top priority. However new housing proposals often failed because of concerns over extra traffic and parking (62%), opposition from local residents (51%), out of character (44%), and impact on local services (39%). .

A report by URBED based on a range of consultation events sets out a vision and strategic framework for the future of York - published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. .

Published to coincide with the Urban Summit the findings of a 12 month study by URBED and the ODPM's Urban Policy Unit assess progress made by 24 towns and cities towards an urban renaissance. Over sixty case studies showcase the best examples of good practice. .

London’s suburbs must respond to the Mayor’s sustainable development agenda. This is the message of the report - ‘A City of Villages’ produced for the GLA by URBED and the TCPA..

Case studies of the urban renaissance in the South East have been published by the DTLR. The report examines 30 case studies from the South East region..

If the typical nineteenth century home was the urban terrace and the twentieth century home was the suburban semi, where will we be living in the twenty first century? This book has been sold out three times and has been translated into Chinese. An updated version will come out in 2007..

The 21st Century Homes action research for Joseph Rowntree Foundation explored future influences on housing with a series of innovative demonstration projects in Hulme, Swansea and Milton Keynes. .

The TCPA have published Nicholas Falk’s pamphlet FUNDING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES Smart Growth and Intelligent Local Finance. It was launched at a national conference in Oxford on development land value taxation..

In 1998 we were contacted by Friends of the Earth to explore whether it was possible to accommodate 75% of household growth within urban areas. .

URBED's Turning the Tide research report, which is based on seven case studies of waterfront success stories, assesses the contribution that waterfronts are making to urban renaissance in Britain..