One of the country's finest libraries of books on town planning and housing policy - the Harry Simpson Memorial Library, currently located in Wisbech - is at risk of being pulped. Please publicise and support the campaign to save it.
davemnt.wordpress.com/2026/03/26/a...
map of United Kingdom showing coverage of Ordnance Survey maps, with maps just added to the website shown in orange.
detail from historic Ordnance Survey map with copyright statement crown copyright 1975
This #MapMonday we're taking you back in time ⌛
We've just added over 9,000 out of copyright Ordnance Survey maps published in 1975 to our Map Images website.
What did your neighbourhood look like fifty years ago? 🗺️
🔗: maps.nls.uk/additions/#191
#MoreMaps
A map of London and the surrounding area marked ‘Greater London Plan’ - the design is 1940s. It depicts London girdled by arterial roads, some of which exist today but most of which do not.
I bought myself a print of the 1944 Abercrombie Plan map of London. But what would this alternative London have been like? I, with Jim Ballard and Martin Amis, venture a few thoughts www.onlondon.co.uk/lewis-baston...
Does anyone have access to DoE / Welsh Office development control policy note 12 Hotels (1972) and, if so, might they be able to provide me with a copy?
The Standard reports that we can expect a formal announcement before the end of October - www.standard.co.uk/news/london/...
Three key measures under consideration:
- Reduction in level of affordable housing sought from 35% to 20%
- Increase in government subsidy available for building affordable units
- Give councils the option not to charge Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)
As trailed by @davehillonlondon.bsky.social: www.theguardian.com/society/2025... Notable that this will be a time-limited intervention.
Latest stats on greenbelt land published today - I think people are always surprised by this map, which shows that the large majority of land across England is neither built up, nor greenbelt. Most of it's just ordinary, unprotected farmland. www.gov.uk/government/s...
Map of the proposed new towns here. As expected, mostly in the south and nothing north of Leeds.
So as expected, most of the 'new towns' are urban extensions. Just three (Adlington, Marlcombe and Tempsford) are stand-alone entirely new settlements.
Here's gov's New Towns taskforce announcement, www.gov.uk/government/n.... As well as Crews Hill (Enfield) it specifies "creation of a riverside settlement in Thamesmead (Greenwich) & improving connectivity if the proposed extension of the DLR can be delivered to enable the development." #london
Govt response to New Towns Taskforce recommendations. The Taskforce’s 12 locations still being considered (“Tempsford, Crews Hill and Leeds South Bank looking particularly promising”). More by next Spring so watch this space or rather these various large spaces.
www.gov.uk/government/p...
New town locations now out:
- Adlington, Cheshire East
- South Gloucestershire
- Enfield
- Heyford Park in Cherwell
- Leeds
- Manchester, Victoria North
- Marlcombe, East Devon
- A ‘Renewed Town’ in Milton Keynes;
- Plymouth
- Tempsford
- Thamesmead, Greenwich;
- Worcestershire Parkway, Wychavon
Guardian: Plan to build 12 new towns in England to be unveiled at Labour conference - www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
New for OnLondon by @charleswright57.bsky.social: Sadiq Khan's deputy for planning hints at imminent major policy shift to help increase homebuilding: www.onlondon.co.uk/sadiq-khan-d... @simonicity.bsky.social @tomcopley.bsky.social @london.gov.uk @zoegarbett.bsky.social @hinabokharild.bsky.social
Remember housing? Remember how boosting home-building is a major @teamlabouruk.bsky.social ambition? Remember the New Towns programme? There is a growing belief in #London planning circles that two very different locations in the capital have been chosen. Now read on.
Worth noting that the briefing refers to the 'legal definition' of a hostel in the Housing Act 1985. But rather than import definitions from other areas of law, in planning we typically rely on the characterisation of hostels in two key cases: Commercial and Residential and Panayi.
Nick Cuff's diagnosis of the problems is spot on. I largely agree with his suggested solutions too, though in my view some degree of discretion, rather than an entirely-rules based system, can be helpful to developers and investors.
Excellent analysis @simonicity.bsky.social.
Planning law is perhaps the UK’s most formidable single weapon in geo-politics.
More than Trident.
My father took me every Saturday morning to see the progress of the building of the Thames barrier. He was borough surveyor for Bexley in 60s. Oh the joy of town planners.
Well, I for one quite enjoyed this evening trawling through microfiche scans of a 1970s planning application for a story.
Now retrieved from the depths of the internet (having checked the Welsh Office reference for the same circular): webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/201404...
Do any of my fellow planners have a copy of Department of the Environment Circular 13/87 'Changes of use of buildings and other land: the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987' they could email me?
Government confirms that Planning and Infrastructure Bill 'will be introduced in Spring' with further detail on the Bill to be published today in a working paper - www.gov.uk/government/n...
We will be launching an awareness campaign to change the narrative around planning by demonstrating the public benefits of proper planning. It will aim to reshape public perceptions, showing planning not as an obstacle, but as a proactive force for good.
Read more: www.rtpi.org.uk/news/2025/ja...
