United Kingdom

The passage of the Localism Act gave broad new planning powers to local communities across the UK. A new project seeks to build a bottom-up planning culture to take advantage of new opportunities.

March 6, 2013 - The Guardian

Eric Jaffe reports on research that may give pause to light rail advocates who argue the mode can reduce congestion: ridership gains along new lines may come at the expense of buses, rather than cars.

February 28, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

An alliance of organizations in the United Kingdom has agreed on a policy statement promoting smart growth alternatives to current policies.

February 24, 2013 - Brownfield Briefing

On a recent visit to India, UK Prime Minister David Cameron offered his country's assistance in planning and developing nine new cities along a 600-mile corridor linking Mumbai and Bangalore by 2030.

February 22, 2013 - The Economic Times

Twenty English cities are joining an existing eight in the government's "city deal" program, which gives local governments expanded planning and financial powers.

February 21, 2013 - BBC News

At 195 hectares (480 acres), the Nine Elms redevelopment project being planned for the south bank of the Thames River will be "the most important regeneration story in London and in the UK over the next 20 years."

February 19, 2013 - The Economist

With women making up only 21 percent of the Britain's registered architects, a percentage far lower than other professions, "insidious" discrimination is common in the field, writes Andrew Hough. Is this harming the nation's built environment?

February 18, 2013 - The Telegraph

With its congestion pricing scheme, London took drastic steps to reduce the number of vehicles entering the city. With a new plan announced by Mayor Boris Johnson, the city is moving to limit the impact of those vehicles on the environment.

February 15, 2013 - Business Green

The global engineering firm envisions a "smart" building that will plug into "smart" urban infrastructure and cater to an increasingly dense and technology-savvy urban population.

February 11, 2013 - Building Design

This week, the UK government announced the controversial route for phase 2 of "the first major railway line north of London since Victorian times." The line, dubbed HS2, will halve journey times between northern cities and to the capital.

February 1, 2013 - The Guardian

Scores of low emission and hybrid vehicles will no longer be exempt from London's spectacularly successful congestion pricing scheme because their growing popularity has increased pollution and traffic in the capital, reports the Daily Mail.

January 31, 2013 - Daily Mail

A new documentary series on the BBC captures the scintillating stories of the planning world by following the work of Council Planning Officers across the UK. Meet "The Planners."

January 26, 2013 - BBC

Although Britain's sporting successes make it out to be a nation of cyclists, only 2.2% of Britons use a bike as their main mode of transportation. Peter Walker looks at how a pioneering parliamentary inquiry hopes to get more people on bikes.

January 23, 2013 - The Guardian

The failure to secure a full-time tenant for the Olympic Stadium, the centerpiece of London's Olympic Park, has cast doubt on one of the selling points of the city's Olympic bid - its post-games impact.

January 23, 2013 - The New York Times

Susan Elkin points to alarmingly low statistics on the number of children who walk to school, especially when compared with historic rates. She lays out some “blindingly obvious” and “child-centered” reasons why this trend needs to be reversed.

January 19, 2013 - The Independent

New high-rise towers spreading throughout central London are threatening the character of the city's most important historic sites, reports Martin Bailey.

January 16, 2013 - The Art Newspaper

Despite their more traditional, mixed-use development patterns, the UK's town centers are not immune from declining "high streets" as a result of the poor economy, and the attractions of shopping centers and online retail. How can they fight back?

January 11, 2013 - The Guardian

Dave Hill reflects on the history and outlook for the world's first underground train. He beckons Londoners to do the same, and to contemplate on how to best help the London Underground flourish in the future.

January 7, 2013 - The Guardian

A new study out of England provides the first "holistic assessment" linking school design to learning rates. "[S]chool layouts can influence a child’s development by as much as 25 percent over the course of an academic year," reports Ian Steadman.

January 6, 2013 - Wired UK

Sarah Goodyear reports on how Britain's 'Cycle to Work' scheme has decreased carbon dioxide emissions, and transformed the lives of individuals such as Toby Field.

December 24, 2012 - Atlantic Cities