Our towns and cities are experiencing massive change. Manufacturing towns in the Midlands and the North are facing decline. They have lost their economic base and are struggling to find new reasons to attract and retain young people. In contrast, towns and cities in the South East are facing huge pressures for growth with all the attendant problems of housing shortage and traffic congestion. These changes are complicated by issues of sustainability and there is growing pressure to make development more sustainable.

What’s to be done? How can we best manage shrinkage in some places and how can we manage growth in others? And how can we plan our communities so as to live more sustainably and burn less carbon?

There is currently a huge amount of public consultation about urban development and regeneration in the UK but little effective engagement with people. CAR has developed a range of tools that involve stakeholders and members of the public in thinking strategically about these issues. CAR has also been involved in reviewing major planning initiatives and evaluating new settlements.

Projects/Publications

• Lessons from Cambourne A study evaluating the new settlement of 4,000 homes ten miles west of Cambridge against Terry Farrell’s original master plan objectives and drawing lessons for similar new settlements in the region. Client: InspireEast, 2007. [Read more »] [Download (PDF, 1.8Mb) »]
• Urban Futures A comparative study of growth and decline: neighbourhood renewal in Burnley and Luton for Building Futures. Client: RIBA/CABE, 2005. [Download (PDF, 2.1Mb) »]
• Urban Futures Game A scenario-based game for visualising neighbourhood change, 2005. Client: RIBA/CABE, 2005. [Read more »] [Download (PDF, 532Kb) »]
• Housing Futures – Informed Public Opinion Public views of development options in the South East. Client: Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2004. [Download Findings (PDF, 70Kb) »] [Download Report (PDF, 1.8Mb) »]
• Cambridge Futures 2 What transport for Cambridge? Client: Cambridge Futures, 2004. [Read more »] [Download (PDF, 206Kb) »]
• Cambridge Futures 1 What development options for Cambridge? Client: Cambridge Futures, 1999. [Read more »] [Download (PDF, 467Kb) »]
• Cities of Innovation Shaping places for high-tech. Client: Cambridge-MIT Institute, 2003.

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