Turning a Town Around: A Proactive Approach to Urban Design

Today's trend towards the renewal of cities, sociable places, higher standards of architecture and sustainable city centre living is the business of urban design. In Britain, effective urban design is now at the forefront of government policy.

However, even when the goals are clear, how do you make a start? If you are a planner, an elected councillor, or a developer what do you have to do on a day-to-day basis? In particular, how do you handle design within the planning process and ensure it is connected to other aspects of policy? How do you maintain this good practice as a matter of course?

Tony Hall offers solutions not through idealised prescriptions but by setting out practical action based on what has been achieved on the ground. Uniquely amongst texts on this subject, the book draws upon his combination of both professional and political experience. This accessible and highly illustrated book shows how to:

• focus the organisation on design
• incorporate design principles into policy
• make design briefing effective
• prepare for successful negotiation

Tony Hall has been with Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia, since 2005. He was previously Professor of Town Planning at Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, UK, and was also an elected member of Chelmsford Borough Council. He led its planning policy, and acted as is Design Champion, at the political level from 1996 to 2003. The high standards of design achieved were recognised by the award to the Council by the central government of the quality mark of Beacon Status for the Quality of the Built Environment in 2003.