Bringing together authors from academia and practice, this book examines spatial planning at different scales in a number of case studies throughout the British Isles, helping planners to become re-engaged in critical thinking about space and place.

Bringing together authors from academia and practice, this book examines spatial planning at different places throughout the British Isles. Six illustrative case studies of practice examine which conceptions of space and place have been articulated, presented and visualized through the production of spatial strategies. Ranging from a large conurbation (London) to regional (Yorkshire and Humber) and national levels, the case studies give a rounded and grounded view of the physical results and the theory behind them. While there is widespread support for re-orienting planning towards space and place, there has been little common understanding about what constitutes ‘spatial planning’, and what conceptions of space and place underpin it. This book addresses these questions and stimulates debate and critical thinking about space and place among academic and professional planners.

Spatial planning, strongly advocated by government and the profession, is intended to be more holistic, more strategic, more inclusive, more integrative and more attuned to sustainable development than previous approaches. In what the authors refer to as the New Spatial Planning, there is a fairly rapidly evolving maturity and sophistication in how strategies are developed and produced. Crucially, the authors argue that the reworked boundaries of spatial planning means that to understand it we need to look as much outside the formal system of practices of ‘planning’ as within it. Using a rich empirical resource base, this book takes a critical look at recent practices to see whether the new spatial planning is having the kinds of impacts its advocates would wish. Contributing to theoretical debates in planning, state restructuring and governance, it also outlines and critiques the contemporary practice of spatial planning. This book will have a place on the shelves of researchers and students interested in urban/regional studies, politics and planning studies.

Views on spatial planning and its role have changed significantly over the past few years and the issues it deals with have become increasingly more complex. There are more players involved in the development of a particular area or place than ever before and there is also a greater interest in urban design issues. There are also new ways of conceiving of place, space and society relations. It is therefore necessary that all those involved in the production, consumption and valuing of places and territories develop and (re)learn new ways of analyzing and managing space. This volume provides a platform for such a re-examination. It first discusses how spaces and places are understood and conceptualized, and offers a dialogue between different approaches to the understanding of space, emphasizing the need for a dynamic perspective. The book then goes on to examine the changing governance processes through various case studies, which illustrate a range of innovative spatial planning projects from across Europe and the United States. By bringing together an examination of both space and the process through which the space is created and managed, this volume offers a unique multi-dimensional understanding of spatial planning and suggests new ways of negotiating how society should shape and influence the transformation of places.

Containing the proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Urban Regeneration and Sustainability this book addresses the multi-disciplinary aspects of urban planning; a result of the increasing size of cities; the amount of resources and services required and the complexity of modern society. Most of earth’s population now lives in cities and the process of urbanisation still continues generating many problems deriving from the drift of the population towards them. These problems can be resolved by cities becoming efficient habitats, saving resources in a way that improves the quality and standard of living. The process however, faces a number of major challenges, related to reducing pollution, improving main transportation and infrastructure systems. New urban solutions are required to optimise the use of space and energy resources leading to improvements in the environment, i.e. reduction in air, water and soil pollution as well as efficient ways to deal with waste generation. These challenges contribute to the development of social and economic imbalances and require the development of new solutions. Large cities are probably the most complex mechanisms to manage. However, despite such complexity they represent a fertile ground for architects, engineers, city planners, social and political scientists, and other professionals able to conceive new ideas and time them according to technological advances and human requirements. The challenge of planning sustainable cities lies in considering their dynamics, the exchange of energy and matter, and the function and maintenance of ordered structures directly or indirectly, supplied and maintained by natural systems. Topics covered include: Urban strategies; Planning, development and management; Urban conservation and regeneration; The community and the city; Eco-town planning; Landscape planning and design; Environmental management; Sustainable energy and the city; Transportation; Quality of life; Waterfront development; Case studies; Architectural issues; Cultural heritage issues; Intelligent environment and emerging technologies; Planning for risk; Disaster and emergency response; Safety and security; Waste management; Infrastructure and society; Urban metabolism.

Ideal for students and practitioners working in spatial planning, the Europeanization of planning agendas and regional policy in general Spatial Planning Systems and Practices in Europe develops a systematic methodological framework to analyze changes in planning systems throughout Europe. The main aim of the book is to delineate the coexistence of continuity and change and of convergence and divergence with regard to planning practices across Europe. Based on the work of experts on spatial planning from twelve European countries the authors underline the specific and context-dependent variety and disparateness of planning transformation, focusing on the main objectives of the changes, the driving forces behind them and the main phases and turning points, the main agenda setting actors, and the different planning modes and tools reflected in the different "policy and planning styles". Along with a methodological framework the book includes twelve country case studies and the comparative conclusions covering a variety of planning systems of EU member states. According to the four "ideal types" of planning systems identified in the EU Compendium, at least two countries have been selected from each of the four different planning traditions: regional-economic (France, Germany), Urbanism (Greece, Italy), comprehensive/integrated (Denmark ,Finland, Netherlands, Germany), "land use planning" (UK, Czech Republic, Belgium/Flanders), along with two additional case studies focusing on the recent developments in eastern European countries by looking at Poland and in southern Europe looking at Turkey.

This book discusses the role of regional design and visioning in the formation of regional territorial governance to offer a better understanding of (1) how a recognition of spatial dynamics and the visualization of spatial futures informs, and is informed by, planning frameworks and (2) how such design processes inform co-operation and collaboration on planning in metropolitan regions. It gathers theoretical reflections on these topics, and illustrates them by means of practical experiences in several European countries. Innovatively associating ideas with knowledge, it appeals to anyone with an interest in planning experiments in a post-regulative era. It aims at an increased understanding of how practices, engaged with the imagination of possible futures, support the creation of institutional capacity for strategic spatial planning at regional scales.