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CPRE’s definition of a compact community is that it consists of well-designed, higher density, medium-rise housing and mixed-use developments focused on town and local centres and other public transport hubs, large enough to offer a range of social and economic amenities within walking distance of people’s homes. Hank Dittmar of the Prince’s Trust for the Built Environment in opening the event highlighted the need for action to combat global warming. The Stern Report stresses the need to find ways, including good land use, of addressing climate change in order to produce economic benefits. In November 2006 the Barker review dismissed the Stern Report and put forward the view that the challenge is lack of land for building. However, Dittmar considered that the Barker Review had neglected to consider how high-density building that reduced travelling for work, shopping, leisure, etc would reduce transport emissions and so curb global warming. Car use decreases significantly if frequent public transport is within five minutes' walking distance of houses. This can be achieved with housing densities of 60 to 70 units to the acre, such as is achieved by terraced and mansion blocks. There is not much gain in access to amenities if higher housing densities than that are used. He concluded by asking is NIMBY a rational response to higher housing densities? Is it a problem about quality of housing rather than density? How do the new rules for urban development improve the skills of planning authorities? If a single target density is not desirable, how do we ensure that appropriate densities are applied? Does planning lack the middle-scale zone, such as the sub-region? How do we align transport investment decisions with land use and growth goals? The second speaker, Harley Sherlock, an architect and President of CPRE London, talked about how compact, sustainable housing can be achieved. He showed slides of two developments in which the same housing density as tower block housing of the 1970s (100 dwellings to they hectare) had been obtained with medium-rise building. The first was a conversion of existing Georgian terraced housing in Islington, in which each former house became two town dwellings. The lower the unit had a garden adjacent to the basement living floor with bedrooms at street level, and the upper unit had a roof terrace created from half of the roof space adjacent to the kitchen diner with its living room and bedroom floors below. The bedrooms of the two units were on adjacent floors reducing noise problems. The second development showed modern terraced four-storey buildings using a similar layout and density to the Georgian terraced conversion. Concrete floors between the two units reduced noise transference. Dominic Church from the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment said that travel is a key factor as to where housing is built. Firstly, people must be able to afford travel costs to work from home, which with the growing scarcity of fuel is likely cost more, and secondly the effect of transport emissions on climate change must be taken into account. Therefore it is imperative to reduce the need to travel by enabling people to satisfy their daily needs without using a car. So it is necessary to design a good place to be in, rather than good places to be travelling through. Higher density is needed in order to have good provision of local facilities with walking made easy and possible. In addition, the buildings that are contiguous are more fuel efficient. He contrasted the United Kingdom’s smaller houses and low density with higher densities in Europe, which have more spacious living units. Patrick Clark of Llewellyn-Davies Consultants commented that there has been a century of continuous debate as to the optimum housing density and it is only recently that compact housing density has gained favour. Surprisingly, Kendal in the Lake District has a higher housing density than the high-rise blocks in London. The amount of car parking provision is crucially important for smaller sites in the achievement of higher housing densities. For large developments such as at Barking Reach a prescribed net housing density is not helpful. Buildings other than houses, such as factories and offices and the need for parks must be taken into account. He concluded by saying that we need to rediscover our urban tradition.
John Lett (Strategic Planning Manager for the Greater London Authority) gave a focused review of recent changes to the London Plan. The changes are needed less because of population and economic growths than because of environmental concerns and a new emphasis on security triggered by a terrorist attacks. Suitable housing density is crucial in obtaining climate change objectives. Existing housing stock must be made more energy efficient and future developments should aim for zero emissions. Flood risk needs to be minimised. Energy production needs to be decentralised as energy loss in transmission lines would then be reduced. Water demand could be reduced by providing houses with dual potable and non-potable systems. Waste can be tackled by recycling. The London housing strategy (target soon to be announced) will deliver the affordable housing needed by London’s work force. In planning sustainable communities, health, education, transport and provision of green open spaces are key considerations. There is a need for long-term strategies for transport infrastructure, together with more local improvements including provision of orbital routes. Clean modern industries are needed in the suburbs, with all the available suburban office space taken up thus reducing the need for people to commute into central London. Small parks need to be joined up into green arcs. There has already been some success in improving transport in London through improved bus services and the congestion charge. The existing Underground network will be improved through public/private partnerships. The Cross Rail project is most important, and there are proposals for light transit schemes such as extending thr docklands light railway to Barking Reach. Points raised during discussion were: ● The housing densities in the revised London plan are higher than previous values and have the potential to provide higher density housing near transport. ● For small sites near town centres, local government decides on the land use. Proactive planning may be hindered by owners holding out for high prices for their land ● The London plan is only a guide, but should be made mandatory. ● The problems of the Brent Cross shopping centre taking trade away from local shopping centres and how this might be avoided. ● The Cross-Rail project is taking a long while to materialise, will be very expensive, and of most benefit to business people. ● To meet the need of changing family size there is a need to design so that housing units can be adaptable to be larger or smaller. ● If people are moving out of London in order to live in a more pleasant environment; it is crucial that the urban environment in cities is improved though high quality planning and design. ________________________________________________________________________ Compact Sustainable Communities. Second
Edition November 2006. |
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