The UK government’s continued recognition to the importance of ‘neighbourhoods’, is clearly demonstrated in its White Paper on Levelling Up the United Kingdom, published on 2 February, with the term…Read More >
Real estate and planning
How will we get to carbon net zero as individuals and a society?
As the third of four all-staff talks we held in the run-up to the COP26 Summit in November 2021, this blog includes a presentation by Professor Kathy Pain (Real Estate…Read More >
Planning reform: an opportunity to ground the planning system in public involvement
In August 2020 the Government published its plans to reform the planning system in England in a long-awaited White Paper. Professor Gavin Parker reflects on the proposed changes to community…Read More >
COVID stamp duty holiday reveals big problems in the housing market
The UK housing market has been affected by the pandemic, but in ways that were not anticipated at the outset. Initially, forecasters thought that the sharp reduction in economic activity…Read More >
Superblocks: Barcelona’s car-free zones could extend lives and boost mental health
Could car-free pockets of streets opened up to cyclists and pedestrians offer a solution to the urban problems of pollution and poor mental and physical health? In a recent post…Read More >
How did Reading get so prosperous – and how can smart town planning keep it that way?
Professor Kathy Pain explores how the town once famed for ‘beer, biscuits and bulbs’ became a hub for high tech industry and explains how smarter town planning could secure its…Read More >
How we’ll sit less and move more in Reading, 2050
Most of us now live in cities, leading sedentary lifestyles. Dr William Bird, CEO of Intelligent Health, who is presenting the next Reading 2050 lecture on 29 November, outlines how…Read More >
More clarity and resources needed from government, say neighbourhood planning volunteers
Last week, volunteers who produce neighbourhood plans for local housing and the environment came together at a University of Reading event to share their experiences and address the emerging barriers…Read More >