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Press Release

REPORT HIGHLIGHTS BENEFITS OF SAVING LAND

29 November 2006

‘Higher housing densities in urban centres help sustain local services, amenities and public transport and invigorates local economies, as well as making efficient use of land,’ countryside campaigners CPRE [1] are arguing.

‘But there remains a major challenge to overcome public misconceptions that are based on discredited approaches to urban planning and are fuelled by inadequate public engagement.’

This is the key message contained in our updated report – Compact Sustainable Communities [2] (second edition) – which is published by CPRE today (Wednesday).

Compact Sustainable Communities encourages council planners to tackle the concerns that many communities still have when faced with major housing developments in their area. Among the issues the report addresses are:

  • misconceptions based on some problem high-rise developments of the 1960s and 1970s;
  • the need for good architectural design;
  • the need for better management of the public realm;
  • the need to mix uses and tenures in housing developments.

Several case studies illustrate how attractive urban housing – including a substantial element of family-sized housing with gardens – can be built at higher densities through careful attention to design quality.

Nigel Kersey, Director of CPRE London said:

‘In recent years, policies have shifted substantially in favour of higher densities, but planners are still faced with out-dated prejudices based on past mistakes such as poorly planned and inadequately maintained tower-blocks.

‘Our report will help planners embrace higher densities, and encourages them to reassure local communities of their wider benefits: promoting economic vitality, support public services and transport, and helping protect the countryside.’



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