One thing that stands out when you look at most new housing development from above is the crazy amount of land given over to car access and storage.
Take these examples: in Milton Keynes, Cambridge, Northampton and Newcastle. (1/x) Zooming in doesn’t make them any prettier.. does anyone really believe these bits of planting are going to soften this environment? (2/x)

To understand the problems affecting nearly all new housing development in the UK, just search the name of any major house builder + “development layout” in Google images.

Here’s a taste of what you’ll find.. (1/x) Never-ending cul-de-sacs.. (2/x)

When people are promised the picture on the left, but end up with the building on the right, is it any wonder people mistrust developers and the planning system?

HT @duncaninho1 What’s happened? Every element of detail and materiality suggested in the CGI has been killed off, windows shrunk and uPVC’d, walls removed, doorways narrowed. It’s gone from desirable to desultory.

In 2019, not 1989, so why, why, why are we still allowing single use, out-of-town, car-dependent business parks like this one?👇(1/10) This is Humberside’s Bridgehead Park - apparently a ‘new generation business park’, and which is currently undergoing major expansion. From where I’m sitting it looks uncannily similar to the old generation.. (2/10)

Great to see the spotlight turn this week on the role of our cities in the wellbeing of our children. Hats off to @dbornat for championing the rights of kids of all backgrounds to play together. For me this raises some wider questions.. (thread, 1/10) theguardian.com/society/2019/j… Putting children first in planning has implications: as @neilmurphy1978 points out in his excellent thread, we have to *decide* whether we want our streets to prioritise cars or kids. They can’t be optimised for both. (2/10)

A new, £55 million educational building designed by world-renowned architects is nearing completion in my neighbourhood. Great, right? But here’s what it looks like from the street. (1/10) It goes on, and on - a continuous frontage of 121 metres. It’s the new Sports & Science Centre of Brighton College, designed by OMA. (2/10)