This Times of London opinion piece calls for planners and architects with a true vision to get back in control of city planning. The author argues that "it is the developers who produce the master plans, and the city that responds to them."
Author Magnus Linklater is not too happy with the way British towns are evolving. He recalls the early days of many towns when a few people guided the development of the town and shaped its form with confidence and broad oversight. But now as developers are replacing the planners and architects that used to guide the city form, the author feels that cities desperately need a leader to control design.
"There is a strong case for cities each to have an architect-in-chief, someone with the taste and vision to veto the worst and encourage the best. In reality, however, his powers are always likely to be limited. The days when cities were laid out and designed by powerful men of vision are long gone. We live in the age of the developer, and though a city’s planning department can and does control, modify and even veto the design ideas put forward by commercial organizations, it does not, by and large, dictate them."
FULL STORY: City plans? Hand me the matches

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners
How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.

Colorado Lawmakers Move to Protect BRT Funding
In the face of potential federal funding cuts, CDOT leaders reasserted their commitment to planned bus rapid transit projects.

Safe Streets Funding in Jeopardy
The Trump administration is specifically targeting bike infrastructure and other road safety projects in its funding cuts.

Six Reasons Why Housing Is a Human Right
Is housing a human right? A law professor shares six reasons why it should be, from its role in protecting other rights to global recognition and U.S. legal traditions. As public support grows, could housing be the next right written into law?
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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