The new national model design code is a welcome sight to many of us. At last, policy as drawings! And good drawings too – clear and illustrative in all the right ways. Sure, it is only a template and there’s nothing fundamentally new or radical, but its status and clarity are hugely welcome. It is a glimpse into Urbed’s greater vision for planning, based on studying how it has worked around the world for centuries, expounded with conviction and rigorous research through their books and publications. Beauty isn’t something you plan for, it’s something that emerges when the right conditions are put in place. Creating a framework and ‘rules of the game’ within which the myriad of stakeholders, landowners, developers, builders can play out their roles to create places specific to their contexts; built for and with their communities. This vision is different from our current system, but not only in terms of planning. Land, development and financing are also key.

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