Discussing the new NPPF on PM

Nicholas Boys Smith, Founder and Chair of Create Streets spoke to the PM programme (12 December 2024) about the new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and what it means for housing and councils in the greenbelt. In a nutshell, councils risk lots of new homes going through by appeal but do have tools at this […]

Not throwing the baby out with the bathwater?

Create Streets are today publishing a short policy note on how the new Government could make use of existing legislation to achieve its ends. The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 (LURA) took extensive powers over planning, compulsory purchase, design coding and other areas. Due to lack of time and focus, the previous Government failed […]

Creating new towns fast and well

Create Streets is today publishing alongside Britain Remade a paper laying out principles for selecting the location and design of new towns, along with policy changes that will make it easier to build new towns quickly, well and with the maximum boost to British economic growth and productivity. We use these principles to produce a […]

The ‘grotification’ of London – Nicholas Boys Smith on Politics London

Our founder Nicholas Boys Smith was on Politics London on 1 December discussing the so-called “grotification of London”. He explained why what places look like and how they are looked after matters for people’s pride in place and sense of self-worth. As he explained, ‘It might be that there are piles of rubbish, it might […]

Create Streets MD appointed to government’s Transport Capital Review Panel

Create Streets Managing Director David Milner has been announced as one if the Transport Secretary’s Capital Review Panellists, assessing major transport schemes. I’m delighted to serve on the Transport Secretary’s Capital Review Panel. Like much of life, transport is all about networks. Yet in too many places and for too long, trains, buses, bikes, trams […]

Launch of ‘Tram Network’

Create Streets and Campaign for Better Transport are together working on a new mission, ‘Tram Network’, which will support more cities to create tram lines and work with government and industry to reduce their cost. Here is an example of how we should be thinking. Besançon in France (population 120,000) managed to build a modern […]

New Towns. Old Challenges

New Towns. Old Challenges. How do we create new places which are popular and durable, viable and fair? The panel discussion at the 2024 Labour Party Conference will explore the role of place-making, planning, transport, government, local communities, investors and developers in creating and delivering new towns. You can read Nicholas’s summary of the panel […]

The Joy of Streets

How can we create great streets? Street, bl0ck, plot. As any new urbanist will tell you, these are the building blocks, the Lego bricks, of the traditional city. They are our starting point for creating streets, squares, and settlements. Across culture, climate and the centuries, this pattern repeats from ancient Mohenjo-daro to Victorian Manchester and […]

Vision and master-plan: Llanilid, Rhondda Cynon Taf

We were commissioned by Persimmon to join their existing design team as a ‘critical friend’ to help lift the vison of their proposals for 3,500 homes in South Wales on a former cast mine. The previous masterplan for the site was characterised by segregated land use, big box retail and a wide ‘primary corridor’ running […]

The future of UK town centres and high streets

Nicholas Boys Smith, Founder and Chair of Create Streets and Cathy Parker, Research Lead for the High Street Task Force join Evan Davis on PM discussing the future of UK town centres and high streets Aired 21/08/2024 Listen here from 36:40 or over on our video page here