Lessons for Scotland drawing on experiences from Europe

A guide helping different stakeholders to identify good practice

The overall objective of the guide was to understand the practical interventions and related issues involved in spatial planning, drawing lessons from eight European cases. These cases are used as examples to demonstrate how public actors elsewhere created better environments –and markets- to live, recreate and work in. Furthermore, the guide elaborates on how the relationships between these public bodies and private sector interests were established  and how they encaged with current and future residents. The case studies focussing on brownfield regeneration and greenfield development invested in physical and social infrastructure, (sub) urban extension and the regeneration of neighbourhoods. The following case studies are showcased in the guide:

1. Adamstown Dublin, Ireland;
2. Allerton-Bywater Millennium Community, Leeds, England;
3. Brittannia Basin, Castlefield, Manchester, England;
4. Hammarby-Sjöstad, Stockholm, Sweden;
5. IJburg Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
6. Newhall, Harlow, England;
7. Upton, Northampton, England;
8. Vaubon, Freiburg, Germany.

Reshaping planning policies in Scotland

The research was commissioned because there is a feeling that development on the ground does not meet the aspiration of masterplans or planning policies in Scotland. At the highest level, this is an issue recognised by the Council of Economic Advisors to the First Minister of the Scottish Government. The key research question was to explore how better development could be achieved and understand the benefits of these approaches by learning from elsewhere. The purpose and emphasis of the research is on place based delivery to inform better practice and enable a framework for learning.

The research was set up as a collaborative project, funded by partners with an interest in regeneration and community [Scottish Government’s Scottish Centre for Regeneration], place and design [Architecture and Design Scotland] and property market performance and delivery [Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors]. Each case study was visited and assessed based on a research framework informed by a desktop analysis. A working group of policymakers and practitioners acted as a sounding board for the publication.

EU involvement

While the EU was not directly involved, this is a cross territory piece of research, drawing on experience from across a number of European cities.

Ensure good leadership and bridge place-shaping and market making strategies

One can learn much on how to deliver better places from elsewhere and there is a need for better ways of sharing learning and improving practice. In short, the case studies demonstrated the following key lessons, challenges and future recommendations:

• Delivering better places requires proactive place based leadership due to it raises confidence, reduces developer risks and in turn increases participation and encouragers greater innovation by developers (e.g. architects and builders);
• There is a need to better connect place-shaping and market making strategies. Commitment from the public sector to achieve ‘place quality’ must be reformed;
• Public sector expertise, commitment and investment in delivering better places can be regained over time. New delivery models in Scotland (e.g. Local Asset based Vehicles and Deferred Receipt Mechanisms) are on the way and may provide new solutions to current challenges;
• It is essential to better integrate ‘place’ [spatial] and ‘people’ [community planning] strategies. 'Place' and 'People' interventions must be better connected in order to produce more sustainable outcomes for urban expansion and regeneration.

Contact

Geraldine McAteer: Skills Co-ordinator with Scottish Government Architecture and Place Division (APD)
E-mail: Geraldine.McAteer@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Phone: 00 44 0131 244 0347

Diarmaid Lawlor: Head of Urbanism at Architecture + Design Scotland (A+DS)
E-mail: diarmaid.lawlor@ads.org.uk
Phone: 00 44 131 5566699

Publication date

January 2011

Document type

Practice

Source

Department of Urban Studies, University of Glasgow. Client team Scottish Government’s Scottish Centre for Regeneration, Architecture and Design Scotland (A+DS) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).