21st century New Towns

[b3nr]

The thread new towns here: http://www.cyburbia.org/forums/showthread.php?t=28699 got me thinking. Theres another lot due, albeit a bit smaller than their 60’s counterparts, two interesting ones:

Sherford, east Plymouth (urban extension?):
http://www.sherfordrefined.info/Port...asterplan2.pdf

And Northstowe in Cambridgeshire:
http://egov.scambs.gov.uk/northstowe...emid=8587#8587

Of course, there’s all the growth area stuff and the Thames gateway area. Anyone got any decent links?

[tripwire]

...in the highlands of scotland there is a proposal for a DPZ-designed [new urbanist] new town @ tornagrain between inverness and nairn

you can find out more here - http://www.tornagrain-newtown.co.uk/index.asp

[b3nr]

Hmm that one looks interesting.

Anymore? I need some for work :P

[cjsharpe]

The phrase 'New Town' seems to alarm people, because it (rightly or wrongly) evokes images of windswept concrete-paved spaces and car-dominated dormitory suburbs.

When New Towns are built today, we normally have to call them 'Sustainable Urban Extensions' or a similarly reassuring name.

There's a useful list of developments on the English Partnerships website:
http://www.englishpartnerships.co.uk/a-zlist.htm
(The project at Upton in Northampton is quite an interesting one)

[mendelman]

Tornagrain is quite an interesting example. I like how it is planned connected to a rail corridor and quite compact (esp from a US viewpoint). The architectural style seems a little forced, but I hope the plan allows for flexibility in individual buildin architecture and doesn't require only the "British Isles counrty town" look or whatever it's called.

[b3nr]

http://www.englishpartnerships.co.uk/a-zlist.htm
(The project at Upton in Northampton is quite an interesting one)

Your a star! Thanks a lot.

Yes. How could I make such a mistake! New towns indeed! I of course meant 'Sustainable Urban Extensions!".

You have a valid point there mendelmen (i know that name from somewhere). I have always been of the school that puts this twee 'British/Irish Anywhere Market Town' style down to a reaction against the terrible woeful cheap modernism if the 50's and 60's borne out of a bankrupt nation trying to re-invent its declining imperial carcass as some sort of brave new world, and then the lazy American style suburbanisation of the 70' and 80's.

I'd like to see some more contemporary euro architecture, but that is the dominant style replacing the cheap crap of the 60's and regenerated train freight yards and docklands in the city centres anyway, so there's a lot of that about too.

[tripwire]

The TCPA also has a Best Practice Guide on Urban Extensions and New Settlements. Might be worth a look. Also covers Upton as a case study.

You can find that here (pdf):

http://www.tcpa.org.uk/downloads/NSUE.pdf

[bikerchris]

You have a valid point there mendelmen (i know that name from somewhere). I have always been of the school that puts this twee 'British/Irish Anywhere Market Town' style down to a reaction against the terrible woeful cheap modernism if the 50's and 60's borne out of a bankrupt nation trying to re-invent its declining imperial carcass as some sort of brave new world, and then the lazy American style suburbanisation of the 70' and 80's.

I'd like to see some more contemporary euro architecture, but that is the dominant style replacing the cheap crap of the 60's and regenerated train freight yards and docklands in the city centres anyway, so there's a lot of that about too.

You took the words right out of my mouth...and put them in significantly better order!

[Dan]

Moved from the former Planning in the UK forum.