gwyatt wrote:
New Users! I'm a planner from the UK and would like to exchange ideas from the USA/UK. Any takers?
Yuppers! I'll probably type more later, since I'm off to lunch in a few.
I've always been fascinated by the planning process in the U.K. -- or at least what little do know about it. The planning process iin the United States and Canada is about 95% identical. South Africa, New Zealand and Australia have North America-style zoning, but they may be bundled with "town planning schemes;" the comprehensive plan in North American municipalities is almost always a separate document.
My understanding of UK planning is that there is a town plan, much like the US. However, unlike the US, it's not implemented through zoning, subdivision regulations and so on. Instead, planning cases are presented to a body or commission, which uses the town plan as the basis for their decision making. Although this seems to permit an arbitrary decision-making process, at least by US standards, UK councils don't have to worry about such matters as "constitutionality." There's also a variety of appeals boards, on the regional and national level. I think ... at least, that's the impression I've gotten from UK council Web sites.
I'm curious about the little things in the built environment that might not be covered by a broad town plan -- elements such as signage, lighting, garage setbacks from property lines, and so on. How are those dictated? Would a UK council have sign regulations, or would any request to build a sign go before a planning body?
The other thing I'm very curious about is the built environment in suburbia. We Yanks have this idealized image of UK suburbia as being filled with quaint brick side-by-side duplexes, with fenced gardens and small garages where the Vectra is stored at night. The house is a few minutes away from a pleasant High Street filled with chemists shops, booksellers and pubs. Walk a few more feet, and you can hop a British Rail train that will take you anywhere you want to go on the island.
There's few images of the suburban built environment in Europe online, at least compared to examples showing the worst of North American suburbia. I have seen some photographs of suburban development in France, though, and if it wasn't for the language on the signs, the images are almost indistingushable from those of working class 1970s era suburbs in the U.S. -- only France has a lot more billboards. What does "out of town" development in the UK look like? Any examples online? Are councils working to improve the form of such areas?