How do we help existing communities thrive, and ensure that when we build new places to live that they are conducive to people living healthy and fulfilling lives? These are perennial questions for built environment professionals and society at large. And yet, as a country we sometimes seem to struggle to agree on the basic principles that underpin the creation of strong, beautiful communities.

This is a time of massive change and uncertainty for the UK’s built environment. With a housing crisis that shows no sign of being resolved soon, a struggling retail sector, and a climate crisis, traditional ideas of what makes successful communities are being re-examined and challenged. And as the Labour party promises a housebuilding boom, questions around how we deliver good quality urbanism become more critical and urgent than ever.

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