Town and Country Planning Association

How do we ensure all new homes have access to local amenities, nature and transport? - Town and Country Planning Association To ensure better and more inclusive health outcomes, the TCPA has identified 12 Healthy Homes principles that all new housing developments must provide. Each month, this blog series explores one of th...

Access to healthcare & good transport links are some of the factors most likely to persuade people to move to a New Town, finds new #YouGov research.

Access to local amenities, nature & transport is one of the TCPA's 12 Healthy Homes Principles:
www.tcpa.org.uk/how-do-we-en...

Join the TCPA & the RTPI for the launch of the 5th ed. of their authoritative guidance on planning for climate change.

This edition has a new format, with a series of topic resources grouped under the headings of intro & policy context, climate mitigation, & climate adaptation.
shorturl.at/KH0Uv

Community guide to retrofit - Town and Country Planning Association What communities in England can do to share best practice, develop area-based projects, and use more sustainable energy.

Cold homes aren't just unpleasant. They're a public health hazard.

Retrofitting our ageing housing stock to create warm & energy efficient homes is an urgent need. But success depends on the meaningful involvement of communities.

Our guide shows how it can be done:
www.tcpa.org.uk/resources/co...

The status quo leaves people feeling powerless. Change is done to communities, not with them—leaving areas unfit for happy lives.

Time to flip the script.

The Charter for Community Rights puts power in local hands, enabling access to nature, healthy homes and liveable places.

@thetcpa.bsky.social

Webinar: Could green spaces keep Britain Red?

New research on public perceptions of urban green space reveals Britons care much more about urban nature than politicians believe.

Join #MoreInCommon at 11am tomorrow to explore the insights from the research.

moreincommon.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Community garden with allotment

🥁 Across all voting groups, from Reform to Labour, the favourite thing for Britons about their local area is...?

📢 Green space — according to research launched today by More in Common, supported by the TCPA, & funded by Wates Family Enterprise Trust.

🔗 www.moreincommon.org.uk/our-work/res...

Nature is not a blocker to housing growth, MPs find The Environmental Audit Committee found the government's measures are not enough to meet targets.

👏 New homes, local democracy and enhancing nature are not incompatible objectives.

A democratic planning system with the power to drive delivery can achieve all these goals as part of a vision led mission for sustainable development.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The places in which people live have a profound influence over how they live their lives. Whether people have easy access to parks or pleasant & safe routes for walking, wheeling & cycling, are influenced by planning.

It's essential that we plan for healthy places: www.tcpa.org.uk/areas-of-wor...

Stewardship for New Communities  - Town and Country Planning Association In this blog, the TCPA’s Osborn Research Assistant Jeanette Aves summarises learnings from our New Communities Group webinar on stewardship.

How can we ensure that new large-scale developments become places where people will want to live for generations to come?

Our recent New Communities Group webinar, supported by ADAM Architecture, explored how stewardship is vital for successful placemaking.

Blog: www.tcpa.org.uk/stewardship-...

Community guide to flood risk - Town and Country Planning Association What communities in England can do to influence planning, respond to floods and manage flood risk naturally.

Communities across the country have been hit by severe flooding, destroying homes & businesses & jeopardising people's safety.

To address flood risk, we need local people’s voices at the heart of decision-making.

Our guide offers practical advice for communities:
www.tcpa.org.uk/resources/co...

The current Planning and Devolution bills passing through parliament will clarify that housing standards are a means to meet the new health duty for all strategic strategic authorities 🏡❤️

Infographic illustrating the 9 Garden City Principles: equitable, accessible for all, vibrant and inclusive, landscape-led and climate resilient, designed to marry town and country, local employment, genuinely affordable, nurtured, visionary and collaborative.

For the TCPA, our vision for homes and communities is founded on the Garden City Principles: a practical framework for a hopeful and sustainable future: www.tcpa.org.uk/garden-city-...

#GardenCity #Sustainable #AffordableHomes #NewTowns #HealthyHomes #Placemaking

Widespread flooding is expected across England.

Flood risk is a critical issues for planners, but applying flood risk considerations in practice can be hard.

The Environment Agency & the TCPA have developed free online training for planners & flood risk professionals.

🖇️ learning.tcpa.org.uk

Housing standards as a strategic determinant of health  - Town and Country Planning Association New legislative changes establish housing standards and other ‘general determinants of health’ as a means to address health through strategic authorities, spatial development strategies and local plan...

While recent legislative changes don't bring policy clarity on healthy homes & placemaking, they do mean that health will need to be a central consideration by all strategic authorities.

This blog explains what the changes mean for healthy homes & neighbourhoods:
www.tcpa.org.uk/housing-stan...

🎫 Last few tickets available for the TCPA Annual Conference 2025: the purpose of planning!
📆 Thursday 27 November
📌 Regent's University, London

Member discount rates available. Book here: www.tcpa.org.uk/event/tcpa-a...

Planning has a trust problem. Fewer than 1 in 10 trust local authorities when it comes to planning large developments.
We must prioritise community participation, write Leonie Taylor, Siân Whyte & Laetitia Lucy of The Young Foundation
🖇️ Town & Country Planning journal www.tcpa.org.uk/sample-journ...

Planning for the Climate Crisis: A guide for local authorities (launch webinar) - Town and Country Planning Association Join the TCPA and the RTPI for the launch of the fifth edition of their authoritative guidance on planning for climate change.

💻 Free webinar: Join the TCPA & the Royal Town Planning Institute for the launch of the 5th ed. of the Climate Guide
🧑‍🦱 For local authority planning officers, councillors & practitioners interested in how planning can deliver climate action.
📆 10 December 12-1pm
🖇️ www.tcpa.org.uk/event/planni...

There’s still time to craft your entry for #ThePineapples 2026 - you have until 21 November 2025!

The Pineapple for Healthy Homes is a unique opportunity to celebrate best practice and raise awareness on the impact of housing quality on health.

www.festivalofplace.co.uk/thepineapples

Why Every Community Matters — Rights Community Action (Copy) Naomi Luhde-Thompson (writing for Town and Country Planning magazine) Rights Community Action is a collective and shared endeavour, involving lawyers, planners, storytellers and artists. It came…

'To change the world, we need to make sure that power is distributed rather than centralised.' Looking for a lunchtime read? Our fearless reader, Naomi, has written for @thetcpa.bsky.social on Why Every Community Matters - check it out today www.rightscommunityaction.co.uk/blog/why-eve...

New Coastal Planning training launched  - Town and Country Planning Association The Environment Agency and the TCPA have developed two new e-learning modules on coastal planning for planners, coastal practitioners and flood risk professionals.

2 new modules for planners, coastal practitioners & flood risk professionals have been added to a free e-learning hub from the TCPA & the Environment Agency:

- Opportunities for planning to support coastal management
- How to apply coastal planning tools & policies
www.tcpa.org.uk/new-coastal-...

Are you a developer, local authority, designer or community organisation seeking to embed children’s rights, needs & voices into planning & placemaking?

These case studies, developed by the TCPA with A Place in Childhood, deliver inspiration plus practical learning & knowledge: shorturl.at/JE2G8

TCPA Annual Conference 2025: The purpose of planning - Town and Country Planning Association The Westminster government has embarked on what it has referred to as the biggest changes to English planning in a generation. This has been motivated by the government’s desire to…

It's not long now until our Annual Conference 2025!

Join us in London on Thursday 27 November as we consider the purpose of planning and how the planning system can deliver homes, places and communities in which everyone can thrive.

Last few tickets available here: www.tcpa.org.uk/event/tcpa-a...

Planning for Climate Change in New Communities - Town and Country Planning Association This webinar explored the practical realities of addressing climate impact and mitigation in large scale new communities. We heard from two ambitious authorities who have recently had policies found s...

Join the TCPA & the @rtpiplanners.bsky.socialor the launch of the 5th edition of their authoritative guidance on planning for climate change.

👩‍💻 Free webinar
📆 10 December 12-1pm

Agenda and registration: www.tcpa.org.uk/event/planni...

Some people think the planning system exists to allocate land for housing. But it can and must do so much more.

The #WorldTownPlanningDay theme #WithPlanningWeCan recognises that planning is a vital, transformational tool in the face of systemic challenges.

Support our work: www.tcpa.org.uk/join/

Six Lessons from the post-war New Towns:

1 Nat government must support site identification
2 Delivery via Modernised Development Corporations
3 New Towns can pay for themselves
4 Stewardship of community assets
5 People lead decision-making
6 Design innovation, not experimentation
shorturl.at/FFJeL

The Lords report stage of the controversial Planning & Infrastructure Bill process has ended. While the window of opportunity for securing the Healthy Homes amendment is over for now, the battle for Healthy Homes goes on!

This blog recaps recent campaign activity & next steps.
shorturl.at/2nKYI

Green and blue infrastructure and health inequalities - Town and Country Planning Association This webinar recording delves into the latest research linking planning, green and blue infrastructure, and health inequalities.

From a walk by a canal to relieve stress, to a social kickabout in the park, there are a range of ways that green/blue infrastructure positively impact health.

Our recent webinar explored how green/blue infrastructure can be used to address health inequalities.

www.tcpa.org.uk/resources/gr...

New Coastal Planning training launched  - Town and Country Planning Association The Environment Agency and the TCPA have developed two new e-learning modules on coastal planning for planners, coastal practitioners and flood risk professionals.

Rising sea levels. Coastal erosion.

Coastal communities are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change

The Environment Agency & the TCPA have launched new e-learning modules for planners, coastal practitioners & public sector flood risk professionals

www.tcpa.org.uk/new-coastal-...

Review of Homes England’s Healthy Homes Standard: Our homes are not islands  - Town and Country Planning Association A review of the new Healthy Homes Standard - which is to be used by Homes England and its delivery partners on schemes funded under the Affordable Housing Programme.

🔬 We've put the Government's new Healthy Homes Standard (a set of design requirements & guidance) under the microscope to see how it measures up against our 12 #HealthyHomesPrinciples.

www.tcpa.org.uk/review-of-ho...

#HealthyHomesStandard #AffordableHousingProgramme #HomesEngland

⏳ Two weeks to go... There's still time to submit your entry for the Pineapples Awards!

The Pineapple Award for Healthy Homes recognise homes that are designed for wellbeing, comfort, sustainability & community.

🍍https://www.festivalofplace.co.uk/thepineapples

#HealthyHomes #ThePineapples