Urban renewal could spark work

Urban design is high on the local council agenda, with a number of cities working on initiatives to improve their environments. Planners will be looking for street furniture and graphics specialists, architects and strategic consultants to draw up schemes.

Leeds City Council has completed an environmental audit of the city and surrounding towns and villages. It is about to draw up an urban design strategy.

The council’s environmental design group senior designer Mark Burgess says: “We will start by looking at the entry points into Leeds and its open spaces. The audit found the city has distinct districts which we want to emphasise. The business, civic and retail areas will have clear identities.”

Urban design strategies will also be drawn up for the surrounding towns and villages.

The work to date has been carried out by Leeds City Council’s planning department, but Burgess says he will shortly be looking for street furniture designers, architects and landscape gardeners. Other design disciplines may also be involved in related projects.

Meanwhile, Liverpool Architecture and Design Trust has launched the Liverpool Design Guide initiative. Trust director Tony Woof says this aims to “determine the consensus of desirability and to develop design guidance that fosters an urban environment that better reflects people’s aspirations”. The trust will also be approaching urban specialists, including lighting designers.

Aberdeen City Centre Partnership, responsible for the city centre environment, is to appoint its first city centre manager.