Jas Bhalla Works - Thriving Centres In New Towns - Flipbook - Page 4
Organic vs
planned growth
How do centres naturally
grow? Places that have
developed organically
typically start at a crossroads
or interchange point,
spreading outwards over
time. Centres develop in
areas of high connectivity
and footfall: places where
people need to be.
By contrast, New Towns and
settlements are often located
away from existing places.
The site allocation process
can be highly politicised and
tends to privilege land that is
available and remote rather
than places that are well
connected.
Centres grow
organically in
areas of high
activity, but new
settlements
often have no
natural draw.
Large allocations usually have
no natural draw or critical
mass. Therefore, designers
and developers must generate
a "raison d'être" - a reason for
people to live, work, shop, and
spend time in them. Building
new homes is only part of the
solution.
Creating new places that offer
opportunities for commercial
exchange, leisure, and
culture is a fundamentally
different challenge to historic
settlements. It's a challenge we
have attempted before.
