The Developer

Get updates from The Developer straight to your inbox Yes, please!

Building archaeology: “When used well, it can actively contribute to better places and better placemaking"

Speakers at Festival of Place Bytesize say the benefits of historic fabric are often overlooked; challenging sites can deliver positive social and environmental impact

“Don’t treat soils like dirt” say experts highlighting waste on construction sites

In one teaspoon of soil, there are more living organisms than people on the planet and yet we dispose of it like rubbish, reports Kimberley France

A brand-new seafront for less than a footballer’s wages

It’s not an easy task to stretch the flood defence grants but with an integrated team, you can get creative and maximise the benefits of the results, writes Kimberley France

Rain gardens: “It's not just an engineering solution. It's also landscape. It’s biodiversity”

If the street is going to be dug up, then you should get as many positives out of the disruption as you can, writes Kimberley France

Passivhaus social housing: “They don't have to choose between heating and eating”

The health and economic benefits of Passivhaus make it worth the increase in quality control and investment, experts say, while cost of building the standard has decreased significantly, writes Kimberley France

“It’s about feeling really good.” How social impact is being measured at Brent Cross Town

Brent Cross Town is using the Flourishing Index to demonstrate the cause and effect of placemaking on public health. Dr Jamie Anderson, Buro Happold’s urban wellbeing lead, explains the metrics and methodology

“How do we prove this is the right thing to do?” Making Impact in Wilton Park, Dublin

IPUT Real Estate Dublin shares their methodology for long-term social impact research project Making Impact to evaluate the social, cultural, economic, and environmental value of their investment in Wilton Park, Dublin

Opinion

The missing link between land use and health

As we await the final NPPF, the wave of strategic frameworks and local plans is an opportunity to put neighbourhood health into place. We should reframe land use policy, not as a constraint, but as a proactive tool to reduce inequalities and improve wellbeing, write Michael Chang and Sophie Hockin

NPPF: Why building homes near rail stations isn’t always a quick win

Just being close to a train station isn’t the only, or even the best, way to measure whether somewhere is well-connected or a good place to live, writes Aggie Morris, Planning Officer, Walk Wheel Cycle Trust

A great building is no longer enough

Now that more schemes are purpose-built for rental – from transient co-living residents to longer-term family lets – how should design respond? Harriet Saddington reports

Labour needs to move faster to improve high streets if it wants to win back hearts and voters

The high street is not just a place to shop, it’s the identity of a place, the branding of a neighbourhood, a reflection of our state of mind – and lately, a complete embarrassment, writes Christine Murray

2026 Built World Cup Champions crowned

Twenty-four teams battled it out over 84 football matches to raise more than £11,000 for charity

Going circular: Why London is building the largest material reuse hub in Europe

Tipping Point East in Newham aims to radically transform construction waste and supercharge reuse. Hani Salih meets the people dismantling the system and building a circular economy, one step at a time

Search the Place Database for key information on UK places undergoing development

Roker and Seaburn: Breathing new life into Sunderland's stunning coastal landmarks Sponsored by Vestre

Is my project resilient for the future?Sponsored by Hawkins\Brown

Caregivers and young children rarely consulted in community engagement despite representing a third of the population Sponsored by Van Leer Foundation

placetests

Placetest: Park Hill, Sheffield

What is it like to live here – to be part of its history and its future? Anthropologist Dr Muriel ...

Placetest: Folkestone

Investment in the arts, town and Harbour Arm has spearheaded the regeneration of this coastal town ...

Placetest: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Anthropologist Caroline Bennett speaks to locals with photography by John Sturrock

Placetest: New Poundbury

Its Royal patron makes Poundbury the focus of much attention, and the development is not even ...

Placetest: Nine Elms

What is the experience of this nascent place and its people? Anthropologist Caroline Bennett visits ...

Placetest: Liverpool One

In this exclusive placetest, anthropologist Rebecca Toop explores the user experience of ...

Placetest: King's Crescent Estate

Placetest King’s Crescent Estate: A part-demolished estate in Stoke Newington is enjoying an ...

Placetest: MediaCityUK

Placetest MediaCityUK: What is it like to live and work in Peel’s MediaCityUK and has it brought ...

Placetest: King’s Cross

Placetest King’s Cross: How does it work, who is there – and who isn’t? How does the masterplan ...

most popular

Winners for the Pineapples awards for place 2026 announced

See all the winners and read the judges citations after a glittering presentation at Trinity Buoy Wharf on 22 April 2026

Ruth Glass: Gentrification visionary

Not only was Ruth Glass remarkably ahead of her time in identifying and naming gentrification as a new phenomenon over 60 years ago, her work has continuing relevance in the subsequent social and housing market changes in London and other cities, writes Chris Hamnett

NSPCC calls for walkable, low-traffic and car-free streets to safeguard children

Leading charity releases toolkit and calls on built environment to enshrine child safeguarding into the property development cycle

Size matters: Larger parks, longer visits and wildlife spotting improve mental health boost from urban green spaces, study reveals

What you do in the park matters too: Activities such as walking, running, cycling and picknicking can boost wellbeing too, major report reveals

Planning for life, not for movement

It’s not that we are bad at planning transport, it’s that we have been planning for the wrong thing, writes Christopher Martin

The unintended consequences of School Streets traffic restrictions

Major study shows street closures reduce car use and get children walking, but the spike in those parking and striding from boundary areas suggest careful planning is needed. Christine Murray reports

About us
Media pack
Terms & Conditions
Privacy Policy

Support us

Sign up to our newsletter

Get updates from The Developer straight to your inbox

Thanks to our organisation members

Become a member

sponsored features

placetests

most popular

Sign up to our newsletter