A fascinating day at @cpcatapult.bsky.social looking at integrated planning & the prospect of unlocking the potential of planning. Thanks to my panel members Terry De Sousa, David Mountain, & Annette Jezierska for their rich thoughts on spatial development strategies and digital planning

I was delighted to give the plenary talk at the UK Ireland Planning Research Conference at the University of Ulster last week on Planning Futures as the Right of Truth: Unsettling Planning in the Digital Age. Thanks to the organising committee 📸@drcatbutton.bsky.social

I don’t fly very often these days if I can help it, but the aerial view of London on my return flight to London City from Belfast on Sunday was superb. Amazing to see the transformation of Elephant & Castle from this perspective

A superb collection of archive railway films presented this evening BFI NFT with @mrtimdunn.bsky.social and Steve Foxon acting as comperes, covering 200 years of railway history but also showing the creative talent of filmmaking over 130 years. A packed audience of 400 too

Congratulations to my student Yuna Lee on the successful defence of her PhD thesis on Strategic Foresight and Policy Making in the US and UK yesterday @casaucl.bsky.social. Thanks to examiners Louise Kempton & Rainer Kattel, and Mike Batty for being part of the supervisory team

Announcing a forthcoming book, “Regions in Evolution - A History of Regional Planning”, a critical and deep analytical look at the ebbs & flows of regional planning globally over 100 years, with @drjwharrison.bsky.social & Daniel Galland, due to be published early in 2026

Such sad news. I worked with Rachel on Future of Cities, UKRI, Connected Places Catapult & N8 partnership. She was wonderful, inspiring & humorous. Rachel was one of the few people who could transcend disciplines, sectors & academic/policy worlds. I will miss her wise counsel & friendship.

Wonderful to be back in my university ‘home’ at School of Geography and Planning Cardiff University to give a talk on urban futures, interact with so many knowledgeable people across the university, and to catch up with many friends, exactly 35 years since I graduated.

Delightful to speak with MSc Spatial Planning students at @thebartlettucl.bsky.social in a double-act on digital planning with the wonderful Bridget Wilkins of @mhclgdigital.blog.gov.uk.web.brid.gy outlining opportunities & challenges of digitalising planning

Announcing the publication of a new book on planning theory, Critical Planning Futures, with some amazing contributions from academics across the Global South & North, all devoted to analysing the form & future of urban planning. Plus this is Book #20 for me! www.routledge.com/Critical-Pla...

Passionate talk about the prospects for the future of the North East by @kimmcguinness.bsky.social the Mayor of the North East at the @ucl.ac.uk @thebartlettucl.bsky.social Sir Peter Hall Lecture 2025 including discussion of devolution

I’ve been clearing my parents’ house & came across another one of my drawings. This is ‘A Little Town’ drawn when I was 8 in 1977. Some attempt at perspective but incredible attention to detail like road markings. Clearly it was destined that I would have a career in urban planning

So that’s my reading sorted out for the next few weeks. Very much looking forward to reading Owen Hatherley’s new book showing how Central European emigres transformed 20th century Britain

A concept from Jack Napper and T Dan Smith for a new regional transport scheme. It predated the origin of the Tyne & Wear Metro by just 10 years. Currently also a feature at the Concrete Dreams exhibition at The Farrell Centre & previously at the Idea of North exhibition at the Baltic Centre

When does a “non-place” become a “place” and can people’s use of digital technology give new meaning to the locations they are in? New open access article published in @cogitatioup.bsky.social by Weijue Wang, @marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social & @vsigno.bsky.social www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplannin...

UCL Geography has 3 jobs on offer that would be a fit for geospatial and/or health folk. Lecturer in Geographies of Health x 2 (with “spatial analysis") lnkd.in/enH4h2iX Associate Lecturer (Teaching) in Geospatial Data Analysis & Cartography (0.5 fte, 12 months) lnkd.in/eKqaG7FW

The latest title in the Routledge @rtpiplanners.bsky.social RTPI Library book series is Rural Planning Futures edited by @markscott-ucd.bsky.social John Sturzaker Nick Gallent @gavinparker.bsky.social Amy Burnett & @ianmell.bsky.social www.routledge.com/RTPI-Library...

The Promise of Planning by Philip Harrison & Alison Todes is one of the latest books in our @rtpiplanners.bsky.social RTPI Library series for Routledge, discussing recent changes to South African planning. As series editor, I’m always open to ideas for new titles www.routledge.com/RTPI-Library...

Wonderful visit to the University of Cambridge to give my annual lecture on digital governance and digital planning to Department of Land Economy students and to have a great catch up (and walk to Grantchester in warm spring sunshine) with the brilliant Claire Colomb

As a planner, even I think this is a nonsense decision

Applications to the @thebartlettucl.bsky.social Bartlett Promise PhD Scholarships 2025 for those from an under-represented background can now be made. Please check eligibility criteria www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/stu...

A pleasure to listen and see the professorial inaugural by @tim-waterman.co.uk of @thebartlettucl.bsky.social this evening discussing landscape futures imaginaries

The Class of 95. Postgrad planning students of Cardiff University visiting Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic in March 1995, led by your’s truly when I was a lecturer at CPLAN. Photo posted by @garethenticott.bsky.social

I have been fortunate this week to visit both University of Sydney and UNSW and to give a presentation at the UNSW City Futures Research Centre on digital engagement and strategic planning for new metro transport schemes. Wonderful to catch up with friends after a gap of so many years too

Looking forward to presenting at a seminar at the UNSW City Futures Research Centre in Sydney this week on transport, digital technology and local democracy

Announcing a new book on planning theory, Critical Planning Futures, by Phil Allmendinger, Mark Tewdwr-Jones & Matt Wargent, with contributions from academics across the Global South & North, all devoted to analysing the form & future of urban planning www.routledge.com/Critical-Pla...

This is a great opportunity to undertake a highly topical and intensive piece of research for the @rtpiplanners.bsky.social on international experience of new towns

After 18 weeks & 58 NHS appointments, I have - finally - been given the all clear following surgery to remove a lump on my back. Thanks to my family for playing nurse to me over that time and to the NHS staff at QEH, all of whom have been amazing.

This has been a long time in the making - we recommended it in our Foresight Land Use Futures report in 2010 - but its good to see the purpose and value of it recognised www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

“The Ox-Cam Arc is back. This time the focus is on R&D & infrastructure rather than just housing. What’s missing is the community voice. In 2021, TheFutureFox ran the government's digital consultation on the Arc, the first time ever in a major spatial plan…” www.linkedin.com/posts/annett...

Looking forward to reading this very timely book on Geodesign, Urban Digital Twins, and Futures by @paulcureton.bsky.social and Elliot Hartley. We can transform planning both digitally AND inclusively if we want to

Delighted to write this @uclpolicylab.bsky.social blog about how democracy is being reimagined in the digital era by communities in pursuing their agendas over planning, housing, and infrastructure, and how new tactics are required on all sides @casaucl.bsky.social

Dr Wei Yang officially launches the Digital Planning Directory, led by the Digital Task Force for Planning and supported by the MHCLG digitalplanningdirectory.org

The launch of the Digital Planning Directory of the Digital Planning Task Force at the LGA with @adamhug.bsky.social setting the scene in local government and outlining initiatives at Westminster City Council

Mayor of London @london.gov.uk announces a new review of the green belt around London www.onlondon.co.uk/sadiq-khan-a...

As well as gradually moving to this platform from that other place, I am also moving from Instagram to Pixelfed to post my photography. You can find me at Pixelfed.social/profmarktj

The days of landlords demanding extortionate amounts of rent in advance from prospective renters will soon be over. Our Renters Rights Bill, which has its final stages in the commons today, will cap rent in advance payments to a maximum of one month.

Our analysis of the geography of GE2024 is now out in @politicalquarterly.bsky.social. This offers an important update of The Changing Electoral Map of England and Wales by @jwfurlong.bsky.social and me, published by OUP just ahead of the election. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Looking forward to visiting friends @sydneyuni.bsky.social next month to discuss the ARC university and the city research project and to give a talk at UNSW City Futures on digital planning

Visiting Cardiff for a few days. My home city but a place I haven’t lived in since I was a lecturer here at City and Regional Planning at Cardiff University 30 years ago. A city that has been transformed over that time but still has a friendly vibe although social problems are very evident.

The @casaucl.bsky.social Christmas bash last night in Bloomsbury and the last professors standing, following the live set played by the CASA Band, with @djdunc.bsky.social @adamdennett.bsky.social @vsigno.bsky.social @sjg.dev

Devolution: adjusting the institutions and the enabling mechanisms will not be enough in itself. Devolution will only work if the outcomes are visible and meaningful to those it is intended to serve.

New planning arrangements for England announced as part of devolution rollout: all areas to prepare Spatial Development Strategies, Mayoral development management powers, & new Mayoral infrastructure levies. An integrated spatial infrastructure approach will require better coordination & leadership

05.55. An early start for me today at London King’s Cross, although the station does look awesome at that time before the crowds of commuters descend

I support this: it should finally create a truly plan-led planning system. It allows planners to deliver, it encourages councillors to focus on local plan production, and it shifts engagement upstream to the policy process. The onus is then on the housebuilders to build www.bbc.com/news/article...

Delighted to have been able to present a talk on film and urban planning at a symposium at the University of Ghent this week organised by Annelies Staessen

Let’s draw and talk about urban change. How creative and digital serious games can open up discussion and choices for the future of places, especially for youth groups. Another opportunity to read this open access paper by @zndrp.bsky.social and I on ‘JigsAudio’ journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

Big DG-level job at Defra: Chief Scientific Adviser www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/jobs.cgi... (deadline: 1 Jan 2025...!)

Very much looking forward to speaking on Modern Planning on Film at this symposium on The Tale, The Image, and The Space at the University of Ghent next week, organised by Annelies Staessen

This is a great opportunity for someone to lead an important UKRI initiative on place and research and development.