Towards an Urban Renaissance was report by the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

's ''Urban Task Force'', published by the

Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions was a United Kingdom Cabinet position created in 1997, with responsibility for the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR). The position and department ...

on 29 June 1999. The report contained 105 recommendations for improving towns and cities in England. The ''Urban Task Force'' was chaired by Lord Rogers of Riverside. It examined the question of how 4 million projected new homes over 25 years might be accommodated in the UK without further encroachment into the

green belt A green belt or greenbelt is a policy, and land-use zone designation used in land-use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wilderness, wild, or agricultural landscape, land surrounding or neighboring urban areas. Similar concepts ...

or other areas of countryside.

Background

The review leading to the published report was commissioned by the then Deputy Prime Minister

John Prescott John Leslie Prescott, Baron Prescott (31 May 1938 – 20 November 2024) was a British politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and as First Secretary of State from 2001 to 2007. A member of the ...

in 1998, to identify the causes of urban decline and establish a vision for Britain's cities based on the principles of design excellence, social well-being and environmental responsibility. Participants included Peter Hall.

Key recommendations

*Design-led urban regeneration process and the designation of special urban policy areas. *Reform of the planning system and involvement of local people in decision making and neighbourhood level. *The building of 60% of new housing as schemes on

brownfield land Brownfield is previously-developed land that has been abandoned or underused, and which may carry pollution, or a risk of pollution, from industrial use. The specific definition of brownfield land varies and is decided by policy makers and l ...

. *Better use of existing housing stock. *The relaxation of Local Planning Authority's standards relating to density and separation distances between dwellings *The better integration of housing with highways (relaxation of parking standards and designing the roads around the housing rather than the housing around the roads). *Improve non-car transport. *Better quality design. Urban Task Force

Outcomes

''Towards an Urban Renaissance'' resulted in the

White Paper A white paper is a report or guide that informs readers concisely about a complex issue and presents the issuing body's philosophy on the matter. It is meant to help readers understand an issue, solve a problem, or make a decision. Since the 199 ...

''Our Towns and Cities – the Future'', published in 2000. It was also influential in the revised Planning policy guidance note 3: Housing (PPG 3), also published in 2000. Rogers published an independent update titled ''Towards a Strong Urban Renaissance'' in 2005.

References

Town and country planning in the United Kingdom {{UK-planning-stub