presentation to uk ireland planning research conference 12-14 september

reluRural Economy andLand Use Programme


From URF (urban rural fringe) to RUF (rural urban fringe; Whose opportunity space?

Alister ScottClaudia Carter, Mark Reed, Peter Larkham, Nicki Schiessel, Karen Leach, Nick Morton, Rachel Curzon David Jarvis, Andrew Hearle, Mark Middleton, Bob Forster, Keith Budden, Ruth Waters, David Collier, Chris Crean, Miriam Kennet, Richard Coles and Ben Stonyer


Plan

1. RUF in context 2. The RUF research

opportunity 3. Visioning using a RUF

transect 4. Discussion: Realising

new opportunity spaces within the RUF

Building interdisciplinarity across the rural domain


Unpacking jargon 1 Defining the rural urban fringe

• it is the fuzzy and dynamic space where town and countryside uses, interests, ideas meet.

• Directly adjacent to town/city or in countryside where it is dominated by urban interests



Multiple Faces of the Fringe • Innovative • Edgelands • Transitional • Fuzzy • Messy • Reactionary

• Ad-hoc • Diverse • Dynamic • Neglected • Valued• Contested



Academics on the fringe • Dominant space of 20C

(Mckenzie, 1996)• Collection of dynamic and

productive environments (Spedding 2004)

• Misunderstood space (Gallent et al 2006)

• Fringe as a ‘weed’ (Cresswell 1997)

• Battleground for urban and rural uses (Hough, 1990)

• Landscape out of order (Qvistrom 2007)



The RUF problem/opportunity • At the heart of current

planning debate in England (NPPF)

• Urban-centric space shaped by macro-economic drivers and planning policy

• Contested stakeholder views

• Environmental change agenda offers rethink



Managing Environmental Change at the rural urban fringe



Unpacking jargon 2 Spatial Planning (sectors and scales) Ecosystem approach

(Env goods and services)


Housing Wildlife

Flood controlGreen space

Biodiversity

Walking Corridor

Play space

School extension

SUDS

25 year masterplan

Road access

Tree planting

Corridor Air filters


Converging, wicked problems



• Worcestershire 19th July 16 participants (community and agency reps)

• To experience/assess the different ‘personalities’ within the RUF

• To share knowledge, experience and expertise looking at the RUF past, present and future

Field based Visioning exercise



The RUF transect • Idea of a transition and

gradient thru RUF• Environmental character areas • Data led (GIS) via

Worcestershire GIP• Transect maximised number

of environmental character areas

• 3 Area selected for exercise



Birmingham

Redditch

Viewpoint 3 Lickey Hills

Viewpoint 2 Coopers Hill

Viewpoint 1 Redditch


Viewpoints


Viewpoint 1 Viewpoint 2

Viewpoint 3


Results

• Long Termism • Values and Decision

Making • Connectivity



“Seems to be a local authority that has restricted itself by greenbelt designation in how we can develop and build” (Viewpoint 1)

“Look at environmental boundaries, (and) make them more fluid” (Viewpoint 1 (3))

“(Farming) and for the long term people are going to have to pay to keep that landscape looking as it is” (Viewpoint 2)

Long Termism 1



“... whether to have more compact high density development versus more spread out development “(Viewpoint 1).

“..develop along our linear routes and have corridors of development reflecting a more sustainable finger approach (Viewpoint 3)

“look at recreational development using canal, countryside (prow) & M42” (Viewpoint 2)

“ ..This place had a personality when Longbridge was there, .(now) ambiguous...” (Viewpoint 3)

Long Termism 2



“(Not Redditch per se) its more about looking towards Birmingham and (its) influence on North Worcestershire.” (Viewpoint1)

“lot of traffic (M42).. making use of the ruf around the city... Planning has provided connections to get people where they want to be (Viewpoint 2)

“The canal/footpaths used for leisure … so you got a lot things happening in the same space” (Viewpoint 2)

Connectivity 1



“(That green space) owned by BVT and NT and …Cadbury it would have run together and coalesced with Bromsgrove and Redditch

“I like my green space with houses and life and people, all the trees” (Viewpoints 3 (1))

(Redditch) has been commuter land especially with train (cheapest area in Worcestershire to live)

“That’s Birmingham's water, comes 72 miles from Elan valley in Wales” (Viewpoint 3)

Connectivity 2



“Redditch built to be accessible by public transport; hence prioritisation of bus routes /pedestrian underpasses” (Viewpoint 1)

“Why do you always need growth” (Viewpoint 2)“This is what the transition groups are setting up

across the UK..where farmers let strips of land for local food production” (Viewpoint 2)

“For me its sense of community. We help each other volunteering for the community” (Viewpoint 2)

Values 1



“We have been here 18 years in that time we have seen not a lot of changes which is wonderful” (viewpoint 2)

“Wind, solar, methane as part of a new mix..for economic development” (viewpoint 2)

“reducing urban heat island by planting trees is going to become so much more important (Viewpoint 3)

Values 2



Opportunity Spaces in RUF• CHAMPION : to articulate the RUF as a place in its

own right with distinct needs • ADAPT : highlight different thinking and ideas to

change institutional values and planning processes eg urban agriculture ; green belt ; development

• SCALE : Work on the problem and opportunity at/across the right scale(s)

• RECONSTRUCT: improve lens to view, tell and change the RUF story



• http://www.bcu.ac.uk/research/-centres-of-excellence/centre-for-environment-and-society/projects/relu

• http://twitter.com/#!/reluruf

• Alister Scott [email protected]

Questions ?


presentation to uk ireland planning research conference 12-14 september

Technology