Villages of the future

The full article here is behind The Times/Sunday Times paywall, but the key points are:

1. Build on brownfield.  CPRE has been arguing this for ever.  We need a brownfield first policy, not just to protect the countryside but also to regenerate towns and cities where so many people want to live.
2. Boost public transport.  Again, this is an issue that CPRE has been running for ages.  Crispin Truman: “Every village and every town should have buses that are frequent and reliable”.
3. Increase density – rather than build sprawling new estates on greenfield land.
4. More affordable homes.  So many homes are unaffordable, especially for younger people.  Community Land Trusts can help to do this.  Read about them here.
5. Build beautiful.  New developments will be much more acceptable if they are attractive.  Read about this here.
6. Community and green space.  Rural villages need to have spaces in which communities can develop, not least so that people can walk to local facilities rather than have to drive to them.
7. Build co-working hubs.  These provide another way to avoid having to use cars to travel to work, and can be a solution for people who could work from home but don’t have the space to do so.
8. Agrivillages.  By encouraging the development of small-holdings, or groups of houses close to common land that can be used for agriculture, the nature of the English countryside can be maintained.