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Urban Design Compendium as long ago as 2000 talked of blockages to creating great places. This thread sets them out to see if they are still relevant.... spoiler - they are, but we're making progress 
"1. The compartmentalisation of professional disciplines - the traffic engineer, surveyor, architect, landscape architect, planner - rather than a multi-disciplinary approach" (still stands as a problem, but I work with some great partners, so this does not have to be an issue)
"2. The lack of recognition of the legitimate role of the public sector to promote high quality design through planning, site assembly, procurement and investment." (A big 'blockage' so but let us be bold. Also add the direct delivery of homes and infrastructure here.)
"3. The predominantly conservative, short term and supply-driven characteristics of the... volume housebuilders, who concentrate on the âhouseâ product rather than the creation of a âplaceâ, lifestyle or community" (yep, so lets promote the hungry, mindful smaller developers)
"4. The property and financial industriesâ preference for single use schemes and buildings" (not so much now, albeit much work to be done with impact investors)
"5. A lack of innovation in development approaches in respect of sustainable development, use of new technology, construction efficiencies..." (20 years ago we were pushing for the development industry to up its game with tech... are we on the edge of revolution now?)
"6. Reactive planning and development control approaches and mind-sets, applying quantitative standards (zoning, density, car parking, privacy distances etc.) rather than providing qualitative advice and judgements" (Are we stepping backwards with zoning and PD?)
"7. The lack of a reliable, robust and generally adopted series of guidelines through which high quality design can be procured." (Hackney's estate renewal programme is a great effort and we've worked on many design-led procurements, but price still dominates most clients)
I'd like to add another 'blockage': 8. Investment....hard cash for public projects - bold visions need money, otherwise they are just illusions. I'm not saying good design cost lots of money, but you need realistic budgets and the investment lasts 100 years +.
One for luck: 9. Investment in public sector resource. That's enough planners, in-house design teams, procurement teams, training for Elected Members, training for finance teams in development finance and real estate.
