Masterplanning and placemaking: Creating frameworks that stand the test of time
Director and head of our North studio, Paul Morris, chaired a roundtable on masterplans and placemaking during UKREiiF
At our roundtable during UKREiiF on masterplanning and placemaking, developers, local authorities, planners and designers explored how shared purpose, flexibility and integrated infrastructure can help create places that remain resilient.
Masterplans are often judged by the quality of the vision they set out. But what determines whether that vision survives contact with funding constraints, changing political priorities, evolving communities and market cycles?
That was the focus of our UKREiiF roundtable on masterplanning and placemaking, chaired by Director and head of our North studio, Paul Morris and joined by Charlotte, Senior Associate. Bringing together developers, local authorities, planners and designers, the discussion explored what separates successful long-term frameworks from those that struggle to maintain momentum.
Three themes emerged throughout the conversation:
- Shared purpose creates resilience. The most successful masterplans are built around a clear vision that stakeholders continue to support long after the original team has moved on. Alignment across partners provides the foundation for consistent decision-making over the lifetime of a project.
- Flexibility is not a weakness. Large-scale developments need enough structure to provide certainty, but enough adaptability to respond to changing circumstances. Understanding where flexibility exists within a framework is critical to ensuring places can evolve without losing their identity.
- Delivery starts earlier than many think. Infrastructure planning, government engagement, contractor involvement, stewardship arrangements and community participation all influence outcomes from the outset. Treating these considerations as part of the masterplanning process, rather than issues to solve later, can significantly strengthen delivery.
Thank you to everyone who contributed their insights. Charlotte Cameron, Jack Stephenson (Allies & Morrison), Simon Bayliss (HTA Design), Nicola Rigby (Avison Young), Katie Wray (Deloitte), David Lynch (Manchester City Council), David Smith-Milne (Place Capital), Anna Bolsin (Barking Riverside) and Marko Salopek (Muse).
