UDAL has now been in existence for seven months and has introduced and progressed a series of major initiatives. The first ever national Urban Design Week will be held in October to focus the eyes of Britain in urban design. All UDAL members will participate in events ranging from urban design walks to conferences, debates, lectures and an event which will involve school children in understanding urban issues. A one day public event will take an in-depth look at the relationship between Urban Design and Transport. The Urban Streams and Watercourses study, being carried out by the Institute of Civil Engineers and the Landscape Institute will be launched that week.
All ideas are welcome, particularly from the regions.
In April 1998 UDAL representatives held a meeting with the Volume House Builders Study Group to discuss the role of urban design in volume housebuilding including the debate between brownfield and greenfield development, how to promote a holistic approach where development is undertaken on a mixed use basis, and the economic, demographic and other factors which influence consumer decisions and product range. A follow-up seminar will take place this month. Transport seminar UDAL is planning a seminar on Transport and Urban Design after the Transport White Paper is published. This seminar will take place at the Institution of Civil Engineers in London. The Urban Design Audit aims to demonstrate that urban design is central to the task of making towns and cities work.