Join Thousands Shaping the Future of Great Places
A new national conversation about the future of our places is gaining momentum across the UK. On Monday 29 September, Urban Flourishing officially launched The Great Places Conversation, inviting the public to share their views on what makes a place thrive and what holds it back. We also recently hosted our second stakeholder workshop, bringing together professionals from the built environment and education sectors to share updates on our progress and next steps. Click here to read the full report from the workshop and our early findings
In just over a month, we have attracted nearly 15,500 visitors to the website, with over 5,000 responses submitted. This level of engagement is a fantastic start, and it’s clear that people across the UK are eager to share their views on what makes places thrive. However, to drive meaningful change, we need even more voices to join the conversation. If you haven’t had the chance to have your voice heard on your place, community and environment have your say today!
Key Takeaways So Far
Early responses show that people deeply value access to nature, with greenery and natural features seen as essential to thriving places. However, concerns are growing around car-dominated environments, rising housing costs, and a lack of mental health support. Many feel that local decisions are made without truly listening to communities, and over 90% believe pollution is not being effectively managed.
Taking the Conversation Forward
Following the launch, Urban Initiatives’ Director, Hugo Nowell presented our early findings from The Great Places Conversation at the National Urban Design Group Conference on Thursday 2 October. The session brought together built environment professionals from across the country to reflect on the emerging data, share their expertise, and offer personal perspectives on the places they live and work.
We’ll continue to analyse responses and share updates as the conversation evolves.
In the meantime, we encourage everyone to keep spreading the word and inviting others to take part!