- Email: [email protected]
Planning and rural recreation in Britain
Book reviews from employment activities are seen as central elements in the evolution of post-war North American culture. These twin pillars have been reinforced by television's central function 'to promote product consumption as a universal goal'. Cultural factors are further reflected in the role and performance of planners and other professionals. In Fowler's view, 'people who plan our cities for us are simply the most transparent symbols of a system and culture where responsibility for the built environment has passed from the hands of the individual citizen - with awful results'. Unfriendly urban development in the post-war era is a result of the actions of government and the private sector and, more importantly, is a reflection of prevailing social values. If this is the case, then it requires a change in social attitudes and action to bring about a change for the better. Building a competence from the grass roots to promote a saner built environment is the key challenge and, according to Fowler, individual and small group action, built upon a shift in values, is the best way to change the form and functioning of the city. Social ownership, especially of land and property, can create a greater sense of collective responsibility, as can a political system more attuned to local partnership rather than party political point scoring. By modifying these various forces, the city can be recaptured and moulded to the needs of the citizens. Enhanced awareness is seen as the key to the attainment of this objective, and through awareness comes an understanding of the uniqueness and importance of place. Awareness is the first step, and it provides a foundation for direct action on environmental and other matters. There is no standard guidebook for self-improvement; rather each resident makes a contribution according to his or her skills and resources. The end result is a form of urban homesteading, recapturing the city and shaping future urban form and quality. The end point of Fowler's analysis is that only residents can really build cities that work. The conclusion is supported by the rich and plentiful evidence displayed in this fascinating
126
and thought-provoking book. While the author's faith in the power of social process is sometimes based on assertion rather than evidence, the logic of Fowler's argument is compelling. Few books on this subject ring true in terms of their understanding of the needs and desires of residents; this text is an exception. It is a well-written and highly accessible account of the problems of postwar urban development which deserves a place on academic reading lists and on the bookshelf of the practitioner. Peter Roberts School of the Environment Leeds Metropolitan University Leeds LS1 3HE, UK
Planning and Rural Recreation in Britain David Groome Avebury Aldershot (1993) 346 pp £39.50 hardback ISBN 1 85628 454 9
The focus of this book is, true to its title, the relationship between the planning system and provision for rural recreation. To this end, Groome describes the nature of countryside enjoyment, the impact and implications of rural tourism, and the various issues associated with countryside access. There is good coverage too of the providers of recreation opportunities, both public and private. A discussion of planning methods and techniques and of the development of the UK's post-war planning framework sets the scene for an exploration of the ways in which planning has dealt with rural recreation. This ranges from the role of statutory plans and development control to the operation of countryside management, involving the approaches developed notably by the Countryside Commission since the early 1970s to secure various public interests in the use and management of private land. In many ways, the book reflects the notion of recreation as social good rather than ecological evil. Thus, there is an excellent chapter on ways of widening opportunities for enjoyment of the countryside but less on the damage and destruction that some-
times occur when large numbers descend upon sensitive landscape and vulnerable habitat. In part, this is perhaps a sign of the times (a book with this title written 20 years ago would probably have had a very different emphasis); in part it may reflect the success of countryside management, which in substantial degree seeks to arrange matters so that conflicts are minimized; and in part it may reflect the particular interests of the author who has done excellent work on access and opportunities. However, the book as a whole is not markedly unbalanced. Rather it provides a comprehensive and mature review of the field supported by nigh on 500 references. Throughout, the author focuses on the role that planning has played in relation to rural recreation and the role that it might play. He deals fully with the various modes of planning from regulatory to private management. He charts the increasing involvement of private and voluntary agencies in undertaking tasks hitherto associated with the public sector and the consequences of this for the future role of local authorities. He contrasts the largely opportunistic way in which rural recreation planning and provision is all too often pursued in practice, with various analytical techniques and the contribution that they might make. He discusses the roles of central and local government, the tensions between them and the resultant consequences. He argues that the various regional strategies for sport and recreation have failed to cope satisfactorily with the provision of long-distance routes and major recreation facilities, such as community forests, and calls for a stronger regional approach. He argues that recreation, rather than being a threat to other interests, is itself under threat from water and forest privatization and from various forms of development. He debates the image of the countryside that planning seeks to provide or safeguard as the context and backdrop for rural recreation and notes the conflict that may exist between providers' and consumers' perceptions. He discusses charging for rural recreation and its impact on access for the less well off and for the
Cities 1995 Volume 12 Number 2
Book reviews future of low cost recreation generally. In doing all this, and much more, Groome clearly meets the aim he sets. This useful book is well organized and written, and should appeal to its intended audience of practitioners and academics.
lan Brotherton Department of Landscape University of Sheffield Sheffield SIO 2TN, UK
Waterfronts Ann Breer and Dick Rigby
McGraw-Hill New York (1994) 333 pp £44.95 hardback ISBN 0 07 068458 8 Designing America Joel B Goldsteen and Cecil D Elliot
Van Nostrand Reinhold New York (1994) 319 pp, £33 paperback ISBN 0 442 01111 3 It seems to be a law of nature that wherever there is water in an urban context there is poential for regeneration. In the UK there are scores of examples, from London Docklands to Wigan Pier; the docks at Bristol, Liverpool, Gloucester, Hartlepool, Preston; the naval bases at Chatham, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Salford Quays, Tyneside, Teesside, and many more. Canal basins, wharves, locks, harbours and so on. All these have been the focus for redevelopment and renewal. Water provides space and variety in a dense urban setting; the historic associations, the characteristic features of cobbled staithes, granite sets, capstans, bollards, disused wharves, bonded warehouses, ships' chandlers, boat repairers, Customs Houses - all provide ready-made materials for creative conservation and renewal. A n n Breer and Dick Rigby established The Waterfront Center in Washington, DC in 1981 to provide an information resource and exchange on all aspects of waterfront development. They are not architects. Breer worked for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the US Department of Commerce; Rigby was editor at the Marine Technology Soci-
Cities 1995 Volume 12 Number 2
ety. Thus they view the subject from perspectives that differ from those of architecture and urban design. They are strong on the historical and functional aspects, and take a wide view of the commercial, residential, recreational and tourism potential of this distinctive urban resource. The bulk of the book consists of illustrated case-studies of 75 waterfront projects. All but four of these are in North America. The exceptions are Aker Brygge in Oslo, Norway; Darling Harbour, Sydney, Australia; Puerto Real, Cadiz, Spain, and Salford Quays, Greater Manchester, England. Most of the projects get only one photograph and a small sketch plan. The authors would have done better to provide fewer much better illustrated examples. The authors have nothing strikingly new to say on the subject and make no attempt to consider the social and economic problems of the inner city. To them these run-down areas are assets to be exploited for the general benefit of the city and its people. Nevertheless, the range of examples and variety of solutions that they provide should prove stimulating to those working on similar projects and to those towns and cities that have not yet realized the potential that may be waiting in derelict dockyard areas, neglected waterways and abandoned riverside buildings. Designing America is sub-titled 'Creating urban identity'. Goldsteen is Professor of City and Regional Planning at the School of Urban Design and Public Affairs (an unusual combination) at the University of Texas; Elliott is Emeritus Professor and former Chair of the Deparment of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at North Dakota State University. They therefore bring a more conventional planning/ architectural approach to the subject, although their book attempts also to cover the economic, real estate and other aspects of urban development. As a result the book is not very sharply focused, although its intended theme is 'the spaces between buildings'. Despite the publishers' claim that it includes over 200 illustrations, many of these are small sketches and
diagrams; the black and white photographs are poor, and the general impression is of a sparsely illustrated book on a subject that demands good visual material. Oddly enough, Goldsteen/Elliot make almost no reference to the waterfront spaces that are dealt with by Breer/Rigby. Could that be because Texas and North Dakota are not liberally endowed with that commodity? If there has to be a choice between these two substantial publications, Waterfronts is certainly the better value.
John Delafons University of Reading PO Box 219 Reading RG6 2BU, UK
The Assassination of New York Robert Fitch
Verso New York and London (1993) 293 pp £19.95 hardback 'This book received no grants or emoluments from giant foundations or think tanks' - thus does Robert Fitch begin his acknowledgements. That statement goes far to explain the kind of research he was able to do and the book it produced. He was not constrained by the power structure which wields great influence on urban planning and research in New York, or by the deadlines such sponsors impose; he could take his time, hunt through records which others have neglected, and follow wherever the scent led. Then, with no subsidies to back his book, he had to write in a way which would convince publishers that people would buy it. The result may look journalistic at first sight - a bit sensational even. But do not be misled. This is a serious, thought-provoking study. Academics who have written about New York tend to present the city's troubles as a case study of recent worldwide economic and social trends which have led many big, old cities into difficulties. Fitch argues that this stance is mistaken. The city's development was planned since the early
127
126
and thought-provoking book. While the author's faith in the power of social process is sometimes based on assertion rather than evidence, the logic of Fowler's argument is compelling. Few books on this subject ring true in terms of their understanding of the needs and desires of residents; this text is an exception. It is a well-written and highly accessible account of the problems of postwar urban development which deserves a place on academic reading lists and on the bookshelf of the practitioner. Peter Roberts School of the Environment Leeds Metropolitan University Leeds LS1 3HE, UK
Planning and Rural Recreation in Britain David Groome Avebury Aldershot (1993) 346 pp £39.50 hardback ISBN 1 85628 454 9
The focus of this book is, true to its title, the relationship between the planning system and provision for rural recreation. To this end, Groome describes the nature of countryside enjoyment, the impact and implications of rural tourism, and the various issues associated with countryside access. There is good coverage too of the providers of recreation opportunities, both public and private. A discussion of planning methods and techniques and of the development of the UK's post-war planning framework sets the scene for an exploration of the ways in which planning has dealt with rural recreation. This ranges from the role of statutory plans and development control to the operation of countryside management, involving the approaches developed notably by the Countryside Commission since the early 1970s to secure various public interests in the use and management of private land. In many ways, the book reflects the notion of recreation as social good rather than ecological evil. Thus, there is an excellent chapter on ways of widening opportunities for enjoyment of the countryside but less on the damage and destruction that some-
times occur when large numbers descend upon sensitive landscape and vulnerable habitat. In part, this is perhaps a sign of the times (a book with this title written 20 years ago would probably have had a very different emphasis); in part it may reflect the success of countryside management, which in substantial degree seeks to arrange matters so that conflicts are minimized; and in part it may reflect the particular interests of the author who has done excellent work on access and opportunities. However, the book as a whole is not markedly unbalanced. Rather it provides a comprehensive and mature review of the field supported by nigh on 500 references. Throughout, the author focuses on the role that planning has played in relation to rural recreation and the role that it might play. He deals fully with the various modes of planning from regulatory to private management. He charts the increasing involvement of private and voluntary agencies in undertaking tasks hitherto associated with the public sector and the consequences of this for the future role of local authorities. He contrasts the largely opportunistic way in which rural recreation planning and provision is all too often pursued in practice, with various analytical techniques and the contribution that they might make. He discusses the roles of central and local government, the tensions between them and the resultant consequences. He argues that the various regional strategies for sport and recreation have failed to cope satisfactorily with the provision of long-distance routes and major recreation facilities, such as community forests, and calls for a stronger regional approach. He argues that recreation, rather than being a threat to other interests, is itself under threat from water and forest privatization and from various forms of development. He debates the image of the countryside that planning seeks to provide or safeguard as the context and backdrop for rural recreation and notes the conflict that may exist between providers' and consumers' perceptions. He discusses charging for rural recreation and its impact on access for the less well off and for the
Cities 1995 Volume 12 Number 2
Book reviews future of low cost recreation generally. In doing all this, and much more, Groome clearly meets the aim he sets. This useful book is well organized and written, and should appeal to its intended audience of practitioners and academics.
lan Brotherton Department of Landscape University of Sheffield Sheffield SIO 2TN, UK
Waterfronts Ann Breer and Dick Rigby
McGraw-Hill New York (1994) 333 pp £44.95 hardback ISBN 0 07 068458 8 Designing America Joel B Goldsteen and Cecil D Elliot
Van Nostrand Reinhold New York (1994) 319 pp, £33 paperback ISBN 0 442 01111 3 It seems to be a law of nature that wherever there is water in an urban context there is poential for regeneration. In the UK there are scores of examples, from London Docklands to Wigan Pier; the docks at Bristol, Liverpool, Gloucester, Hartlepool, Preston; the naval bases at Chatham, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Salford Quays, Tyneside, Teesside, and many more. Canal basins, wharves, locks, harbours and so on. All these have been the focus for redevelopment and renewal. Water provides space and variety in a dense urban setting; the historic associations, the characteristic features of cobbled staithes, granite sets, capstans, bollards, disused wharves, bonded warehouses, ships' chandlers, boat repairers, Customs Houses - all provide ready-made materials for creative conservation and renewal. A n n Breer and Dick Rigby established The Waterfront Center in Washington, DC in 1981 to provide an information resource and exchange on all aspects of waterfront development. They are not architects. Breer worked for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the US Department of Commerce; Rigby was editor at the Marine Technology Soci-
Cities 1995 Volume 12 Number 2
ety. Thus they view the subject from perspectives that differ from those of architecture and urban design. They are strong on the historical and functional aspects, and take a wide view of the commercial, residential, recreational and tourism potential of this distinctive urban resource. The bulk of the book consists of illustrated case-studies of 75 waterfront projects. All but four of these are in North America. The exceptions are Aker Brygge in Oslo, Norway; Darling Harbour, Sydney, Australia; Puerto Real, Cadiz, Spain, and Salford Quays, Greater Manchester, England. Most of the projects get only one photograph and a small sketch plan. The authors would have done better to provide fewer much better illustrated examples. The authors have nothing strikingly new to say on the subject and make no attempt to consider the social and economic problems of the inner city. To them these run-down areas are assets to be exploited for the general benefit of the city and its people. Nevertheless, the range of examples and variety of solutions that they provide should prove stimulating to those working on similar projects and to those towns and cities that have not yet realized the potential that may be waiting in derelict dockyard areas, neglected waterways and abandoned riverside buildings. Designing America is sub-titled 'Creating urban identity'. Goldsteen is Professor of City and Regional Planning at the School of Urban Design and Public Affairs (an unusual combination) at the University of Texas; Elliott is Emeritus Professor and former Chair of the Deparment of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at North Dakota State University. They therefore bring a more conventional planning/ architectural approach to the subject, although their book attempts also to cover the economic, real estate and other aspects of urban development. As a result the book is not very sharply focused, although its intended theme is 'the spaces between buildings'. Despite the publishers' claim that it includes over 200 illustrations, many of these are small sketches and
diagrams; the black and white photographs are poor, and the general impression is of a sparsely illustrated book on a subject that demands good visual material. Oddly enough, Goldsteen/Elliot make almost no reference to the waterfront spaces that are dealt with by Breer/Rigby. Could that be because Texas and North Dakota are not liberally endowed with that commodity? If there has to be a choice between these two substantial publications, Waterfronts is certainly the better value.
John Delafons University of Reading PO Box 219 Reading RG6 2BU, UK
The Assassination of New York Robert Fitch
Verso New York and London (1993) 293 pp £19.95 hardback 'This book received no grants or emoluments from giant foundations or think tanks' - thus does Robert Fitch begin his acknowledgements. That statement goes far to explain the kind of research he was able to do and the book it produced. He was not constrained by the power structure which wields great influence on urban planning and research in New York, or by the deadlines such sponsors impose; he could take his time, hunt through records which others have neglected, and follow wherever the scent led. Then, with no subsidies to back his book, he had to write in a way which would convince publishers that people would buy it. The result may look journalistic at first sight - a bit sensational even. But do not be misled. This is a serious, thought-provoking study. Academics who have written about New York tend to present the city's troubles as a case study of recent worldwide economic and social trends which have led many big, old cities into difficulties. Fitch argues that this stance is mistaken. The city's development was planned since the early
127