THE NATIONAL AGENDA

The new millennium was heralded with the first Urban and Rural White Papers for a generation.

These set a national vision for our towns, cities and countryside, and established a strategic framework to facilitate action by the public, private and voluntary sectors to respond to this exciting and ambitious agenda.

We have responded positively to the stimulus of Lord Roger's Urban Task Force Report. The process has helped us undertake fresh strategic thinking, contributing in a major way to achieving the national Urban Renaissance to which the regional planning and economic strategies aspire.

Care is taken in our approach to the influences of master planning and sustainable development principles by organisations with which we have close relationships. These include the Prince's Foundation, the Civic Trust, the Town and Country Planning Association and the British Urban Regeneration Association.

We also wish to highlight our relationship with Cranfield University with whom we are jointly working on sustainability issues.

We are members and sponsors of the following organisations and work collaboratively with them.

Realising Civic Aspirations

Each of our schemes is different, and is taken forward having accounted for and thereby contributing to, the economic, environmental and social wellbeing of a town or city.

Developing a close working relationship with our civic partners enables the most effective ongoing response to civic and corporate ambitions and priorities. The objective is to help bring civic vision to reality, effectively performing the implementation vehicle for major projects in the locality.

Our work often extends to close liaison with local authorities and other public agencies on the shape and character of public services required to serve new and extended communities.

We have worked collaboratively with over fifty local authorities to date.