Might plans for a make-over for Edinburgh's West Princes Street Gardens lead to a partial privatisation of an iconic public space?

The first issue of a new journal gives insights to new ways of thinking about cities.

A simple grid plan for urban extensions should be the basis for managing rapid urbanisation says a new UN-Habitat report.

Faced with increased urban flooding, China is seeking to create "sponge cities" that can absorb water.

Urban planners need like-minded allies wherever we can find them. Canadian planning consultant Michel Frojmovic, in this Guest Blog says that if the 2015 report on Health and Climate Change is any indication, public health professionals seem to feel the same way.

Public spaces are integral to healthy and prosperous cities. This was the theme of  a major conference last week in the run-up to next year's Habitat III global summit. Place-making needs to be seen as contributing to the 2015-2030 Sustainable Development Goals. 

Ideas for reviving flagging public markets as places to shop, eat and meet were presented by experts at an international conference in Barcelona this week. With many public markets struggling to adapt to changing patterns of shopping the need for design and innovation has never been stronger, and the answer lies in creating a sense of place.

A wide-ranging review of the research literature reveals that living in an environment with plentful greenery seems to be associated with a number of indicators of good health. The study reveals what the authors say is "fairly strong evidence"  that there is a positive association between greenness and physical activity.