Some fantastic insights from Swindon Borough Council's Philippa Venables, Coventry City Council's Matin Reeves, Bradford Council's Alex Ross-Shaw and our very own Alan Harris and Adrian Peachey at Centre for Cities' 'March of the Place Makers event today at Birmingham Library. 

Particularly interesting was Alex Ross-Shaw, portfolio holder for regeneration in Bradford who outlined an alternative model for councils to lead on city place making. We are in an era of expectation that the public sector will step in with financial interventions and asset purchases, but an alternative to that is providing leadership through forgoing direct control in land and instead focusing on frameworks, clear direction and strategy, and a platform to deliver change through facilitation and partnership.  Perhaps an old adage, but a really good example of how one size doesn't fit all in the complex world of #regeneration and #towncentres.