A beautiful sunny afternoon in the medieval Blackfriars in the heart of Newcastle (the area is captured at this blog, along with some great images of other parts of our city). And what nicer than to pick up on the energy and enthusiasm of the team at Northern Architecture, who have invited me to a picnic!
We have a good discussion about how to involve communities in significant changes. One of the really hard things to do is to give people real choices that are difficult to make. So much background information and history is needed. But that seems to me to be where real community engagement lies. We talk as well about transport, and why it is that people in provincial cities shun the bus. Rather than build huge tram or heavy rail schemes over the coming years, I think we are all going to have to come to love the bus. The team point out that it works in London and other European cities – so how can we make it work here?
Food for thought, as well as food for the body on a lovely sunny lunchtime.