The French and British Planning Studies Group was founded in 1998, initially by British academics who had undertaken research in France. Very soon after its foundation it developed into a dialogue between French and British academics undertaking research in the other country, which allowed in-depth discussion based on the very extensive knowledge of its members. In the first instance the Group had no other objective than to provide what proved to be an invaluable meeting point for the exchange of ideas at its biannual meetings. From these discussions, however, arose the possibility of joint publications, and the Group, led by Philip Booth, has been instrumental in producing two books, both of which have appeared in both English and French, and a special edition of Town Planning Review on European Capitals of Culture (January 2011). In the second of the two books, Spatial Planning Systems of Britain and France (Booth et al. 2007) each chapter was co-authored by a French and British member of the Group.
The group currently gathers more than 50 members, mostly from Britain and France. A dedicated steering group, composed of Lauren Andres (University of Birmingham), Elsa Vivant (Université Paris-Est), Florine Ballif (Université Paris-Est), Philip Booth (University of Sheffield), Mike Devereux (University of the West of England), Olivier Sykes (University of Liverpool), is responsible for the management of the group. Since 2005 it has been formally constituted as a sub-group of the Association of European Schools of Planning (AESOP) and will shortly have a web-page on the new AESOP site. This has enabled the Group to tap into a larger European audience and it has had a presence at the annual AESOP congresses since 2004.
Future activities include a set of seminars on the knowledge economy (April 2012- Lille) and transport planning (May and November 2012 in Liverpool and Paris).
OUR NEXT EVENT:
Urban Rails 2012 – Part Two, Liverpool 29-30, November 2012
During 2012, members of the French and British Planning Study Group based at the Universities of Liverpool and Paris 1 – Sorbonne have been collaborating on the hosting of two seminars dedicated to the theme of rail transport and urban development. The first event took place in Paris in May 2012 and addressed the issue of light rail development in Europe with a particular focus on the situation in the UK and France. The second seminar will take place in Liverpool on Thursday 29 and Friday 30 November 2012 and consider heavy rail as a means of serving urban development in metropolitan areas. The seminars bring together academics with practitioners and also incorporate visits to view rail investments ‘on the ground’. At the Paris seminar, the French national railways (SNCF), Réseau Ferré de France, and French regional authorities contributed to the programme as well as UK and French academics. An article summarising the proceedings of the seminar was published in Town and Country Planning in June 2012. The Liverpool seminar will feature a first day of presentations and discussion at the host university (Thursday 29 November 2012), bringing together academics from the UK and France with an expertise in urban rail development, and French and British practitioners who have experience of working on urban rail strategy and development. The second day (Friday 30 November 2012) will commence with a morning field visit to view recent heavy urban rail investments in the Merseyside area and conclude in the afternoon with a final series of presentations and discussions.
Registration is free and the event is being supported by Town Planning Review* . For further information and to register contact: urbanrails2012@gmail.com
Contact & Coordination: Dr. Lauren Andres, University of Birmingham, L.Andres@bham.ac.uk
