Mark Tewdwr-Jones
@marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
2.5K followers 540 following 100 posts
UCL Bartlett Professor of Cities and Regions at CASA: Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis. Academician, urban planner, geographer, scientist, film historian, futurist, pro-rail. Believe in creating inclusive future places for all
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marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
I’m so sorry to hear that Sir Terry Farrell has passed away. He was a giant of urbanism, the creator of some spectacular architecture especially in China & Hong Kong, a masterplanner of Newcastle, and the instigator of the Farrell Centre. This is from 2017 when Terry received the RTPI Gold Medal
marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
The Government has announced the candidate locations of 12 new new towns. A good geographical spread and mix of greenfield and urban infilling sites that should be all well connected through public transport
matthewpennycookmp.bsky.social
We warmly welcome all 12 of the locations recommend by the Taskforce with Tempsford, Crews Hill and Leeds South Bank looking particularly promising.

We are today commencing a SEA to support final decisions on precisely which sites will be taken forward.

www.gov.uk/government/p...
Initial government response - September 2025
www.gov.uk
marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
Communities are self-organising increasingly to run their own local services. But why do some so-called ‘DIY urbanism’ projects survive and others fail? New open access publication by Zulfikar D. W. Putra & Mark Tewdwr-Jones now published in Cities www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
It looks like 90s baggy jeans and trousers are back in…
marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
A fascinating day at @cpcatapult.bsky.social looking at integrated planning & the prospect of unlocking the potential of planning. Thanks to my panel members Terry De Sousa, David Mountain, & Annette Jezierska for their rich thoughts on spatial development strategies and digital planning
marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
I was delighted to give the plenary talk at the UK Ireland Planning Research Conference at the University of Ulster last week on Planning Futures as the Right of Truth: Unsettling Planning in the Digital Age. Thanks to the organising committee 📸@drcatbutton.bsky.social
marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
I flew over it on Sunday afternoon on my return to City Airport from Belfast. A different perspective!
marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
I don’t fly very often these days if I can help it, but the aerial view of London on my return flight to London City from Belfast on Sunday was superb. Amazing to see the transformation of Elephant & Castle from this perspective
Aerial view of Elephant & Castle, London
marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
Do you think the film library is still in the RTPI somewhere?
marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
A superb collection of archive railway films presented this evening BFI NFT with @mrtimdunn.bsky.social and Steve Foxon acting as comperes, covering 200 years of railway history but also showing the creative talent of filmmaking over 130 years. A packed audience of 400 too
marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
Brilliant Oli! And yes I’m watching it too
marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
Congratulations to my student Yuna Lee on the successful defence of her PhD thesis on Strategic Foresight and Policy Making in the US and UK yesterday @casaucl.bsky.social. Thanks to examiners Louise Kempton & Rainer Kattel, and Mike Batty for being part of the supervisory team
Group photograph of Louise Kempton, Yuna Lee, Rainer Kattel, Mark Tewdwr-Jones
marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
Announcing a forthcoming book, “Regions in Evolution - A History of Regional Planning”, a critical and deep analytical look at the ebbs & flows of regional planning globally over 100 years, with @drjwharrison.bsky.social & Daniel Galland, due to be published early in 2026
marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
Such sad news. I worked with Rachel on Future of Cities, UKRI, Connected Places Catapult & N8 partnership. She was wonderful, inspiring & humorous. Rachel was one of the few people who could transcend disciplines, sectors & academic/policy worlds. I will miss her wise counsel & friendship.
marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
Wonderful to be back in my university ‘home’ at School of Geography and Planning Cardiff University to give a talk on urban futures, interact with so many knowledgeable people across the university, and to catch up with many friends, exactly 35 years since I graduated.
marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
Delightful to speak with MSc Spatial Planning students at @thebartlettucl.bsky.social in a double-act on digital planning with the wonderful Bridget Wilkins of @mhclgdigital.blog.gov.uk.web.brid.gy outlining opportunities & challenges of digitalising planning
marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
Ah yes, the good ol’ Blue Banana. A lot of spatial maps produced on core vs peripheral economic growth regions in the 90s and early 2000s. Plus the ‘Pentagon’ of core cities. The intention was to the case for investment outside this high GDP area through transport infrastructure & structural funds
marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
Announcing the publication of a new book on planning theory, Critical Planning Futures, with some amazing contributions from academics across the Global South & North, all devoted to analysing the form & future of urban planning. Plus this is Book #20 for me! www.routledge.com/Critical-Pla...
marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
Passionate talk about the prospects for the future of the North East by @kimmcguinness.bsky.social the Mayor of the North East at the @ucl.ac.uk @thebartlettucl.bsky.social Sir Peter Hall Lecture 2025 including discussion of devolution
marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
I’ve been clearing my parents’ house & came across another one of my drawings. This is ‘A Little Town’ drawn when I was 8 in 1977. Some attempt at perspective but incredible attention to detail like road markings. Clearly it was destined that I would have a career in urban planning
marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
So that’s my reading sorted out for the next few weeks. Very much looking forward to reading Owen Hatherley’s new book showing how Central European emigres transformed 20th century Britain
marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
A concept from Jack Napper and T Dan Smith for a new regional transport scheme. It predated the origin of the Tyne & Wear Metro by just 10 years. Currently also a feature at the Concrete Dreams exhibition at The Farrell Centre & previously at the Idea of North exhibition at the Baltic Centre
osaumarezsmith.bsky.social
Illustrations from a 1965 issue of Northern Architect, imagining a linear monorail city stretching from Newcastle to Teesside. 💥
marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
When does a “non-place” become a “place” and can people’s use of digital technology give new meaning to the locations they are in? New open access article published in @cogitatioup.bsky.social by Weijue Wang, @marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social & @vsigno.bsky.social www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplannin...
marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
UCL Geography has 3 jobs on offer that would be a fit for geospatial and/or health folk.
Lecturer in Geographies of Health x 2 (with “spatial analysis")
lnkd.in/enH4h2iX
Associate Lecturer (Teaching) in Geospatial Data Analysis & Cartography (0.5 fte, 12 months)
lnkd.in/eKqaG7FW
marktewdwr-jones.bsky.social
The latest title in the Routledge @rtpiplanners.bsky.social RTPI Library book series is Rural Planning Futures edited by @markscott-ucd.bsky.social John Sturzaker Nick Gallent @gavinparker.bsky.social Amy Burnett & @ianmell.bsky.social www.routledge.com/RTPI-Library...