A timely case for better urban living
Jane Jacobs showed us that great neighbourhoods are not designed from above — they grow from the ground up.
In Better Neighbourhoods For All, Andrew Rowson brings Jacobs’ ideas into today’s debates on housing, density, diversity and place. Drawing on decades of experience in local government and national consultancy, he makes the case for walkable streets, mixed-use communities and planning that serves people, not just plans.
Why it matters now
Walkable Streets
Streets designed for people create more movement, more connections, and healthier communities.
Inclusive Neighbourhoods
Diversity of homes, incomes and uses builds stronger, fairer, and more resilient communities.
Regeneration with Locality
Successful places grow from local strengths, respecting character while embracing change.
About the Author
Andrew Rowson
Andrew Rowson was a director in both local government and national consultancy who delivered many programmes of urban development and regeneration, from new town centres to large housing schemes. An Oxford graduate with an MSc from the London School of Economics he is a chartered surveyor who believes that town planning makes a crucial difference to everyone’s quality of life – but only positively when it respectfully integrates architecture with locality.
