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Urban villages are seen to provide an alternative to the predominant pattern of 20th century urban development, especially urban sprawl and aim to:
Stimulate medium density mixed use development
Reduce car reliance and promote cycling, walking and transit use
Provide a high level of self-containment (people working, recreating and living in the same area)
Help facilitate strong community institutions and interaction
Good public transport
An emphasis on urban design – particularly pedestrian priority and well-designed public space
Urban villages are seen to create self-contained communities that reduce the need to travel large distances and reduce the subsequent reliance on the automobile. The decline of noxious industry and the emergence of the knowledge economy allows the mixing of employment and residential activities without detriment to residents. This is in contrast to the single-uses that helped fuel urban sprawl. More consolidated development, urban villages can reduce the intrusion of urban growth on the countryside. In addition urban villages are seen to provide a solution to the demise of community that is often associated with modernism and sprawl. The concept uses the social and physical characteristics of the traditional village as an inspiration for creating better functioning communities in towns and cities.
Our role in Yeovil was to form part of a multi disciplinary team investigating the potential for an urban village to be created on the southern edge of the town, within walking distance of the town centre.
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