As possible "taps" for the excessive population of Peterborough, several cities were named, located close enough for people to want to move there, but also far enough away so as not to eventually turn into part of the huge urban conglomerate of Greater London. Peterborough is 112 km from London, but it takes only 1 hour and 10 minutes to get there by the fast train that runs on this well-maintained line.
After that, one of the design consultants, Tom Hancock, who works in London on an independent basis, was asked to prepare a report on the possibilities of expanding Peterborough and, first of all, what territory the new city could occupy so that the government could allocate it for this purpose. It was subordinate to three organizations: the Ministry of Housing in London, the elected Municipal Council of the City of Peterborough and the elected County Council of Peterborough and Huntingdon, which also manages the surrounding countryside.
34-year—old Tom Hancock is the youngest of the designers who has ever been entrusted with the development of such a plan. With a wry smile, he says that he sometimes thinks that by the time it is completed, he will be the oldest. The profession he chose — architecture with a bias in the development of urban planning — is a new profession. It requires a person to be well versed in issues of a very wide range.
Here is a short list of the studies that Hancock conducted. Topographic survey, including aerial photography. Survey of land use both in the city and in its surroundings. Sightseeing of the surrounding area with listing of trees and other landscape features that adorn the landscape. Study of the composition and condition of soils. Home survey of 7% of the population. Inspection of transport at the place of departure and destination. Public transport survey: to determine the size of the flow of passengers at different times of the day, tickets sold per day and hourly were counted. Accounting for the age and condition of buildings. Accounting for tall buildings: all buildings with a height of more than 4 floors, since they affect the appearance of neighborhoods, were included in a special list. Research of types of existing dwellings. Survey of the structure of industrial firms in the city and their plans for the future. A survey of the city's retail network, including a survey of buyers on the street. A survey of residents to clarify their attitude to the improvement of the city or the presence of complaints about the absence of such.
No less important than technical knowledge is the desire to consult with people. Fortunately, Tom Hancock adheres to the view that it is very doubtful to prejudge everything in advance and that it is necessary to constantly maintain contacts with the population in order to find out what people want, and not to impose their firmly established plan on them. Moreover, you need to be prepared for the need to make changes to the plan in the course of work in accordance with the changed needs of the city.
In general, Tom Hancock attended more than 200 meetings, meeting with various groups of people who were interested in the city's reconstruction plan: with local councils, trade unions (both unions of industrial workers and members of the "National Union of Farmers"), with those connected with the transport, gasification and electric network of the city, shopkeepers and landowners and many other groups of a less definite character. A local newspaper, for example, organized a meeting with young people. "Half of my work consists of talking to people," says Hancock.
By January 1967, Hancock had determined what kind of land he needed. The project was then publicly discussed, during which any organization, as well as individuals, could raise objections against the project as a whole and on individual points. Such discussions are also mandatory for smaller-scale projects, for example, when the city council wants to build a new residential area on the outskirts of the city on agricultural land. In such cases, the role of the inspector is assigned to an employee of the central government bodies. Best casno bonuses here best first deposit bonus australia view here