Book launch at PCPM – a great way to end a busy year

Over a glass of wine and some lovely refreshments, on Friday afternoon 27 November, PCPM hosted at the school, on Level 8, the launch of Instruments of Planning: Tensions and Challenges for more equitable and sustainable cities (Routledge, 2016). The book, edited by PCPM’s Rebecca Leshinsky and Crystal Legacy (RMIT, Centre for Urban Research), is a valuable resource for city planners, urban professionals and students. Professors Ron Wakefield and Roz Hansen officially launched the book. The event was well attended by industry, urban professionals, academics and many staff and students.

As the book states, planning is about ‘setting values, establishing priorities, engaging with the community and allocating benefits.’ In the book, a selection of local and international authors critically, and practically, explore four key categories of planning instruments:

• Shaping tools
• Regulation tools
• Stimulation tools
• Capacity building tools

Professor Hansen in her speech said that the book is ‘somewhat provocative’. It aims to send a strong and important message to remind city planners and urban professionals that well thought out planning tools are very useful in shaping equitable and sustainable cities.

View photos of the event on our Flickr Site.

Article submitted by Dr Rebecca Leshinsky