英国的小城镇发展历程与规划取向

The Development Process and Planning Orientation of Small Towns in Britain

英国是世界上最早开始工业革命,也是最早进入城市化的国家之一。工业革命以来在城乡发展历程中,英国的小城镇一直扮演着极其重要的角色,且人口规模占比较高。回顾英国小城镇的发展和规划历程,其在不同阶段承担了人口疏散、战后重建、内城振兴和城市—区域功能节点等多重职能。直至现今,虽然小城镇的发展面临诸多挑战,但其作为英国城市与乡村的缓冲、历史遗产和地域文化的承载,仍具有不可忽视的重要地位。正是意识到这一点,在2004年和2011年的英国空间规划体系改革中,包括住房、公共事务和设施规划等诸多事权下放给了包括小城镇在内的地方政府,社区首次可以编制具有法律约束效力和指导规划审批的社区规划。但与此同时,意识到小城镇的宝贵资源及其脆弱性,英国的小城镇规划又是极其审慎的,是在保护历史文化特色的前提下的适度开发改造,是建立在地方广泛社会参与基础上的,这些是值得我国小城镇规划借鉴和学习的地方。

Britain was one of the earliest industrialized and urbanized nations in the world.In the urban and rural development process since the Industrial Revolution,small towns in Britain have always played an extremely important role,and the population size is relatively high.Looking back on the development and planning of small towns in Britain,they have undertaken multiple functions such as population evacuation,post-war reconstruction,inner city regeneration,and city-region functional nodes at different stages.Until now,although the development of small towns still faces many challenges,as the buffer zones between urban and rural areas,also as the live museums of historical heritage and local culture,they still have significant position that cannot be ignored.Being aware of this,in the reform of the spatial planning system in 2004 and 2011,including housing,public affairs and facilities planning and other authority was delegated to local governments,which includes small towns.For the first time communities can prepare neighborhood plans with real legal weight and can grant planning permission.But at the same time,aware of the precious resources and vulnerabilities of small towns,the planning of small towns in Britain is extremely cautious.It is a moderate development and transformation under the premise of protecting historical and cultural characteristics,and it is based on the foundation of extensive local public participation.Small towns'planning in China should learn from the experience in Britain.