Prof. Ian Mell
@ianmell.bsky.social
Professor in Environmental & Landscape Planning / Head of Department Planning, Property & Environmental Management - lots of Green Infrastructure stuff
@PlanningUoM @OfficialUoM @UoMUrban
@PlanningUoM @OfficialUoM @UoMUrban
It’s really good to see this out - Some thoughts on grey/green belt for the Landscape Institute journal. Lots to consider with the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.
How do we ensure that nature is essential infrastructure and change the rhetoric from build build build - to development with nature
How do we ensure that nature is essential infrastructure and change the rhetoric from build build build - to development with nature
July 30, 2025 at 2:31 PM
It’s really good to see this out - Some thoughts on grey/green belt for the Landscape Institute journal. Lots to consider with the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.
How do we ensure that nature is essential infrastructure and change the rhetoric from build build build - to development with nature
How do we ensure that nature is essential infrastructure and change the rhetoric from build build build - to development with nature
I’m very not been in the Olympic park in London for a while but the phased residential and development of new GI and urban nature seems to be working well. New neighbourhoods, a vibrant atmosphere and a people centred approach to design.
July 26, 2025 at 5:17 PM
I’m very not been in the Olympic park in London for a while but the phased residential and development of new GI and urban nature seems to be working well. New neighbourhoods, a vibrant atmosphere and a people centred approach to design.
I was talking to a friend about proportionality and biodiversity the other day. They have a wildlife focussed garden and it’s great but we discussed is it enough if not everyone is going the same. Here at work we’re doing small interventions. But how can we scale these up to ensure we get it right?
July 13, 2025 at 1:37 PM
I was talking to a friend about proportionality and biodiversity the other day. They have a wildlife focussed garden and it’s great but we discussed is it enough if not everyone is going the same. Here at work we’re doing small interventions. But how can we scale these up to ensure we get it right?
I was in Cambridge the other day and saw this building site. It used to be - I think - a timber merchants. So will it be big enough to be a neighbourhood and if your baseline for biodiversity was potentially 0% is that 280% increase meaningful. It so high density though so that’s good
July 12, 2025 at 7:32 PM
I was in Cambridge the other day and saw this building site. It used to be - I think - a timber merchants. So will it be big enough to be a neighbourhood and if your baseline for biodiversity was potentially 0% is that 280% increase meaningful. It so high density though so that’s good
I’ve just been on the castlefield viaduct for the first time in a while and it’s growing on me. Maybe it was the drizzle and mix of green and industrial architecture that lightened my mood. It could work as a connective route but is it a park. Lots for the National Trust to consider.
July 6, 2025 at 10:46 AM
I’ve just been on the castlefield viaduct for the first time in a while and it’s growing on me. Maybe it was the drizzle and mix of green and industrial architecture that lightened my mood. It could work as a connective route but is it a park. Lots for the National Trust to consider.
London has any number of flaws - housing, costs, jobs, wages but it does know how to do green infrastructure. Yes I know it’s high end GI but on a sunny day it looks splendid and is a nice walk to the Camley Street Nature Reserve.
The GLA have looked to maximise space I for nature and it works
The GLA have looked to maximise space I for nature and it works
June 25, 2025 at 12:27 PM
London has any number of flaws - housing, costs, jobs, wages but it does know how to do green infrastructure. Yes I know it’s high end GI but on a sunny day it looks splendid and is a nice walk to the Camley Street Nature Reserve.
The GLA have looked to maximise space I for nature and it works
The GLA have looked to maximise space I for nature and it works
Parklife has been in this weekend and it seems to have gone off without any problems. The whole thing though does place a lot of restrictions on residents (including me) so it’s good to see this fund in place. However, none of these project support those continuities around the park directly
June 16, 2025 at 6:22 AM
Parklife has been in this weekend and it seems to have gone off without any problems. The whole thing though does place a lot of restrictions on residents (including me) so it’s good to see this fund in place. However, none of these project support those continuities around the park directly
I really enjoyed presenting about how green space design travels between geographies and culture in east and southeast Asia yesterday at the @ihrlibrary.bsky.social History of Gardens and Designed Landscapes seminar - some great questions and a lovely crowd.
www.history.ac.uk/seminar/hist...
www.history.ac.uk/seminar/hist...
May 2, 2025 at 3:35 PM
I really enjoyed presenting about how green space design travels between geographies and culture in east and southeast Asia yesterday at the @ihrlibrary.bsky.social History of Gardens and Designed Landscapes seminar - some great questions and a lovely crowd.
www.history.ac.uk/seminar/hist...
www.history.ac.uk/seminar/hist...
Very excited to receive this in the post today - working with the @rtpiplanners.bsky.social myself John Sturzaker, Mark Scott, Nick Gallent, Gavin Parker and Amy Burnett have considered with the future holds for rural planning in the UK and Ireland - well worth checking out
May 2, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Very excited to receive this in the post today - working with the @rtpiplanners.bsky.social myself John Sturzaker, Mark Scott, Nick Gallent, Gavin Parker and Amy Burnett have considered with the future holds for rural planning in the UK and Ireland - well worth checking out
Good things do happen - Heaton Park in north Manchester now has a path for folks to enter the park. This means far less dodgems with traffic going into the car park. This is really good news for people accessing the park and those with mobility issues. I’m very happy about this.
March 18, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Good things do happen - Heaton Park in north Manchester now has a path for folks to enter the park. This means far less dodgems with traffic going into the car park. This is really good news for people accessing the park and those with mobility issues. I’m very happy about this.
A bit of good news - this is the RIBA bookshop in London - where my GI in Asia book and Phil Black’s book on urban design are on display. It’s great to see PPEM work out and about in the wild.
It also highlights the need to consider planning, landscape and urban design collectively
It also highlights the need to consider planning, landscape and urban design collectively
February 17, 2025 at 2:06 PM
A bit of good news - this is the RIBA bookshop in London - where my GI in Asia book and Phil Black’s book on urban design are on display. It’s great to see PPEM work out and about in the wild.
It also highlights the need to consider planning, landscape and urban design collectively
It also highlights the need to consider planning, landscape and urban design collectively
Seoul has a track record of innovation in urban greening and this may be the latest example. Whilst I’m always sceptical of big landmark projects - rather than area wide improvements - Seoul does do this kind of this well. Are they trying to outdo Singapore or the Bosch verticale in design?
January 28, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Seoul has a track record of innovation in urban greening and this may be the latest example. Whilst I’m always sceptical of big landmark projects - rather than area wide improvements - Seoul does do this kind of this well. Are they trying to outdo Singapore or the Bosch verticale in design?
Well this will be fun. When has speed been the defining characteristic of high quality development? What could go wrong.
On the plus side making its explicitly clear that local infrastructure is needed and must be planned if rural/GB land is to be developed is a positive
On the plus side making its explicitly clear that local infrastructure is needed and must be planned if rural/GB land is to be developed is a positive
December 12, 2024 at 9:24 AM
Well this will be fun. When has speed been the defining characteristic of high quality development? What could go wrong.
On the plus side making its explicitly clear that local infrastructure is needed and must be planned if rural/GB land is to be developed is a positive
On the plus side making its explicitly clear that local infrastructure is needed and must be planned if rural/GB land is to be developed is a positive
I don’t spend much time at ‘home’ anymore and to be honest it hasn’t been home since 1998 really (NCL, London, Cambridge, Brighton, Liverpool and Manchester have been home) but there is something comforting about the River Trent and driving around North Lincolnshire that is very familiar
October 20, 2024 at 6:14 PM
I don’t spend much time at ‘home’ anymore and to be honest it hasn’t been home since 1998 really (NCL, London, Cambridge, Brighton, Liverpool and Manchester have been home) but there is something comforting about the River Trent and driving around North Lincolnshire that is very familiar
Last night we held a really successful book launch for Phil Black, Mic Martin, Bob Phillips urban design and my one green infrastructure book following by MUD Lab urban design showcase.
Thanks to everyone who came - it was great to see so many people interested in the work we do
Thanks to everyone who came - it was great to see so many people interested in the work we do
September 20, 2024 at 1:38 PM
Last night we held a really successful book launch for Phil Black, Mic Martin, Bob Phillips urban design and my one green infrastructure book following by MUD Lab urban design showcase.
Thanks to everyone who came - it was great to see so many people interested in the work we do
Thanks to everyone who came - it was great to see so many people interested in the work we do
Just popped into the office and these bad boys were waiting for me - I’d like to say nicely arranged but that would be a lie. Great to see all the hard work now out in hard and soft copy
If you’re interested in Green Infrastructure Planning in Asia check it out!
If you’re interested in Green Infrastructure Planning in Asia check it out!
September 14, 2024 at 8:59 AM
Just popped into the office and these bad boys were waiting for me - I’d like to say nicely arranged but that would be a lie. Great to see all the hard work now out in hard and soft copy
If you’re interested in Green Infrastructure Planning in Asia check it out!
If you’re interested in Green Infrastructure Planning in Asia check it out!
I’m very happy to say that my new book on green infrastructure in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and South Korea is now available. It took a long time to complete but I’m really proud of the ideas and projects that are discussed with it.
September 5, 2024 at 9:55 AM
I’m very happy to say that my new book on green infrastructure in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and South Korea is now available. It took a long time to complete but I’m really proud of the ideas and projects that are discussed with it.
As an academic you get to be proud of your students, papers, grants (ha), projects. But as a practitioner you get to literally put stuff in the ground - today I took the kids to ‘my park’ in Ely. Where I cut my teeth of making mistakes and leaning about planning. It was ace.
August 26, 2024 at 7:35 PM
As an academic you get to be proud of your students, papers, grants (ha), projects. But as a practitioner you get to literally put stuff in the ground - today I took the kids to ‘my park’ in Ely. Where I cut my teeth of making mistakes and leaning about planning. It was ace.
One thing I really like about the big parks in London is that you can see development going on around - I know that’s odd. Lots of dev around Gunnersbury Park makes it feel even more impt as a public green space.
There are loads of people here today as well showings its value
There are loads of people here today as well showings its value
August 25, 2024 at 1:08 PM
One thing I really like about the big parks in London is that you can see development going on around - I know that’s odd. Lots of dev around Gunnersbury Park makes it feel even more impt as a public green space.
There are loads of people here today as well showings its value
There are loads of people here today as well showings its value
On the 19th Sept the Department of Planning, Property & Environmental Management and the Manchester Urban Design Lab are proud to be hosting a show for two news books from myself and Phil Black Mic Martin Bob Phillips and Taki Sonbli and the Urban Design Showcase - everyone is welcome
August 23, 2024 at 12:07 PM
On the 19th Sept the Department of Planning, Property & Environmental Management and the Manchester Urban Design Lab are proud to be hosting a show for two news books from myself and Phil Black Mic Martin Bob Phillips and Taki Sonbli and the Urban Design Showcase - everyone is welcome
After a long long time, a global pandemic, logistical problems, typhoons, becoming HoD, and lots of editing/rewrites it’s almost time for this to be released.
I’m very grateful to everyone who helped get it out. I think it’s a cracking read.
It’s out on the 27th August
I’m very grateful to everyone who helped get it out. I think it’s a cracking read.
It’s out on the 27th August
August 12, 2024 at 8:15 AM
After a long long time, a global pandemic, logistical problems, typhoons, becoming HoD, and lots of editing/rewrites it’s almost time for this to be released.
I’m very grateful to everyone who helped get it out. I think it’s a cracking read.
It’s out on the 27th August
I’m very grateful to everyone who helped get it out. I think it’s a cracking read.
It’s out on the 27th August
Great to be back in Berlin and Leipzig with the MSc Green Infrastructure students from the University of Manchester. Lots of chat about urban ecology, green space history and value, sustainable drainage and planning with nature. All super stuff and lots of cool examples if innovation
March 23, 2024 at 1:29 PM
Great to be back in Berlin and Leipzig with the MSc Green Infrastructure students from the University of Manchester. Lots of chat about urban ecology, green space history and value, sustainable drainage and planning with nature. All super stuff and lots of cool examples if innovation
It’s been an exciting week as the first art work for my new book on green infrastructure has been sent to me. The book looks at policy and practice in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and South Korea and should be of interest to planners, landscape people and those interested in climate
February 24, 2024 at 11:15 AM
It’s been an exciting week as the first art work for my new book on green infrastructure has been sent to me. The book looks at policy and practice in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and South Korea and should be of interest to planners, landscape people and those interested in climate
After what feels like half a life time the manuscript for my book #greeninfrastructure in China Hong Kong Japan Singapore and South Korea has gone to the Routledge for review.
It’s been 5 years coming, impacted by covid and lots of fun to write. Fingers crossed they like it
It’s been 5 years coming, impacted by covid and lots of fun to write. Fingers crossed they like it
February 5, 2024 at 10:26 PM
After what feels like half a life time the manuscript for my book #greeninfrastructure in China Hong Kong Japan Singapore and South Korea has gone to the Routledge for review.
It’s been 5 years coming, impacted by covid and lots of fun to write. Fingers crossed they like it
It’s been 5 years coming, impacted by covid and lots of fun to write. Fingers crossed they like it
Great to see this really useful additional to the teaching and research of urban design out - thanks to Marion Roberts and Suzy Nelson for the invite to contribute with Phil Black we talk about design/landscape teaching and the Manchester Urban Design Lab
February 3, 2024 at 10:46 AM
Great to see this really useful additional to the teaching and research of urban design out - thanks to Marion Roberts and Suzy Nelson for the invite to contribute with Phil Black we talk about design/landscape teaching and the Manchester Urban Design Lab