The UK Pilot Home Zone Programme: Emerging Thoughts and Lessons

This paper reviews the key lessons emerging from the process of implementing 14 pilot home zone schemes in the UK. It discusses the origin of the concept and reviews the recent interest in home zones in the UK. It briefly reviews the Government's commitment to providing an appropriate legislative and policy context and also funding for the implementation of the concept. It then introduces the pilot schemes and reviews the lessons and debates emerging from the process of both planning and designing the pilot projects. Finally, the article reviews what is now being done to promote the concept to a wider audience and encourage its wider implementation

Exploration in the Mustagh Mountains: Discussion

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Evaulating the impact of design awards for housing

Awards for housing design allow the opportunity to reward, celebrate and encourage the best in residential design. They also provide the opportunity to learn about new forms of living environment and the potential quality of development which housing developers and designers can deliver. Such issues areof paramount importance as the quality of living environments has a significant impact on our quality of life.This report seeks to better the understanding of the contribution made by housing design awards in encouraging better practice in design quality, innovation and sustainability

Review of design and access statements in Wales

This research gives an insight and makes recommendations about improving the legislation, guidance and processes that govern design and access statements in Wales. This research gathered evidence on the effectiveness of design and access statements in influencing the final design of proposed developments as part of the planning application process. The research has also considered the relationship between design and access statements and building regulations

An analysis of dormancy, ABA responsiveness, after-ripening and pre-harvest sprouting in hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) caryopses

Embryo and caryopsis dormancy, abscisic acid (ABA) responsiveness, after-ripening (AR), and the disorder pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) were investigated in six genetically related wheat varieties previously characterized as resistant, intermediate, or susceptible to PHS. Timing of caryopsis AR differed between varieties; AR occurred before harvest ripeness in the most PHS-susceptible, whereas AR was slowest in the most PHS-resistant. Whole caryopses of all varieties showed little ABA-responsiveness during AR; PHS-susceptible varieties were responsive at the beginning of the AR period whereas PHS-resistant showed some responsiveness throughout. Isolated embryos showed relatively little dormancy during grain-filling and most varieties exhibited a window of decreased ABA-responsiveness around the period of maximum dry matter accumulation (physiological maturity). Susceptibility to PHS was assessed by overhead misting of either isolated ears or whole plants during AR; varieties were clearly distinguished using both methods. These analyses allowed an investigation of the interactions between the different components of seed development, compartments, and environment for the six varieties. There was no direct relationship between speed of caryopsis AR and embryo dormancy or ABA-responsiveness during seed maturation. However, the velocity of AR of a variety was closely associated with the degree of susceptibility to PHS during AR suggesting that these characters are developmentally linked. Investigation of genetic components of AR may therefore aid breeding approaches to reduce susceptibility to PHS