Third year Geography students visit sustainable urban development

Third year Geography students recently visited the new housing development at Upton, Northampton, to learn more about this sustainable urban development.  Dr Chris Holt explained how the sustainable urban drainage system (‘SUDS’) works, and provided contextual information about the on-going housing development.  Students will be carrying out research projects about Upton over the next couple of months.

Third year students at the Upton development, Northampton

Photos from the field visit can be viewed here

Second year geographers learn about community development in Mawsley village

On Monday 12th December, second year geographers braved icy conditions to go on a fieldtrip to new urban developments in Northamptonshire.

After a series of lectures about postwar urban development/expansion policies, the fieldtrip allowed students to visit Mawsley village: a new village development near Kettering. Students completed a guided walk of the village, in search of evidence of community development, accessibility, safety, design/architecture and village identity.

Rob Bailey, Chair of the Mawsley Villagers’ Association, was kind enough to join us for a Q&A session in the village community centre (warm and comfortable!) Rob provided some fascinating insights about:

•         the development of community spirit and identity in a new village;

•         pros and cons of living in a ‘new village’;

•         ‘waves’ of housing development in the village;

•         plan for, and responses to, future development on the site.

Members of the Geography class meeting Rob Bailey (Chair of the Mawsley Villagers' Association)