Talk of the Town

A University of St Andrews academic has been honoured by the largest planning institute in Europe.

Professor Duncan Maclennan, of the University’s Centre for Housing Research, has been awarded lifetime honorary membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute.

The award, which recognises the status of honorary members of the Institute’s Board of Trustees, also marks the beginning of the centenary of the RTPI .

Professor Maclennan joins more than 30 distinguished planners, academics, politicians and other eminent figures in public life who have each, in their own fields of expertise, made an outstanding contribution in helping to promote the art and science of town planning.

In announcing the award, the President of the RTPI, Dr Peter Geraghty said, “I am delighted to be able to announce the first of our lifetime honorary members as we begin our centenary celebrations. I am very proud that we have such an illustrious group of people who all have a continuing interest in and a commitment to planning. We will be working closely with them in the coming years to involve them in the activities of the Institute”.

Professor Maclennan is Director of the Scottish Cities Knowledge Centre and the Centre for Housing Research at the University of St Andrews.  An economist with research interests in housing, infrastructure and cities, he has published more than a hundred academic articles and written/edited fourteen housing related books.

Since 2006, Professor Maclennan has been involved in advising the Prime Minister’s Office or Department in the UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, and from 1999 to 2003 he worked as full time policy adviser to the First Minister(s) of Scotland.

He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (Scotland’s national academy) and was awarded a CBE for services to housing research and policy in Britain in 1997.

The St Andrews’ academic is joined in the award by figures such as environmentalist Jonathon Porritt, Sir Malcolm Grant, Chairman of NHS England and The Lord Deben, Chair of the UK’s independent Committee on Climate Change and a former Secertary of State for the Environment.

He said, “Cities are playing a growing role in housing the world. Good strategic management of cities shapes better economic, social and environmental outcomes. The research we do at CHR helps fashion better homes, neighbourhoods and cities. The award to me reflects the efforts of all of the CHR team and I thank them for their talents and efforts.”

ENDS

Issued by the Press Office, University of St Andrews

Contact Gayle Cook, Senior Communications Manager on 01334 467227, mobile: 07900 050 103 or email: [email protected]
Ref: Talk of the Town 170114