Hilary Satchwell on the latest Grow Places Podcast episode

Hilary Satchwell, is on the latest Grow Places Podcast episode talking to Tom Larrson about people-centred placemaking arguing that designing and planning for specific people - their journeys, safety, and daily routines - rather than a vague "everyone" produces fundamentally better places. Hilary talks about Tibbalds approach to seeing good planning and good design as inseparable, and how complex projects are best navigated by collaborative, multi-disciplinary teams united around a shared goal.

A significant portion of the conversation focuses on Tibbalds' research into "missing middle" development — the three-to-seven-storey buildings that define many beloved historic neighbourhoods but are increasingly hard to build today. Hilary identifies key barriers including overlooking rules, parking requirements, and the decline of smaller developers, arguing that clearer policy prioritisation is needed to restore variety and richness to our towns and cities.

Drawing on her roles as a Mayor's Design Advocate and contributor to Part W's Built Barriers campaign, she calls for planning that actively addresses the needs of specific groups, particularly around safety and inclusion. Her vision: project briefs written not around metrics, but around how places should make people feel, and not treating social and cultural life as an afterthought.

Have a listen! The podcast is available here or on YouTube.