The Master Oak, Stanmore. Thought to date from the reign of Henry VIII, its heft is likely due to a clutch of acorns buried by a squirrel that grew together and fused over the centuries.

Have you ever wondered how the proposed Local Government Reorganisation correlates with the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of 5th-9th century England? Of course not! But I made a map of it anyway. Compare LGR, devolution and SDS boundaries...now with added "Heptarchy Mode". apps.curtography.uk/lgr/

We were on Rainham Marshes on Sunday. Here are some Paper Wasps that have built their home at either end of a steel handrail. I wonder if they join up in the middle?

I've delved into the distressing statistics around the human and financial cost of homelessness in England. It's grim. apps.curtography.uk/ta/

After a year of hard work, RCKa is delighted to launch the consultation draft of the London Plan Small Sites Design Code—a potentially transformative planning policy for new homes across the city. consult.london.gov.uk/london-small...

That’s a shame I just bought myself a brand new pair of sexpestacles.

The Guardian@theguardian.com · 2mo ago

Meta glasses banned from courts in England and Wales

The draft #LondonPlan introduces the concept of Broad Locations of Growth: areas of green belt expected to deliver 56,100 homes. There are ten BLGs, covering 50 stations in all. I've mapped every one—so come join me on a jaunt around the fringes of London. curtography.uk/2026/08/02/b...

BLG Gazetteer - Curtography

A long journey around the ten Broad Locations of Growth established by the draft London Plan.

curtography.uk

My first monthly column for the AJ: what if there are too many architects?

Architects' Journal@news.architectsjournal.co.uk · 2mo ago

It’s time to admit it. Too many architects spoil the broth

Handsome new mansion block nearly finished close to Enfield Chase. This is the future of the suburbs, and it's dense(r).

Young people can't afford to live. They've done everything they were told to do, studied, went to university, they are the best "trained" generation ever, but it's not enough anymore. If you don't think this ends in a major upheaval or uprising in the next few years, you're blind

It was my birthday yesterday, so what better way to celebrate than scraping every London borough's website to create an interactive map showing the winning candidate for every ward (apart from Newham, which has failed to publish its numbers, for some reason). Enjoy! smallsites.london/Election2026...

London Local Elections 2026 – Ward Map

Interactive ward-level results for the 2026 London local elections. Click any ward to see the full candidate breakdown.

smallsites.london

Why is it that only Brent and Newham have failed to release the number of votes cast for each candidate in Thursday’s election?

Canal cat

Astonishing London night. I love this city.

More golf course shenanigans, this time in this weekend’s @financialtimes.com—online now, and in print tomorrow. Looking forward to another social media pile-on this weekend! www.ft.com/content/1380...

Is it time to pave over London’s golf courses?

Often underused green spaces are being targeted as a creative solution for sclerotic housebuilding rates in the capital. But environmentalists are calling the plan a duff

ft.com

Fairway or driveway? Coverage of my ongoing research into the potential for golf courses to make way for housing in this BBC In Depth article, published today. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Why golf courses are in the crosshairs of Britain's housing crisis

Are golf courses the right places to build housing, or are they simply a soft target?

bbc.co.uk

I’ve been asked to deliver the annual lecture for the Planning Officers’ Society in a couple of days’ time, so if you want to learn more about our research into suburban intensification and the strategic potential of small site housing, see here 👇🏻 www.planningofficers.org.uk/events/pos-a...

www.thetimes.com/travel/inspi... How about "valuable new development unlocked" as a better characterisation?

One in five golf clubs at risk as developers eye lucrative land

Rising land values, mounting costs and weak finances are forcing golf course owners to consider redevelopment, with closures expected to accelerate

thetimes.com

Why do local campaign groups always turn out to be NIMBYs? Why not campaign for improvements to local infrastructure that will help the local community, rather than against every-fucking-thing?!

"With several other European nations reeling from the fresh surge in oil and gas costs, ​the UK's wind-heavy power system may act as a blueprint for other countries also seeking to reduce fossil fuel exposure". www.reuters.com/business/ene...

Record wind output helps shield the UK from worst of Iran war fallout

Record output from wind farms has helped boost total clean power supplies in the United Kingdom to new highs so far in 2026, and allowed power firms to pare use of fossil fuels to multi-year lows.

reuters.com

After 40% of the city was destroyed by allied bombing, Terni built back some really extraordinary buildings—many by Roman architect Mario Ridolfi, whose fountain in Tacito Square preceded the war.

Micropenis sufferers are easily identifiable by the four interlocking circles found on the front and rear of their cars. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

US man issues challenge to disprove his claim of having world’s smallest penis to raise micropenis awareness

North Carolina’s Michael Phillips revealed that he had a 0.38in member in bid to reduce stigma of the condition

theguardian.com

I've learned everything I can about this chart and what it means for planning for more houses in cities. The report is out tomorrow! You can watch me talk about the chart and more at the launch event tomorrow, 2pm. Sign up here: www.centreforcities.org/event/what-b...

Is this where Trump tears a youngster from his family and drags him thousands of miles away to an unfamiliar, foreign land?

"It looks like you're a bit of a racist. Would you like me to suggest some clip art?"

Homelessness is increasing, and the financial and human costs are climbing. We have all the tools we need to solve it...so why aren't we using them? I've written an article for @news.architectsjournal.co.uk on the collective action we now need to take. www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/fast-ho...

Fast homes at scale: ‘We’ve all the tools we need to solve homelessness’

The solution to the UK’s homelessness crisis already exists. It just needs political will, planning nous and determination to bring it about

architectsjournal.co.uk

Assassin's Creed: Buon Anno edition

Lovely Todi backstreets

Absolutely amazing chart from @peterkellner.bsky.social's piece in @thenewworldmag.bsky.social today: www.thenewworld.co.uk/peter-kellne...

Lisbon is such a feast for the eyes