Lincoln's Steep Hill shortlisted for national award

A Lincolnshire street has been shortlisted by the Academy of Urbanism for the title of Britain's Best Place.

Lincoln's Steep Hill is one of three streets chosen by the academy, whose role is to promote best practice in planning and urbanism.

It is up against Byres Road in Glasgow and Cockburn Street in Edinburgh.

Honorary president John Thompson said the awards were a way for planners and architects to learn about "place".

"Too many people try to learn from failure - when the best thing to learn from is success," he said.

'Candlestick-maker'

"It's about what we can learn from places like Steep Hill, so when we come to plan new streets, new neighbourhoods and new towns we can look at the success stories.

"Collectively we just don't do it anymore and we fail to see what is right before our eyes.

"We haven't spent enough time learning about great places and as a result we have some good buildings - but name me a great place that was created in the last 100 years.

"The Romans were the best place-makers that ever worked in this country, they understood about place and community.

"People invested their lives in the buildings - the butcher, the baker and the candlestick-maker would build their own premises and live above their shop.

"It was exactly the reverse of the speculative building we do today."

The winner will be announced in November.