This news story has been produced by Jeffrey Ng, RTPI Trustee for Young Planners and RTPI SE Treasurer and Joney Muriel Ramirez, RTPI South East Young Planner of the Year 2023 and Regional Activities Committee member.
A Blue Plaque commemorating Sir Patrick Abercrombie, the pioneer of town and country planning, has been unveiled in the village of Aston Tirrold where he once lived.
RTPI South East members joined the ceremony which was attended by the Oxfordshire Blue Plaques Board, Oxford Brookes University, CPRE and other local residents.
RTPI members including Trustee Jeffrey NG, and South East Young Planner of the Year, Joney Muriel Ramirez, pictured alongside co-sponsors.
The shiny new plaque
Sir Patrick Abercrombie was a founding member of the Town Planning Institute (now known as RTPI) and was a President of the Institute in 1925-26. He was also the first editor of the Town Planning Review. During his planning career, Sir Abercrombie championed the need for regional planning and advocated the implementation of the Green Belt to safeguard agricultural land and rural areas from growing urbanisation. His work has national and international influence, and it is fantastic that he has been honoured in this way by the Oxfordshire Blue Plaques Board.
The ceremony was well attended by local residents, recognising the interest and significance of this unveiling, not only to planning professionals, but to the village itself. Oxfordshire Blue Plaques Board thanked the RTPI, CPRE and Oxford Brookes University for coming together to sponsor the plaque.
Speaking on behalf of RTPI South East, Jeffrey Ng said “we are honoured to have been given the opportunity to add RTPI’s name to the plaque as a co-sponsor and would like to thank the owners of the house for their dedication to pursue this blue plaque as well as for hosting the event.”
The event was followed by a drinks reception within the house, and members of the public can view the blue plaque from the road at the Red House, Moreton Road, Aston Tirrold, Oxfordshire.
