Nick Wates is a leading authority on community involvement in planning and architecture. As an author, practitioner and teacher he has participated in, and chronicled, its development for over 30 years.

He is Site Editor of The Community Planning Website www.communityplanning.net which is based on his popular Community Planning Handbook (Earthscan, 2000). Previous books include Community Architecture (Penguin, 1987, with Charles Knevitt).

He first experienced a Community Planning Event in 1985 and since then has played a role in dozens – as journalist, observer, coordinator, facilitator, team member, support staff and consultant.

He is director of Nick Wates Associates.

Jeremy Brook is a graphic designer specialising in the design of art publications for museums and art galleries.

He studied at the Royal College of Art and has taught part-time at the London College of Printing, Ravensbourne College of Design, Eastbourne College of Arts and Technology and Hastings College of Arts and Technology.

His clients include: Arts Council England; Chris Beetles Ltd, London; De La Warr Pavilion; RIBA South East; Rye Art Gallery; James Hockey & Foyer Galleries, Farnham; Nick Wates Associates and the University of Westminster.

Previous books include Erich Mendelsohn 1887–1953 (A3 Times, 1987); Hans Scharoun: the alternative tradition (A3 Times, 1995); Community Planning Handbook (Earthscan, 2000); The Rough Guide to Community Asset Management (University of Westminster, 2005).

He is director of Graphic Ideas.

John Thompson is the Chairman of John Thompson & Partners, one of Europe’s leading firms of Architects and Urbanists, and Founder-Chairman of The Academy of Urbanism.

In the 1980s he pioneered the use of Community Planning Events in the United Kingdom as a tool for engaging local people in the design of their own neighbourhoods. Since then he has led a series of seminal projects that have simultaneously delivered physical, social and economic change.

Formerly Chairman of the RIBA Urbanism and Planning Group and a founder member of The Urban Villages Forum, he is currently a member of Yorkshire Forward’s Urban and Rural Renaissance Panels.

John has undertaken masterplanning and urban design projects in towns and cities throughout the UK and Europe and is currently designing a series of new settlements in England, Scotland, Iceland and the Moscow City Region.