In a bid to improve the standard of developments across Essex, including key Thames Gateway sites, Essex County Council is this month launching an Urban Place design guide. Working closely with CABE and the East of England Development Agency (EEDA), the council will also be running a series of workshops on sustainable development, and urban design training for its planning staff. The initiative arose in response to the fact that the locality has been earmarked to accommodate 110,000 new homes over the next 16 years.