Sir, – The continued privatisation of public space and the development of developer-led housing is pushing the prioritisation of public space to the bottom of the pile. If we want to "control and guide the building of beautiful", as Michael McDowell puts it ("We must build beautiful urban structures", Opinion & Analysis, December 29th), we need to focus on the street first.
The article addresses the streetscape from the building’s perspective surrounding the streets but what about the streets themselves that surrounds each building? The street must be revived in our community as a space for living. Urban planners have a key role in directing this change. Already the streets have started to take on a new role; citizens are taking back these spaces as a place to reassert their rights to the city, a place of protest, now let us take it back as a place of meeting and enjoyment. Our urban planners should embrace this affirmation and see the opportunities that the street will provide. – Yours, etc,
ALICE CLARKE,
Dublin 7.