Public Realm Knowledge Map
Public Realm Knowledge Map: Is
designed to helps you go direct to the sources of legistlation,
official guidance and advice.
The Public Realm Knowledge Map is a free download
for all. It allows you to navigate through the complex amount of
legistlation,guidance and advice from most recognised sources of
public realm information
•Step 1 Download the free
Mind Manager reader
Click
here
•Step 2 Download the Knowledge Map file
Click
here
•Step 3 Start to source correct and current
information
How to use this map via the web
Use CTRL + or – to expand or shrink the map in a web browser
window.
Find the centre of the map and work outwards
Click on the links you are interested in to go direct to the
sites
Colour code
Red: Government regulations and
legislation
Orange: Secondary guidance
Blue: Guidance
Grey: Older guidance and reference
sources
Pink: Documents that may be obligatory
locally
Strike through: Withdrawn or outdated
documents
You have a common law duty to exercise reason
Very little of the guidance regime is “evidence based”.
Most represent at best the opinions of specialists. The public
realm is a generalist subject and requires decisions to be made
that are in the overall interest of the public, and not of one
particular group.
Regulation – you have to comply with; but no all regulations
apply everywhere all the time and most have to be interpreted
e.g. the size of signs.
Guidance – you don’t have to comply
with guidance
– you
must use your judgment. Copying a piece of guidance is a decision
in itself.
Professional negligence – a judge may set aside expert
testimony and make his own assessment based on logic and reason.
Bolitho vs City and General Health Authority. If you use logic
and reason, and leave an audit trail, then you have nothing to
worry about. Professional negligence cases in public realm design
are extremely rare because:
ROAD USERS HAVE A DUTY TO TAKE THE ROAD AS THEY FIND IT, TO HAVE
REGARD TO THEIR OWN SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OTHERS THEY HAVE
NO RIGHT TO WARNING OF NATURAL ROAD HAZARDS.
