11 OCTOBER 1930, Page 16

The placing of factories in village surroundings—if they do not

mind being compared with sewage farms—is also a good and proper movement, worthy of being definitely promoted by the C.P.R.E. Indeed, the opening speech was delivered by Sir Theodore Chambers, whose work and philosophy are built on the thesis that you can cure the evils of the industrial revolution only by decentralizing factories. The Garden City itself where this Conference is held depends chiefly on its attraction of the factory ; and it happens that several factories have recently been set up in neighbouring villages. Perhaps the conclusion of the whole matter is that the salvation of rural Britain depends very largely on the new and developing art of regional planning." That i9 the blessed phrase ; and almost the best thing that has happened in this department is the recently published survey by the Berkshire Council Council. But regional surveys over districts larger than a single county have become necessary.

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