Town DVD

Towns, whether seaside, countryside or aspiring to be cities, are explored in a new series by The Open University and BBC, and produced by Tern Television. Town with Nicholas Crane aims to put towns back on the map and refocus them as important sustainable communities amongst predictions that by 2030 a staggering 92 per cent of us will be living in urban areas.

For most people, that conjures up the bright lights and big opportunities of our great cities. But there is another way to live the urban life: Towns - smaller than cities but more intimate and much greener.

Geographer and adventurer Nicholas Crane will explore four iconic British towns: Scarborough, a survivor perched on the edge of Yorkshire; Ludlow on the Welsh border, the quintessential English country town; Perth, gateway to the Scottish highlands and a town that wants to be a city; and Totnes in Devon, birthplace of a new environmental vision for the future. In each programme he uncovers the secrets of their survival; the reasons for their enduring appeal; and what they can teach people today about living the urban dream.