A narrow passage leads off the main street to a court lined with small homes: witness again the charms of efficient land use. Leiden, Netherlands.

You may have noticed the absence of wheelie bins in my Dutch pictures, vital for narrow streets without setbacks. They achieve this partly through large underground bins like this one, each serving many properties. Could we do this more often in the UK?

Urban perfection of its kind in Haarlem. Mixed use, narrow streets, high plot coverage. Abundant street greenery, cars minimised, social life spilling into public spaces. Brick paving, wall-mounted lighting, no redundant markings. Simple Dutch vernacular classical architecture.