‘Quality streets’ part of
Government’s action plan for quality spaces and places
The Government
today set out how it will deliver on its vision and promise for
making homes and neighbourhoods high quality, safe and more
sustainable places to live in.
That is why Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw and Housing Minister
Ian Austin today published the action plan on how the Government
intends to work with its partners, in particular the Homes and
Communities Agency (HCA), CABE and English Heritage, as well as
with the industry, to deliver the ambitions set out in World Class Places.
The action plan was anticipated at a reception for architects at
No 10 on 12 November when the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown said:
“I think the sheer imagination that architecture brings to bear,
the idea that we are building something bigger than the sum of its
parts is what makes architecture and design so important to our
society.”
“I don’t think people yet realise just how important architecture
and design are going to be to our economic, as well as to our
cultural and social future.”
Welcoming today’s action plan, Ben Bradshaw, who is also the
Government’s Design Champion, said:
“As the Government’s Design Champion, I don’t need any persuading
about the added value of good design, or the importance of the
quality of the places in which we live our lives. Our World Class
Places document set out our priorities for improving places and
spaces, and today’s action plan details how we are going to
support those involved in delivering those commitments.
“Commitments that will mean everyone can live, work and be
educated in places that are more welcoming, that are more
convenient, that are kinder to the environment and that also
respect our heritage and the efforts that have gone before us to
create wonderful, beautiful buildings. It’s a great challenge –
but one that will bring great results.”
Housing Minister Ian Austin said:
“We cannot afford to build homes that will have to be knocked
down within a generation because they’re unsuitable, badly
designed or badly built.
“We want to ensure that whenever new homes and communities are
being planned, the top priority must be the need to create a safe,
attractive and sustainable environment for people to live in.
“The measures we have set out today show the Government’s
commitment to improving the quality of homes, and ensuring the
good design will create the sorts of places that people will want
to live in now and in the future.”
With increasing demands on our communities such as a growing
population, concern for the environment and a commitment to
retaining the character and uniqueness of our architectural
heritage, there is great need for building not just more new
homes, schools, parks and buildings but ensuring that they are
high quality places in which everyone can live, work and enjoy.
Making sure that first rate design standards are at the heart of
everything we build will be key to making our communities world
class places.
The actions included in the plan published today include:-
improving design standards of all new Government-funded building
programmes building on where this has worked successfully so far
for example in the DCSF school building programme;strengthening
local leadership and skills needed to deliver quality through
training to help local leaders assess design quality easily,
support through the HCA’s single conversation in the regions and
the ‘Total Place’ initiative to test ways in which local
authorities can work efficiently to deliver quality places whilst
still meeting other important local objectives. putting the public
at the centre of decision making by enabling greater public
ownership of local assets such as parks and open spaces through,
for example, the Advancing Assets and Community Builders
programmes.
Today’s action plan makes clear the Government’s commitment to
ensuring quality places are delivered through our partners and the
industry. It sets out in detail how the Government will work with
and support local authorities, developers, partners and regional
bodies to help implement the Strategy.
Notes to editors
1. The action plan can be found here: LOCATION NEEDS CHECKING?
http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/publications/6439.aspx
2. World Class Places: The Government’s Strategy for Improving
Quality of Place can be found here:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/worldclassplaces?view=Standard
3. The press release announcing the publication of the above can
be found here: http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/1229626
4. On 12 November, the Prime Minister hosted a reception at No 10
Downing Street celebrating the achievements of British Architects
– see link http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page21307.
The Action Plan was mentioned at that reception.
5. The World Class Places Strategy outlines seven key objectives:
Strengthen leadership on quality of place at the national and
regional level. Actions include boosting the role of ministerial
design champions. Encourage local civic leaders and local
government to prioritise quality of place. Actions include
improving support and training on quality of place for civic
leaders and planning committee members.Ensure relevant government
policy, guidance and standards consistently promote quality of
place and are user-friendly. Actions include introducing new
planning policy on the historic environment and green
infrastructure.Put the public and community at the centre of
place-shaping. Actions include promoting and funding more user
engagement in the design of new public buildings. Ensure all
development for which central government is directly responsible
is built to high design and sustainability standards and promotes
quality of place. Actions include establishing design thresholds
for all new government funded building programmes.Encourage higher
standards of market-led development. Actions include developing
and promoting the business case for investing in high quality
development.Strengthen quality of place skills, knowledge and
capacity. Actions include strengthening the Government’s regional
offer to local authorities, public services and developers.
6. Some actions have already been implemented, such as:
design thresholds being adopted by the Department for Schools
and Families for its school building programme;publication of the
draft planning policy statement on the historic environment;new
guidance on design review panels for local authorities and other
public bodies, “Design Review Principles and Practice”, published
by a partnership comprising CABE, RTPI, the Landscape Institute
and RIBA;a new edition of the guidance for the care of the
Government’s historic estate, published by English Heritage; new
guidance from the Homes and Communities Agency to help empower
local people to become involved in decisions about their housing
and regeneration of their communities;Royal Assent for the new
Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act to
embed design and sustainability duties into regional bodies’
objectives, including RDAs.
Contacts:
DCMS Press Enquiries and Out of hours telephone pager
Phone:
020 7211 6263
Mobile: 07699 751153
NDS.DCMS@coi.gsi.gov.uk
Clare Ramsaran.
Phone: 020 72116272
clare.ramsaran@culture.gsi.gov.uk