A new report published by the Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission has set out a series of recommendations for reform of the planning system to support the delivery of beautiful places.
‘Living with Beauty’ is the much-anticipated final report of the Commission, an independent body set up to advise Government on ways to promote and increase the use of high-quality design in new developments and neighbourhoods.
The report, published on 30 January, follows hard on the heels of a national audit of housing quality, released earlier in the month. Conducted by University College London and co-funded by the Place-Alliance and the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) the audit assessed 142 schemes from across England. Three quarters of schemes audited were ranked as either ‘poor’ or ‘mediocre’ – an indictment of placemaking in England.
‘Living with Beauty’ makes policy proposals in eight different areas, based on three underpinning aims for the planning system: to ask for beauty, refuse ugliness and promote stewardship:
- Planning
Beauty should be embedded in the planning system. Recent changes to the PPG with the National Design Guide and soon-to-be published National Model Design Code, are key measures. There may also be a public consultation requirement, although it is not yet clear how this might work in practice. What is clear is that these measures will require both local authorities and developers to put additional skills in place. The report argues that there should be a requirement for a ‘Chief Placemaker’ in every senior council team, and a member of Cabinet responsible for placemaking.
- Community
The report envisages bringing consultation on the design of sites earlier in the planning policy process. In practice it is often difficult to engage communities on design quality of proposals until sites are allocated for development. Councils would be required to consult on and develop their own detailed policies on what good quality design looks like in their area. Developers will need to engage in these consultations, and may also need to show local people how they have considered their local history, character and identity.
- Stewardship
Tax regimes may be changed to create incentives for long-term ownership / stewardship models rather than site by site development. This could have major implications for the investment / development models used to fund new development.
- Regeneration
The report concludes that government should align VAT on housing renovation and repair with new build, to incentivise the re-use of existing buildings. Flexibility should be increased to allow high streets to respond to changing demands.
- Neighbourhoods
The proposals reflect previous discussions between the Secretary of State, the policy exchange and Boys Smith, the author of ‘Living with Beauty’, who advocates ‘gentle density’. This would mean densities higher than currently being delivered on greenfield sites, and lower than those achieved on super-dense brownfield sites. If empowered the proposals would require housebuilders to develop new housing typologies, and councils to review design policies.
- Nature
Changes proposed to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) would place greater emphasis on the need for access to nature and green spaces. The report aligns this requirement with the evidence on the need for better air quality, the benefits to health of green spaces, and the commitment to zero carbon by 2050.
- Education and Skills
There is a widespread response for better education in the industry, both for professionals and councillors. The housing audit noted the hugely adverse impact on placemaking through poorly designed roads, also pointing to the need for others involved in the placemaking process to upskill.
- Management
Changes are proposed to push resources and management strategy to ensure they enable the delivery of high quality places, with performance targets to measure well-being and beauty potentially including a ‘popular support’ element.
Developers and housebuilders of all types will need to increase the range of placemaking skills they have available, and will need to develop those skills over the coming months to enshrine design quality and beauty in all that they do.
Launching the report, the Secretary of State stated that he remains pro development, and is seeking ways to reward good quality design. Coupled with the outcomes of the Letwin Report and alongside the Beauty Commission’s previous work, we can expect this agenda to inform changes due to the planning system over the next 18 months.
With stronger decision-making in place and refusals at appeal more likely, getting it wrong could impact hugely on developers’ and land owners’ timescales. And, if poor design becomes highlighted in the press (as encouraged in the report), this could also impact on sales values as those delivering poor design could become known for a below par approach.
The good news from the housing audit is that there has been a rise in the number of new developments rated as ‘good’ or ‘better’, while there are plenty of inspirational examples of excellence across the country, such as the Stirling Prize-winning Goldsmith Street in Norwich.
Those developers which have not previously delivered consistently on design quality and placemaking will need concentrate their efforts. Determining how to bring commercial value together with better environmental and social value and design will be key.