This is the first director's Blog from Places Matter!  We thought it was important that we told you a bit more about what we did, how we go about it and the people and places that we see during our week.  The aim of this blog is to keep you regularly updated on what we're up to.

Over the past few months we've been giving ourselves a bit of a make-over.  We've got our new website which we're very proud of, produced for us by Reading Room based in Manchester.  The idea is that information about our people and projects is much clearer and easy to use - but we'd welcome your feedback as the site evolves.  We've published brand new research on the Economic Value of Design which draws on up to date sources that are all experiencing impacts from the current economic climate - whilst remaining supportive of the role of design in minimising voids and adding to the placemaking dividend.  In addition to all this we've launched our new Northwest Design Review Panel, brought together after a highly competitive recruitment process earlier in the year.  Following an induction event at the BREEAM Innovation Park in Watford, the panel are up and running and keen to comment on your designs.  See the Design Review pages of the website for further information.
 
This week has been as busy as ever for the Places Matter! team.  The annual CABE Design Review Conference took place in Sheffield and the Northwest was represented by a dozen or so delegates drawn from our Design Review and Advisory Panel(s).   The evening prior to the conference saw a supper take place for Chairs of the Regional Design Review Panels - the first time this group have ever consciously been brought together, remarkable!  The conference heard presentations from Steve Quartermain, Chief Planner, Communities and Local Government and Trevor Beattie, Corporate Director for strategy, policy, performance and research at the Homes and Communities Agency.  I was invited to contribute to one of the workshops around the possibility of affiliation between National and Regional Design Review - a much discussed topic over the last 12 year that should hopefully move forward over the next few months. 
 
For much of the week representatives of the Places Matter! team were based at Harrogate for the Local Government Association's annual conference and exhibition.  Local Government is a key target for the Places Matter! programme and occasionally it is important that we go out of the region to speak to speak to you directly to find out what you want from us.  Unbelievably it takes almost 3 hours by train to travel the 86 miles from Liverpool to Harrogate - almost double that of taking a car.  Until public transport provision is dramatically improved in the UK sustainability is unlikely to make it much beyond the conference platform.
 
Places Matter! Education hosted a symposium for invited delegates at Melland High School in Gorton near Manchester - Access all Areas, which looked at issues around designing inclusive learning spaces.  The symposium drew on work undertaken by SCAPE - a teacher and architect partnership that have been delivering a number of projects for PM! Ed over the past year.  Delegates were drawn from the worlds of teaching, academia and the built environment.  A transcript of the discussion will be available on the PM! website shortly.
 
Finally - a big congratulations to the team at RIBA NW's 'A Magazine' who recently won Membership Magazine of the Year from the International Building Press.  The team picked up their award at a ceremony in London, and were particularly commended for promoting the spirit of the Northwest.  The next edition of A Magazine is out shortly - featuring an article on Design Competitions by Places Matter!  To receive a copy directly please contact info@placesmatter.co.uk with your contact details.
 
Have a good week!
 
Annie Atkins
Programme Director
Places Matter!