8 October 2009

Northwest Design Review Panel announces affiliation with CABE

The Places Matter! Northwest Design Review Panel has joined with seven other regional design review services to affiliate with the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE). This will create a national network of design review panels, providing all local planning authorities with access to independent practical design advice. The network (including CABE) will collectively review more than 800 schemes a year.  

Affiliation means that there is an agreement defining shared values, a shared service, and a joint commitment to high standards in design review. It will ensure that the panels work more closely together, learning is shared, and a consistent service is provided to developers and planners across England.

Design Review is a respected method of improving the quality of built environment development proposals by offering constructive, impartial and expert advice to developers, planning authorities and regional agencies on development schemes. Design Review is entered into by agreement at an early stage in the development process. It aims to be constructive in its recommendations.

To date, the Places Matter! Northwest Design Review panel has reviewed schemes from over three quarters of the 42 Authorities in the Northwest. We have commented on a wide range of schemes, from BSF Schools to bridges and other infrastructure, housing developments to parks, public spaces and visitor centres – we are looking at every type of project whether it be a redevelopment or a brand new building or proposal, masterplan or strategic design document.

Richard Simmons, CABE chief executive, comments: “Design review panels have proved themselves to be a great success story in England. Just look at the Falmer Academy in Brighton, for example, where the comments made by the South East regional design panel have resulted in a really imaginative planning application. Affiliation is recognition of the high quality service provided by regional panels and it will ensure that more schemes benefit from the best possible design advice.”

Martin Stockley, Chair of the Places Matter! Northwest Design Review Panel, says: “This affiliation recognises the valuable role of a regional perspective in design review and is an affirmation of the shared quality values of regional panels and CABE.  Places Matter! are delighted to have had a key role in bringing this affiliation to fruition.”

Affiliation will also contribute to the government’s commitment, as set out in World Class Places (the government’s strategy for improving quality of place) to strengthen advisory support on design quality for local authorities, the public sector and developers. The strategy, published in May, sets out to ensure that regional support for quality of place, including design review, is strengthened.

The affiliation only applies to design review and not to other services on offer from any of the organisations.

The eight regional design review panels that have affiliated to CABE are: the South East design review panel (run by the Kent Architecture Centre); the South West design review panel (run by Creating Excellence); the North East design review panel (run by Ignite); the North West design review panel (run by Places Matter!); the West Midlands design review panel (run by MADE); the East Midlands design review panel (run by Opun); the East of England design review panel (run by Inspire East); and the Yorkshire and Humber design review panel (run by Integreat Yorkshire).

- ends -

Notes for Editors:

Affiliation means that the organisations will continue to commit to the 10 key principles for design review:

1) Independent It is conducted by people who are separate from the scheme promoter and decision-maker, and it protects against conflicts of interest.
2) Accountable It records and explains its advice and is transparent about potential conflicts of interest.
3) Expert It is conducted by suitably trained people who are experienced in design and know how to criticise constructively. Review is usually most respected where it is carried out by professional peers of the project designers, as their standing and expertise will be acknowledged.
4) Advisory It does not make decisions. It acts as a source of impartial advice for decision-makers.
5) Accessible Its findings are clearly expressed in terms that decision-makers can understand and use.
6) Proportionate It is used on projects whose significance warrants the public investment of providing design review at national, regional and local level, as appropriate. Other methods of appraising design quality should be used for less significant projects.
7) Timely It takes place as early as possible in the life of a design because this saves the most time and costs less to make changes. If a planning application has already been made, it happens within the timeframe for considering it. And it is repeated when a further opinion is required.
8) Objective It appraises schemes in the round according to reasoned, objective criteria rather than the stylistic tastes of individual panel members.
9) Focussed on outcomes for people It asks how this building or place can better meet the needs of the people using it, and of the public at large who are affected by it.
10) Focussed on improving quality It constructively seeks to improve the quality of architecture, urban design, landscape, highway design and town planning.

Places Matter!
Places Matter! aims to drive up the quality of place making in the Northwest, providing support and celebrating success.  Places Matter! is an Architecture & Built Environment Centre based in Liverpool and a member of the Architecture Centre Network.  It is delivered with partner organisations including RIBA North West, NWDA, CABE and English Heritage. www.placesmatter.co.uk  
 
For further information about Places Matter! contact Michael Sullivan on 0151 703 0135 or email michael.sullivan@placesmatter.co.uk

CABE
CABE is the government’s advisor on architecture, urban design and public space, and design reviews about 350 schemes a year. As a public body, we encourage policymakers to create places that work for people. We help local planners apply national design policy and offer expert advice to developers and architects. We show public sector clients how to commission buildings that meet the needs of their users. And we seek to inspire the public to demand more from their buildings and spaces. Advising, influencing and inspiring, we work to create well-designed, welcoming places. www.cabe.org.uk

More information on the eight regional design review panels is available below:
o the South East design review panel, run by the Kent Architecture Centre: www.architecturecentre.org
o the South West design review panel, run by Creating Excellence:
 www.creatingexcellence.org.uk
o the North East design review panel, run by Ignite: www.ignite-ne.com
o the North West design review panel, run by Places Matter!: www.placesmatter.co.uk
o the West Midlands design review panel, run by MADE: www.made.org.uk
o the East Midlands design review panel, run by Opun: www.regenerationem.co.uk
o the East of England design review panel, run by Inspire East:
 www.inspire-east.org.uk
o and the Yorkshire and Humber design review panel, run by Integreat Yorkshire: www.inspire-east.org.uk