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CABE announces new design review network

6 October 2009

Jane Barraclough , 020 7070 6771 , jbarraclough@cabe.org.uk

CABE and eight regional design review panels have today (5 October) announced their affiliation. 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.

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).

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.”

CABE has supported regional design review panels since 2005 and this affiliation formalises the relationship.  It commits each organisation to observe ten key principles of design review, including a focus on outcomes for the people using a building or place and the public at large affected by it, as well as sharing the learning from design review on a regular basis.

Peter Clegg, Chair of the South West design review panel, comments: “We are delighted that we are now affiliated with CABE.  The new network will allow us all to share information on a regular basis and decide in partnership which panel should review what schemes. We are independent from CABE and take a regional perspective but share the same remit in that we use design review to improve the quality of the built environment.”

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.

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.
  • 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: