Back to Urban Regeneration

Improve the quality of urban design

bulletIntroduce a national urban design framework, disseminating key design principles through planning and funding guidance, supported by a new series of best practice guidelines. The use of spatial 'masterplans' - a three-dimensional strategy that explores how a new development will work in its wider urban context - should be encouraged. This would not only bring greater rigour to the way that public funders and planners assess the likely impact of development, but also create a valuable tool for improving urban design.
bulletUndertake a series of government-sponsored demonstration projects, adopting an integrated approach to design-led regeneration of different types of urban neighbourhood. Public authorities and regeneration partnerships can help raise the quality of urban design by producing more detailed and comprehensive development briefs. Regeneration projects should be made the subject of design competitions.
bulletPublic participation is crucial to the design process. Establish Local Architecture Centres in major cities, would encourage stronger public involvement in design issues by sponsoring community projects, exhibitions and seminars.
bulletRequire local authorities to prepare a single strategy for their public realm and open space, dealing with provision, design, management, maintenance and funding.
bulletAmend planning and funding guidance to improve the use of density standards and to prevent urban development proposals with densities too low to support a sustainable and viable mixed-use environment.
bulletIntroduce a mandatory double performance rating for houses, combining an environmental and a running cost rating, so house-buyers know what level of building performance they are getting for their money.
bulletMake public funding and planning permissions for area regeneration schemes conditional upon the production of an integrated spatial masterplan.