黑洞社区

Councils will be expected to develop design codes to ensure the delivery of 鈥渂eautiful鈥� and 鈥済reen鈥� homes under planning changes confirmed today.

Robert Jenrick, speaking at an event organised by Create Streets and the Policy Exchange in London this afternoon, announced a raft of changes in response to the 黑洞社区 Better, 黑洞社区 Beautiful commission鈥檚 Living with Beauty report.

Under the plans, councils will be expected to develop an illustrated design guide that sets the standard for a local area, with input from local people.

A National Model Design Code is to be published today to help councils achieve this, providing guidance on 鈥渁ll aspects of new development鈥�.

A new Office for Place will also be created to test and pilot the model code with more than 20 local authorities.

The National Planning Policy Framework will also be updated to place more emphasis on beauty, place-making, the environment and sustainable development.

The updated framework will 鈥榮et an expectation鈥� that good quality design should be approved and includes a commitment to ensure all streets are lined with trees. According to the government, this will be the first time since 1947 the word 鈥渂eauty鈥� has been specifically including in planning rules.

An advisory board made up of industry experts will also be set up, chaired by Create Streets founder Nicholas Boys Smith (see box below).

Jenrick said: 鈥淭his is about putting communities 鈥� not developers 鈥� in the driving seat to ensure good quality design is the norm, and the return to a sense of stewardship 鈥� to building greener, enduringly popular homes and places that stand the test of time in every sense.鈥�

Boys Smith, chair of the advisory board for the Office for Place, added: 鈥淏ritain has created and is creating some of the best developments in the world. But the quality achieved remains stubbornly inconsistent. We must do better, more often for the benefit of communities, to contribute to the economic success of our towns and cities and to look after our planet.鈥�

Paul Miner, head of land use and planning at countryside charity the CPRE said the prioritisation of design codes and creation of the Office for Place was a 鈥渉ugely welcome鈥� step.

But he warned the government鈥檚 broader planning reforms, set out in last year鈥檚 planning white paper, would make good design 鈥渋mpossible鈥�.

He said: 鈥淭he government鈥檚 disastrous planning proposals, that look set to halve democratic input in planning, will completely undermine any progress on design and design codes. Good design is impossible without local democracy and accountability in the planning system.

鈥淚f ministers are serious about creating the beautiful places of the future, they should start by totally rethinking their planning proposals and ensure people and nature are put back at the heart of planning.鈥�

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