Our report, ‘Making the case for city architects’ sets out how embedding design expertise in combined authorities can help deliver the high-quality homes and places we need.
RIBA writes:
The quality of the built environment has a substantial impact on our daily lives. Investment in our buildings and places can improve our health and wellbeing, while also contributing to economic growth. However, cuts to local government budgets, a lack of access to design expertise, and delays in the planning process have all affected the quality, and delivery, of new homes and places. With a significant number of local authorities reporting skills gaps in architecture, urban design and masterplanning, there is a clear need for new measures.
The reintroduction of city architects presents a compelling opportunity to meet this challenge. Our latest report, Making the case for city architects, explores how reintroducing the role of city architects in regional authorities can address these issues and ensure the delivery of well-designed, sustainable, and accessible places for future generations.
City architects can help deliver the homes and places we need
Data from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in 2025 highlighted that 31% of local authorities surveyed have skills gaps in urban design and architecture. As the Government devolves more powers and functions to combined authorities, city architects offer the oversight and expertise needed to develop and maintain a high-quality built environment.
What we are calling for
RIBA is calling for a pilot programme to fund city architects across combined authorities in England In our report, we make the case for a three-year pilot programme to fund city architect roles across combined authorities in England. To support the work of the city architect, we are recommending that each planning department is allocated the resource to fund two architects with at least five years of experience.
Why it’s important
City architects deliver more value than they cost
Research by British Land and WPI Economics estimates that better designed cities could save the UK economy £15.3 billion by 2050.
Using the example of a three-year pilot in the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), our modelling shows that improvements could deliver £47.6 million in total additional value to the region over a three-year period. They would do this by optimising characteristics such as connectivity and walkability, mixed use design, proximity to amenities and access to communal spaces.
City architects are prevalent across the world
There are successful city architect programmes across the globe including in Malmö, Sydney, Seoul and Brussels. In English regional and local authorities there are some roles that undertake responsibilities similar to those a city architect may carry out, in addition to existing programmes that promote high-quality placemaking. However, these roles and programmes are not uniformly in place, meaning there is unequal access to design expertise across the country. Our proposal would help to provide a solution to this.
Making the case of city architects
Dive into the details and discover how city architects could help address the challenges facing today’s built environment.
