The Design Council and English Heritage (EH) have released a revised version of the 2007 CABE & EH tall building guidance document, and are seeking views on the draft by 30 November.
The Design Council writes:
There has been an upswing in the number of applications for tall buildings. Over the last seven years both English Heritage and Design Council have commented on many tall building applications and our experience is reflected in the draft advice out for consultation. The National Planning Policy Framework has also changed Government Planning Policy and the revised document now reflects this.
The main principles from the original document remain the same: that in the right place; well-designed tall buildings make positive contributions to city life and can be excellent works of architecture in their own right and stimulate investment. However, by virtue of their size and visibility, such buildings can also harm the qualities that people value about a place. One of the principal failings of certain tall buildings is the lack of appreciation or understanding of the immediate and wider context both visually and in terms of impact on heritage.
Clare Devine, Director of Architecture and Built Environment at Design Council said: ‘Since we published our Tall Buildings Guidance with English Heritage in 2007 we have seen an increase in the number of tall buildings coming to Cabe Design Review. In addition, the introduction of the new national planning policy means, of appropriate scale, in the right place at the right time’.
Design Council and English Heritage would like to hear your views on the revised Tall Buildings document which gives advice on the heritage and design issues related to tall buildings in the planning system. The consultation is open from 16 October until 30 November 2014.
