IHBC Director Se\u00e1n O\u2019Reilly welcomed the focus by CABE \u2013 England\u2019s built environment design advisers \u2013 on the ordinary places in English towns and cities, where more than 80 per cent of people live.<\/p>\n
Se\u00e1n O\u2019Reilly said: “CABE\u2019s debate is a timely reminder that conservation skills are central to the key tasks and challenges in place-making for people, as it highlights the importance of visual literacy; participation; engagement & project management. \u00a0These are all distinguishing features of successful conservation, central both to the IHBC\u2019s conservation standards and, of course, our membership criteria.<\/p>\n
In the week following the publication of England\u2019s new planning guidance on the historic environment (PPS 5), it is especially appropriate that CABE should be giving such a high profile to valuing those ordinary places we already have. In their own distinctive ways both CABE and CLG are acknowledging that conservation-based area funding and programmes regularly demonstrate best practice in sustainable development for local communities and businesses.”<\/p>\n
Se\u00e1n O\u2019Reilly continued: “CABE\u2019s four headline reasons to care about ordinary places – people, economy, climate change and use \u2013 are what IHBC members balance in their professional advice. Whether delivering high-end regeneration projects or, as here in CABE\u2019s discussions, looking after change in the ordinary places, the conservation and urban design services in a local authority lie at the heart of good places as well as great ones. \u00a0As pressures on front-line public services increase, government at all levels must focus on maintaining local capacity in place-management and place-making.”<\/p>\n
CABE says:
\n‘Ordinary Places sparks a debate about how we respond to the needs of the residential areas around big city centres, smaller post-industrial cities and the suburbs. \u00a0While city centres have improved beyond recognition over the past ten years, many ordinary places still suffer from ugly commercial development, heavily trafficked roads and badly designed new housing. CABE believes that with the right actions, these places can also enjoy a similar resurgence.<\/p>\n
Ordinary places offers new ideas on the ways in which ordinary places can be improved. First, it advocates compulsory training in public participation for architects, planners and other built environment professionals, and the guarantee of funding for public engagement. CABE\u2019s design review panel, for example, rarely sees schemes that include information on the views of local people.<\/p>\n
Second, teaching all young people visual literacy, so that they can articulate what they think about a place, how it works and what would make it better. In CABE\u2019s experience, many of the people who make decisions about design \u2013 such as councillors and clients \u2013 have never learnt about it. Teaching visual literacy is one way we can start to change this.<\/p>\n
CABE also gives 4 reasons to care about ordinary places:<\/p>\n
Above all, we know this matters to people: 87 per cent of the public believe better quality buildings and public spaces improve their lives.<\/p>\n
Other ideas include setting minimum design thresholds for all public building projects (not just schools), and asking local authorities to track the progress of ordinary neighbourhoods by introducing a way to measure the quality of a place.\u2019<\/p>\n
Download Ordinary Places here<\/strong><\/a> IHBC Director Se\u00e1n O\u2019Reilly welcomed the focus by CABE \u2013 England\u2019s built environment design advisers \u2013 on the ordinary places in English towns and cities, where more than 80 per cent of people live. Se\u00e1n O\u2019Reilly said: “CABE\u2019s debate is … Continue reading
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