Farrell review calls for design reviews of NSIPs

Angus Walker picture-13This entry reports on the Farrell Review of Architecture and the Built Environment.

Last week Sir Terry Farrell, renowned architect ('considered to be the UK's leading architect planner', no less) published his review of architecture and design in the built environment which he undertook starting in January 2013 with a panel of 11 other professionals. The full review can be found here. The terms of reference for the review had four elements:

  • promoting education, outreach and skills;
  • understanding the role of government in promoting design quality in architecture and the built environment;
  • cultural heritage and the built environment;
  • the economic benefits of good architecture and design, and maximising the UK's growth potential.

You can see the magic word 'growth' in the last item, suggesting that the review is all about aligning good design of new stuff and the preservation of old stuff with economic growth. Sir Terry added 'built environment policy' as a fifth term of reference.

The section on design starts on page 81, and it largely follows on from the Design Council's principles of reviewing the design of infrastructure and other development, set out for the former in 'A design-led approach to infrastructure'.

Sir Terry goes further, though, and doesn't want to call it just a design review, but a PLACE review, where PLACE (geddit?) stands for planning, landscape, architecture, conservation and engineering. In fact the word 'design' doesn't appear in PLACE, but presumably that's still what it's all about.

His recommendation 24 is as follows: "There should be PLACE Reviews of new developments in the public sector that are not subject to normal planning, such as national infrastructure applications subject to the Planning Act 2008 and other significant rail, aviation and road improvements."

A pity that he hasn't been advised specifically on the Planning Act regime. Most of the developments created under it are not in the public sector - should PLACE reviews apply to private sector projects too? Probably, as long as it doesn't put off investment by adding another cost and another hurdle to a project. Reference to good design is after all a requirement of National Policy Statements derived from the Planning Act itself. I know I'm being simplistic about what design is, but what something looks like is one of the most important factors for people in the vicinity.

What next? Sir Terry undertakes to keep the review's website www.farrellreview.co.uk updated, and culture minister Ed Vaizey MP, who commissioned the review, has agreed to continue regular meetings with the review team.  It is essentially another voice to raise awareness of the importance of design in the built environment, which nationally significant infrastructure project promoters should not ignore.