Newspaper Archive
November 2008 Issue
Food and economics dominate conference
“Landscape architects have a crucial role to play in creating sustainable communities,” Iain Wright MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at CLG, told delegates in the opening address of the LI annual conference.
With an over-arching theme of ‘Housing, land use and community’, the two-day event brought together leading practitioners from the UK and overseas to demonstrate how policy and practice for these issues are being developed effectively in landscape architecture.
Wright began by explaining how his responsibilities encompassed not only climate change and sustainable development, but also the Code for Sustainable Homes, urban design and Building Regulations, and how placemaking was crucial to success. “We need to invest in strong, sustainable communities that have a sense of pride,” he said.
“Bad design has a profound impact on a community – it affects people’s lives, ambitions and aspirations. Parks and green spaces need to be integrated from the start, not simply treated as an add-on or afterthought.”
Wright outlined how sustainable communities required high-quality green infrastructure and that it would be at the heart of Government plans to spend £832m on growth points.
Demonstrating a clear understanding of the profession’s value, he stressed the need for landscape architects to design green roofs, wildlife corridors and landscapes for biomass. “There is huge scope for innovation and creativity and there will be real demand from clients for landscape architects,” he added.
Wright concluded his address by returning to the theme of design. “We need to ensure that we are building communities that people are proud of, not just housing estates. The economic costs of bad design can be huge, while the cost of good design is minuscule.”
Should you wish to request a back issue please contact David Burton on 020 7299 4514. These are subject to availability. An online archive of our publications will become available over the coming months.
