News

Landscape Institute warns: 'Don't sacrifice design quality'

3rd March 2006

Quality and adaptability risk being sacrificed to quantity and speed of construction in new house building, the Landscape Institute has warned the Government.

Responding to the Government's current consultation on planning for housing (PPS3), the LI has said that although the environment, sustainability and community all appear to be high on the Government agenda the Institute believes that the basics of sustainability need to be addressed.

Ian Phillips, chair of the LI Technical and Environment Committee, said: "The Consultation Paper on New Housing is a step in the right direction for future developments in the UK. However, we should be requiring, rather than merely encouraging, applicants to apply principles of sustainable and environmental design.

"Every new development should be well-designed and enhance the character of an area and its environment but it is crucial that sustainability appraisal is related to design."

A key area for the LI was the issue of liveability and it requested that the Government further support its emphasis on creating sustainable communities by ensuring that space in residential developments provides for the real needs and aspiration of the community allowing people to relate more positively to place and each other.

The LI called for sustainability to be addressed in the design of new housing in addition to distribution and location, so that the design includes provision for alternative energies, energy efficient building materials and comfort creating residential environments which are robust and adaptable.

The Designing for Quality sections referrng to the importance of urban design, townscape and landscape quality were warmly welcomed by the Institute but it emphasised that it is important to recognise that local planning authorities need to have the necessary specialist skills required to carry out character appraisal, impact analysis and good design.

Landscape architects were delighted to note that Section 38 recognised the importance of landscape and ecological features in leading the design process and enabling the retention or re-establishment of the biodiversity in residential developments.