Archives for December 12th, 2007

COMMISSION SAYS PLANNERS SHOULD HELP CREATE SENSE OF PLACE

Headlines, PublicNet: 12 December, 2007

Planning authorities and housebuilders need to take more responsibility for creating a sense of place in new developments, according to the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, the government’s design watchdog. It is also calling for a public debate on the factors that make places good to live in.

A study commissioned by CABE and published today shows that half of new homeowners miss a sense of community spirit. The report, ‘A sense of place’, is based on an Ipsos MORI survey conducted in 33 new housing developments. It found that while the overwhelming majority of people are satisfied with their own homes a substantial proportion of them are unhappy with the developments on which they live, especially after getting to know them better.

The survey points to what it calls a ‘quality blindspot within new housing developments’. The designer, Wayne Hemingway, who chairs the national Building for Life initiative, said “Every new development should have the elements that help to foster a sense of community and belonging, but instead people find themselves living in anonymous estates without all the elements that make life easy. We need to start a public debate about what makes a great place to live.”

CABE’s Chief Executive, Richard Simmons, said that builders and planners needed to take more responsibility for creating a sense of place. “Homes in poorly designed developments might sell but this is no guarantee that the development will succeed in the long term for the community as a whole. The national policy framework is now in place. It’s up to housebuilders and planners to ensure consumers have the chance to live in places that work well and look good,” he said.

The Commission wants the Government to make the 20 Building for Life criteria a national standard against which design quality is measured in the planning system. It is also giving people the chance to nominate a well-designed new development for the 2008 Building for Life awards as well as giving details of the worst examples.

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COUNCILS TO GET MORE CASH FOR GYPSY AND TRAVELLER SITES

Headlines, PublicNet: 12 December, 2007

More money is being made available to help local councils meet the housing needs of Gypsy and traveller families. Authorities will also get new guidance on dealing with anti-social behaviour where Gypsies and travellers are the victims or perpetrators.

The Communities Minister, Ian Wright, announced funding of 97 million pounds as part of a package of measures to cut the number of unauthorised sites in inappropriate locations. Under the fund, councils can apply for Gypsy and Traveller Site Grants for new and refurbished sites. The grants will cover the full cost of schemes that provide additional pitches or bring pitches back into use.

The commitment to deal with unauthorised sites follows a report from the Task Group on Site Provision and Enforcement, which called for a consensus around the need for authorised sites. Other measures to be undertaken following the report will include guidance on tackling anti-social behaviour to support local authorities and the police; a Gypsy and Traveller Summit at which ministers will meet representatives to discuss their concerns about the definitions used for gypsies and travellers for housing and planning purpose and improved monitoring with an annual report to Parliament.

Ian Wright said the funding would help councils deliver more and better sites and reduce the 18 million pound a year bill for enforcement. “It is important that councils ensure there are enough authorised sites for travelling communities. A good supply of legal sites can break the vicious circle of evictions that is costly in terms of both local tensions and taxpayers’ cash,” he said.

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WELFARE TO WORK COMMISSIONING STRATEGY

Abstracts, PublicNet: 12 December, 2007

The Department for Work and Pensions has set out a greater role for the private and third sector in its strategy to tackle worklessness. The strategy signals a radical change in the way help and support is provided to get the most disadvantaged into work.

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