Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission publishes final report

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January 2020 - The Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission published its final report, Living with Beauty, on 30th January 2020. The Commission was set up by government to advise it on how to promote and increase the use of high-quality design for new-build homes and neighbourhoods, a subject which is a major priority for the Trust.

The report contains a large number of recommendations on how to build ‘beautiful’ and successful communities, including:

  • Speeding up the planning process for ‘beautiful buildings’ through a new ‘Fast Track for Beauty’ rule for councils.

  • Recognising that some developers can abuse permitted developments rights to produce accommodation of the lowest quality, and calling for all new homes to meet minimum standards for space, amenity and comfort.

  • Increasing democracy and involving communities in local plans and planning applications, including using digital technology like virtual reality and 3D modelling to help local people shape their own areas.

  • Recognising that a lack of resources and expertise in local authority planning departments is contributing to wider design-evaluation problems, and suggesting that a new planning “fast stream” could be a solution.

Speaking to Commission members at the launch of the report, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “I am therefore determined, inspired by you, to do all I can to help achieve the goal you’ve set in the report’s conclusion – that we should aspire to pass on our heritage, the best of who we are and what we have, to our successors, not depleted but enhanced. And to do that, to bring about a profound and lasting change in the buildings that we build.”

The report was generally welcomed, with Civic Voice’s Executive Director, Ian Harvey, commenting: “This is a sensible report, with some actions that the Government can act upon straight away, but which also addresses some of the more complex issues. Do we agree with everything, no, but the overall tone, we support and we will welcome."

Click here for more information on the Commission and to download its report.