Riba responds to planning white paper

The Royal Institute of British Architects (Riba) has responded to the government's planning white paper and said it broadly supports many of the measures.

However, it made several recommendations, among which was the desire to see design entrenched into the planning system.

To this end it wants the systematic use of regional design panels to ensure quality design and the widespread appointment of "duly empowered" design champions to further promote good design practice.

On the environment it said more to be done to reduce carbon emissions from all buildings types and existing building stock.

Also, assessment of the environmental performance of buildings should remain the role of building regulations and not planning control, Riba said.

Commenting, Jack Pringle, Riba president, said: "There is a clear need for planning legislation to be freed from excessive regulation so the Riba broadly supports many of the measures put forward in the White Paper.

"Cutting the need for planning permission for minor developments for instance, is a good idea in principle. In practice however, new requirements would result in little change in terms of freeing up time for the planning authorities.

"I am disappointed in the lack of commitment to good design expressed within the proposals. Straight forward measures such as the implementation of design panels and the extensive appointment of empowered design champions would have direct results. This is not about creating an extra layer of red tape. Mandatory dialogues for important projects would ensure that the leaner and more effective planning system proposed does not result simply in poor designs getting quicker permissions."



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