Award-winning London-based architecture practice Assael has welcomed the government’s revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that look to guarantee that new homes coming forward are designed to a high standard.
Felicie Kirkler, director at Assael, said:
“We welcome the NPPF revisions prioritising the quality as well as the quantity of homes we deliver. As architects who strive to enhance encourage healthy communities through sympathetic good design, we see the revisions as a great opportunity to deliver buildings that people aspire to live in and that have a positive impact on everyone. Policy implementation is vital to achieve these outcomes and we look forward to seeing further action both from local authorities and the industry.
“New tenures such as build-to-rent – where investors will typically hold onto an apartment block for years if not decades – have already seen the industry take the quality and longevity of design much more seriously and with government backing we should hopefully see a step change in how Britain’s built environment looks and feels.
“There also needs to be safeguards in place to ensure a Nimbys cannot hijack the design process to block much needed affordable homes or stifle innovation. Developers of course need to work with communities but it needs to be a two-way street.”