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Do you work for a Local Authority, Public Body or are you an elected Council Member with an interest in the design of public buildings and/or your local public building heritage?

If so, do you know that it is now “widely accepted across local government that good design in buildings and public spaces both enhances existing high quality built environments and contributes to the regeneration of run-down areas”? “These social and economic benefits come from an integrated approach to the built environment, which values both heritage and new development, and recognises how the two can best compliment each other”.

Are you a publicly quoted volume housebuilder responsible for delivering design quality?

If so, do you know that the Government is calling for “every publicly quoted volume housebuilder to have a ‘design champion’ at board level with responsibility for delivering design quality”?

CABE (Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment) – the government’s advisor on architecture, urban design and public space – has campaigned for every organisation with a responsibility for managing and delivering the built environment to appoint a Champion.

CABE believe that the appointment of elected members (Local Authorities) and Board Directors (Housebuilders) as Design Champions can help to focus minds and ensure that design issues, in both urban and rural areas, are placed firmly on the agenda of the local authority and help to ensure that design issues are placed firmly on the agenda of every housbuilder in every region throughout the company.

Similarly, the Government is urging all local authorities in England to appoint an Historic Environment Champion at Member or Senior Officer Level. English Heritage – the Governments statutory adviser on the historic environment – have commented that “Local authorities are essential to the protection and management of England’s historic environment. The appointment of a Member or Senior Officer as a Historic Environment Champion will enable them to fulfil this role more effectively and ensure that the historic environment makes its full contribution to the economic and social wellbeing of the local community”

Would you like to know more about being or becoming a Design or Heritage Champion?

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and RENEW have set up the Champions Network for Design and Historic Environments which is being facilitated by CCI. This Network is specifically for you if you have answered yes to any of the above questions or if you are interested in local design or heritage.

The Network aims to help individuals to learn about design and heritage and to become more dynamic in their Local Authorities and organisations and to actively participate in this new and growing initiative to promote exemplary design, and to preserve our architectural heritage.

To become part of this Network contact Roy Stewart at CCI – regular workshops, seminars and newsletters are provided and all are welcome to join.