Built Environment: Design Quality

Lord Tyler Excerpts

Monday 22nd November 2010 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Rawlings]

My Lords, I know how much the noble Lord, Lord Howarth, cares about the built environment and design, not only from his letter to the Times on 25 October but also as he was responsible for the founding of CABE. The Government acknowledge that good design is indeed important to achieving value for money and happiness. I pay tribute to the work of CABE, which the Government greatly value. I agree that CABE has helped to raise the standards of architecture and design in public building and more widely through its internationally known design review service. On whether we are continuing to discuss future arrangements with CABE and the Department for Communities and Local Government, a further announcement will be made in due course. Part of the discussions will be about high standards of design and how they can be promoted at local level.

[Lord Tyler]

Will my noble friend confirm that the role of CABE is absolutely critical in energy conservation and sustainable building, which of course have become even more important issues since its foundation? Does she agree that it is very important that that kind of professional and practical advice is available to government from an independent source?

[Baroness Rawlings]

The noble Lord, Lord Tyler, touches on an important and topical point. CABE was established by DCMS in 1999 as the national champion for better design in England’s building places and spaces, and in regard to design for climate change. It became a statutory body under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005. It is sponsored by DCMS and, since 2003, has been jointly funded by DCLG.