Architecture and the Built Environment

Lord Sawyer Excerpts

Monday 28th July 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord Sawyer (Lab)]

My Lords, I also thank my noble friend Lady Whitaker for securing this important debate, and Mr Ed Davey, and Sir Terry Farrell and his team for an excellent and ground-breaking report. If it was implemented, it could provide a real cultural change in the way in which we live, and approach our communities, towns and houses.

There are many big ideas in the report. One of the biggest is the embedding of design and place-making in our children’s education. If that was taken up and implemented, it would have an enormous impact on future generations. The concept of place institutions and urban rooms is another big idea. A national conversation between architects, planners, local councils and housing professionals, along with the communities, on a regular, systematic basis is an excellent idea, which will have enormous benefits if implemented.

There are many good ideas in the report, but I want to spend my time on the issue of implementation. That is very important. Without it, the report may as well not have been written, like many similar reports in the past. I understand that the Government will be expected to play their part. It will be interesting tonight to hear what the Minister has to say in that respect. I see in the conclusion the comments about Sir Terry keeping track on what is happening and having regular meetings with Ministers. Sadly, I think that that part of the conclusion is a big hole in the report. It is nowhere near enough.

In its conclusion the report needs a huge commitment from the profession, the big-name architects and others. They need to say that they will make this work. That is what we should be looking for. They need to say that they will fund a not-for-profit organisation—let us call it the “Centre of Place”. This will have the stamp and resources to fund and fulfil the mission of this report. It should be a 10-year-plan.

I expect the Government to take a role but I do not expect them to carry the full responsibility. I look to the profession. This report will not happen unless it lives its own prescription—in other words, from the bottom up. We have heard in these debates over the years names from the past, such as Howard Parker and Unwin Hollanby, who gave without asking for return, who changed the face of architecture and the built environment in our nation and I vote that Sir Terry Farrell’s name eventually goes on this list.