The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has secured a proposed amendment to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill regarding the prioritisation of quality in developments
The RIBA planning bill amendment will be debated in Parliament this month, having been tabled by Liberal Democrat Lords Housing Spokesperson, Baroness Thornhill MBE.
RIBA intends the proposed amendment to help the bill in both speeding up and streamlining the delivery of new homes and infrastructure in several ways.
Several changes are proposed
One of the proposed changes by RIBA concerns Spatial Development Strategies (SDSs). These strategies are meant to guide local plans, identify infrastructure requirements, and target strategic locations.
The RIBA planning bill amendment would see that SDSs must also include a design vision, setting out how an area, project, or development will look in the future, in collaboration with local communities and stakeholders. This would help to ensure that high-quality is ‘future-proofed,’ and meets the needs of those that use or live in the development.
RIBA president, Muyiwa Oki, said: “We are vocal advocates of a strategic approach to planning policy as a crucial way to ensure sustainable growth while meeting housing and infrastructure needs. However, high-quality design must be prioritised in new development from the outset.
“Good design can create a wide range of improvements – from health and wellbeing to productivity. But without the requirement for a design vision in the Bill, there is no guarantee that this will be delivered.
“We are grateful to Baroness Thornhill for tabling our amendment and look forward to working with parliamentarians and our partners across the sector to embed design quality in legislation.”
Concerns over some changes
In June, the Animal Sentience Committee (ASC) made a public response to upcoming changes to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.
Their concerns were that not enough attention was being given to the welfare of animals and wildlife, and that overzealous developments and planning permissions will damage them.
Furthermore, key commitments made by developers were found to be lacking, according to the University of Sheffield, and Wild Justice. They found that on new developments, 83% of hedgehog highways, 100% of bug boxes, and 75% of bat and bird boxes were missing, and an astounding 39% of trees that were detailed on planting plans were either dead or missing entirely.
Part of the letter sent by ASC reads: “The Planning and Infrastructure Bill does not mention the welfare of sentient animals, although it is incumbent on the government to pay all due regard to the ways a policy might impact animal welfare. The PIB appears to conceptualise ‘biodiversity’ or ‘the environment’ as a single entity, without recognising that these are populated by individual animals capable of experiencing positive and negative welfare states.
“The ASC wishes to draw attention to the fact that the current approach to overall net biodiversity and environmental restoration is predicated on restoring or improving future habitats without considering impacts on existing populations of sentient animals. For example, an EDP may conclude that the destruction of an area of land inhabited by certain species (such as hares, voles, wrens, badgers, great crested newts) can go ahead if new habitats suitable for species of conservation concern are provided elsewhere. This should result in increased future numbers of some species and greater overall diversity. However, under this model the needs (and often lives) of existing animals are forfeited for the future benefits of other animals and ecosystems.”
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