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CABE News - May 2009

Badly designed schools won’t be built
Supporting successful school design

Building for Life awards 2009

World class places

An important new cross-government strategy for improving quality of place was launched on 12 May. It proposes that every public building programme will need to meet a new minimum design standard.

School designs falling short of a new minimum design standard will not be built, schools minister Jim Knight has confirmed – ensuring that taxpayers will get value for money from the investment in Building Schools for the Future.

Supporting successful school design

A new CABE web resource explains the issues that secondary school design teams need to consider, and how to present designs to the schools design panel. The resource features real proposals and a plan viewer.

Building for Life awards 2009: entries open

The housing industry is facing hard times, for sure – but that’s all the more reason to celebrate the best in housing design. The Building for Life awards recognise well-designed homes and neighbourhoods – and we’re taking entries for 2009.

Warning on giant outdoor screens

Robust local policies are needed to prevent new giant public broadcast screens from harming the character, appearance, amenity and safety of places, CABE and English Heritage warn in new guidance.

100,000 to join Green Day 2009

Nearly 100,000 pupils across eight English cities are taking part in Green Day 2009, If you know a school working to become sustainable, send them our Green Day activity kit.

Nominate your favourite place

Engaging Places promotes buildings and spaces that can be used in teaching and learning. Send us details of your favourite place for students to visit - the best nominations will feature on the site and win an award.

Is the Gherkin a world class place?

Maybe not, says CABE commissioner Liz Peace, partly because visitors can't find the entrance. She talks to us about how creating great places is about understanding how they are used.

Tenants demand more daylight

Paul Edwards explains how Hammerson's customers continue to demand better sustainable design despite the recession, pointing to the recent development of "green leases" as evidence of a brighter future.

Summer school’s last few places

A few places remain for the 2009 CABE urban design summer school, taking place in Bristol from 21-24 June. It’s a great chance to learn with other professionals. Why not enrol now?

Healthcare design awards open

The Building Better Healthcare awards 2009, celebrating best practice and world-class design in healthcare building, is taking entries until 15 June.

Design reviews

Weldon Park, Corby

CABE’s design review panel has welcomed revised proposals for an urban extension of 1,000 homes east of Corby, Northamptonshire. The local authority should satisfy itself that the masterplan produces a settlement that works.

Highams Green, Waltham Forest

We think that some aspects of this design, for a superstore and new homes, fall below the achievements of the proposal overall.

Southall Gasworks, Ealing

We welcome the revised masterplan for this former gasworks site in west London, especially its encouragement of a culture of sustainable behaviour. The design principles established by this outline planning application will be crucial to its success.