THE FARRELL REVIEW of Architecture + the Built Environment OUR FUTURE IN PLACE THE REPORT ON CONSULTATION BY THE FARRELL REVIEW TEAM Contents P.2 INTRODUCTION P.5 TERMS OF REFERENCE P.6 1. EDUCATION, OUTREACH AND SKILLS P.36 2. DESIGN QUALITY P.66 3. CULTURAL HERITAGE P.83 4. ECONOMIC BENEFITS P.113 5. BUILT ENVIRONMENT POLICY P.120 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS THE FARRELL REVIEW THE REPORT ON CONSULTATION 1 Introduction This Review has engaged widely from the start. In that respect it set itself apart from many other government reviews and has been independent in both its methods and its means. Over the last year, the team has reached out and consulted with thousands of individuals, groups and institutions. They have been from private, public and voluntary sectors, and from every discipline and practice relating to the built environment: architecture, planning, landscape architecture, engineering, ecology, developers, agents, policymakers, local government and politicians. “We are the editors and curators in the terms of reference that were issued by the of many voices.” Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) Sir Terry Farrell CBE (see page 5). Over 200 responses were received from individuals, companies, groups and This Report on the consultation process by institutions, with many organising questionnaires the Review team, led by Max Farrell and co- for members representing over 370,000 people. ordinated by Charlie Peel, is a structured narrative of the key themes of the Review, told Third were a series of workshops hosted through the many voices of its respondents and around the country. Each of these workshops participants. Most of what follows is primary consisted of 6 to 26 highly experienced and evidence that was gathered in the consultation senior professionals giving three hours to process. This is also backed up where actively engage with and contribute to the appropriate by existing research, and reference Review. The format involved having a broad is made to the sources. The aim here is to fairly but structured discussion around key topics that reflect the wide range of opinions that were were circulated in advance of the workshop. This sought, picking up on the key trends and the opened up the conversation and breadth of the most important issues felt by many. Review to table all the issues. The second half of each workshop was then spent closing down Embedded in this Report are conclusions and the debate into tangible “recommendations” and recommendations proposed by the Farrell ensuring everybody had a voice to table the key Review, set in the context from which they issues as they saw them. originated. Hence, this Report forms the evidence base from which the recommendations were Thirteen workshops were held in total. Four of drawn – further shaped by Terry Farrell’s 50 the themed workshops, which all took place years of experience in the design and planning in London, were based around the terms of of the built environment as set out in the reference: Education, Outreach & Skills; Design Introduction. Quality; Cultural Heritage; and Economic Benefits. Three further themed workshops were The consultation has taken four broad forms. on Urban Design & Landscape Architecture, The first of these was an independent, expert to bring together the holistic thinking of advisory panel that met in full four times during placemaking; Sustainability, an ever more the Review, with many smaller, focused panel pressing topic that cuts across all of the themes; sessions and individual meetings with them to and Architectural Policy, to examine formal shape the direction of travel and later to refine policies adopted in EU countries. the key messages. The panel of 11 experts from the built environment sector have given both Also held in London were two workshops breadth and years of experience to a holistic that addressed specific groups of key figures. Review of the built environment. The first of these, the Property Developers Workshop, provided the opportunity to learn Second was a public Call for Evidence, an online from the country’s leading developers how the set of questions based around the four themes market could adapt to improve outcomes. The THE FARRELL REVIEW THE REPORT ON CONSULTATION | INTRODUCTION 2 second, the Government Officials Workshop, In addition, the Review team travelled to assembled senior-level representatives from four cities for a series of regional workshops: the majority of government departments Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester and Newcastle. and executive agencies involved in the built All of this was made possible with the help of environment: the Cabinet Office; the Home partner organisations such as the architecture Office; DCMS; the Department for Education centres that hosted the events, as well as the (Educational Funding Agency); the Department contributions of all those who took part. for Business, Innovation & Skills; the Department for Communities & Local Government (DCLG); the Ministry of Justice; the London Legacy Development Corporation; and the Homes & Communities Agency. The workshops The attendees included: were attended by 192individuals including the 40architectural practices, 16university departments chairs and panel members. represented by principal in architecture, planning, or senior architects sociology and economics 10architecture centres 9conservation and retrofit specialists 12 landscape and urban 5housing associations design practices and house builders 26developers and 11institutes and regeneration specialists professional bodies 24representatives from 16 10individuals from think government departments tanks and policy groups and advisory bodies As well as transport planners, chartered surveyors, contractors, engineers, project managers, planning consultants. THE FARRELL REVIEW THE REPORT ON CONSULTATION | INTRODUCTION 3 The Review team also organised a Linking conversations were also echoed in the main Up the Reviews meeting that was attended subjects that came out of the workshops and by leaders of all the significant ongoing Call for Evidence. However, often insight was government-commissioned reviews, including gained that has been instrumental in shaping Lord Matthew Taylor of the DCLG Planning this Review. The full list of all the individuals Practice Guidance Review, Andy von Bradsky of and organisations consulted can be found at the Housing Standards Review Challenge Panel, the end of this document. and Peter Hansford of Construction 2025, the Construction Industry Strategy. The themed chapters that follow are both a documentation and a narrative of this Lastly, Terry Farrell personally wrote to and met consultation, and describe the context around with around 100 industry leaders, asking their the Conclusions and Recommendations views and opinions about the big issues facing proposed in this Review. the built environment today. These informative The following thematic workshops were held: The 5 chapters of the Report: Education, Outreach & Skills Workshop EDUCATION, hosted by University College London (UCL) OUTREACH & SKILLS Design Quality Workshop hosted by New London Architecture (NLA) 1.A. Children’s Education B. Outreach and Skills Cultural Heritage Workshop hosted by C. Professional Education Alan Baxter & Associates DESIGN Economic Benefits Workshop hosted by QUALITY London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) 2.A. Planning for the Future Urban Design & Landscape Architecture B. Making the Ordinary Workshop hosted by Capita Symonds Better Sustainability Workshop hosted by Farrells ECONOMIC Architectural Policy Workshop hosted BENEFITS by Farrells Property Developers Workshop hosted 4.A. Global Opportunities by DCMS B. The UK’s Potential Government Officials Workshop hosted by DCMS CULTURAL HERITAGE The following regional workshops were held: Birmingham Workshop hosted by MADE 3.A. It’s Not “Either/Or” Any More B. Future Heritage Bristol Workshop hosted by The Architecture Centre, Bristol BUILT Manchester Workshop hosted by ENVIRONMENT POLICY Bruntwood and supported by URBED Newcastle Workshop hosted by 5.A. The Role of Government Northern Architecture B. Policies within Government THE FARRELL REVIEW THE REPORT ON CONSULTATION | INTRODUCTION 4 Terms of Reference Sir Terry Farrell CBE is to conduct an independent review of architecture and the wider built environment and make recommendations to the Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, to inform DCMS’s approach to its role within government of promoting high standards of design. The intention of the review is to engage the sector in helping DCMS to develop its thinking about the role for government in the achievement of high-quality design, so that DCMS can continue to influence and shape policy across government, not least because the public sector is a major funder of buildings.” Terms of Reference for the Farrell Review of Architecture and the Built Environment Created in consultation with the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) under Ed Vaizey MP. The review will examine the following areas: Promoting education, outreach and skills Cultural heritage and the built environment The review will consider the potential contribution The review will look at whether the desire to of built environment education to a broad and preserve the “old” makes it more difficult to balanced education both as a cultural subject in its encourage good new architecture, and the value own right and as a way of teaching other subjects. of our historic built environment as a cultural asset