PRESS RELEASE: Civic Voice responds to Farrell Review of architecture and the built environment
Civic Voice – the national charity for the civic society movement with over 75,000 individual members across England - has today welcomed several of the recommendations being made in the Farrell Review, the national review of architecture and the built environment.
Dr Freddie Gick, Chair of Civic Voice said “We are glad to see Sir Terry Farrell produce this report which shines a light on the importance of place making. A planning system that focuses on place-making and recognises distinctiveness through visionary local leadership will give certainty to both developers and communities.”
The report, unveiled this morning by Sir Terry Farrell and architecture minister Ed Vaizey, sets out 60 recommendations based on months of consultation.
Gick added “We are glad that several items we have long been campaigning for are being recommended by the review. Specifically, we have been championing the need for each local authority to have a “neighbourhood planning champion”, so we are glad that the review goes further and calls for “Civic Champions” - a built environment professional from the private sector and an elected member - to champion local design quality and engage with neighbourhood forums. Our members who are already civic champions will welcome this idea”.
Gick finished “Our cities, towns and villages can become great through celebrating local distinctiveness, having strong civic leadership, and giving communities a voice. We look forward to considering the details of the report and sharing the contents with our 75,000 members”.