Policy Exchange warmly welcomes the Government’s announcement of
a new ‘Building Better, Building Beautiful’ Commission to be
chaired by Sir Roger Scruton – who co-authored our
report Building More,
Building Beautiful, first championing the argument that
building homes in designs and styles that people support is
crucial to solving the housing crisis, and putting the issue on
the national agenda.
Sir Roger said:
“The return of beauty and style to the centre of the debate could
be the biggest idea in housing since council house sales. I am
delighted to be leading the new ‘Building Better, Building
Beautiful’ Commission to promote better design and style of
homes.”
Deltapoll polling for
Policy Exchange supports the establishment of this new
Commission, finding that:
- · 85
percent of respondents across all socioeconomic groups said new
homes should either fit in with their more traditional
surroundings or be identical to homes already there. Across all
socioeconomic groups, a large majority of people agree that newly
built homes and properties should fit in with their surroundings
– with support among DEs reaching 79%.
- · Lower
socio-economic groups are most likely to agree that architects
should build comfortable and beautiful homes, and to disagree
more strongly that new buildings should be adventurous, different
or seek to shock. 31% of ABs think building should be
adventurous, compared to 17% of DEs.
- · 84
percent of respondents agree (with 42 per cent strongly agreeing)
that better quality buildings and public spaces improve people’s
quality of life – the same proportion as those who think living
in a well-designed community improves people’s happiness.
- · 68
percent of respondents think a well-designed neighbourhood will
reduce crime, while 75 per cent think traditional design and
style improves quality of life and 65 percent of respondents
think traditionally designed housing helps foster positive
community relations
Policy Exchange Senior Adviser on Housing and Local Government
, who
co-authored Building More, Building
Beautiful with the Commission’s newly announced
Chairman Sir Roger Scruton, said:
“We’re delighted that the Government has listened to Policy
Exchange’s polling and recognised the importance of building
homes and communities as well as houses. Too often planners,
developers and architects have ignored what people want to live
in and alongside, and look at every day. It is no wonder that
desperately needed new homes are so often opposed when they are
designed with so little respect and sympathy for what’s already
there.”
This November is Building Beautiful Month at Policy Exchange –
the next stage of our efforts to address the housing crisis, the
major domestic policy issue of the day. The focus of the Building
Beautiful Month is – in practical and economic terms – how new
homes can be built in the ways the public like and want, and
whether that can reduce opposition to new housing development.
Upcoming events include:
- · The
inaugural Colin Amery Memorial Lecture on “The Fabric of the
City” with an introduction and vote of thanks by Rt Hon
MP, on Wednesday 14th
November.
-
· Building
More, Building Beautiful conference with speakers including
Housing Minister MP, RIBA President Ben
Derbyshire and Dr Demetri Porphyrios, on Monday 19th November.