sustainable voice
a newsletter of the Sustainable Communities Excellence Network
Issue 11 IGNITE appoints key leads for new
April 2009
Regional Design Review service
This bi-monthly
newsletter is North East England is
designed to
adding to its strong
regularly update
the Sustainable portfolio of activities to
Communities strengthen place making
Excellence standards with the
Network and creation of a Regional
stakeholders with Design Review and
current events and Enabling Service.
news of note
The new service – which
Submissions of
will be managed by
articles and/or
photos or images IGNITE, the Regional
with captions and Centre of Excellence for
photo credit are Sustainable Communities
due to the Network – has just made key
Development appointments to lead the
th
Officer by 15 new service which will go
April for the May live in May.
2009 issue.
Submissions by e- Integreat Yorkshire latest RCE to
mail only to:
info@scen.org.uk support National Empowerment
A large print Integreat Yorkshire is the
version of this latest RCE to support The
National Empowerment
newsletter is Partnership in its region.
available Two RCEs – Creating
upon request. Excellence in the South
West and Inspire East in
the East of England – are
already the regional leads
for empowerment
partnerships in the region.
Now Integreat Yorkshire is
assisting the Communities
& Organisations Growth
and Support (COGS)
organisation, the regional
lead in Yorkshire and
Humber, to deliver a
learning programme about
building sustainable
ARUPs will provide the Agency will be required to
service secretariat and have passed through the
John Devlin, formerly design review process.
director of development
and environment at For further information on
Gateshead Council, will the Regional Design
chair the new service. Review and Enabling
John will head a design Service, please contact
review panel of 28 Kirsteen Thomson, lead
experts. on IGNITE and
Sustainable Development
One North East – which Manager at One North
funds IGNITE – will be East, on Tel: 0191 229
making it a condition that 6424 or email:
all appropriate kirsteen.thomson@onenor
development schemes theast.co.uk
seeking funding from the
communities. Participants are expected
Commissioned by the to carry out a short piece
Homes and Communities of research to analyse
Academy, the programme development in their own
aims to raise awareness or another community in
and share practice in between these blocks.
relation to sustainable Further information can be
communities and will found by visiting
focus on the role of http://www.cogs.uk.net.
community development
workers and their Funded by Communities
relationship to others and Local Government
working at community (CLG), The National
level. Partnership
Empowerment (NEP) is a
The programme in the national partnership set up
Yorkshire and Humber to improve the quality, co-
Region took place in ordination and evidence of
Wakefield on 30 and 31 empowerment across
March, 27 and will England.
continue on 28 April 2009.
 sustainable voice
RegenWM succeeds with West Midlands’
first Design Fair
RegenWM facilitated the
first West Midlands Design
Fair in Birmingham on
25th February, an event
which showcased the best
in design and built
environment services and
partnerships.
RegenWM facilitated the The Fair promoted design
first West Midlands Design quality in the region.
Fair, which took place in RegenWM, part of DEWM
(Designed Environment
Birmingham on
West Midlands – a
25thFebruary. The event partnership of design
brought together 33 organisations in the West
organisations to make Midlands) hosted a wide
connections with others in mix of organisations from
across the sector and
the field, to benchmark created an upbeat and
against others, to stay vibrant space for informal
informed and to do networking.
business.
The event was a great
success – 33
organisations exhibited
and over 200 people
attended. Exhibitors
included Transforming
Telford, Play England,
Sustrans, HCA, RIBA and
various architects
practices, Sanctuary
Group, West Midlands
Architecture Centres –
MADE and UVNS,
Birmingham City Council,
Trigram Properties and
Birmingham City
University School of
Architecture.
The space was animated
with a montage of regional
images, supplied by
exhibitors, a film of the
Birmingham cityscape -
routes and landscapes,
static displays from
Matthew Boulton College
and Birmingham City
University, jugglers and
entertainers and a
networking café.
The current operating
environment has not
Page 2 of 8
stopped calls for design
quality to remain on the
regional agenda and
product quality and market
differentiation have the
potential to mark out
activity in an otherwise
difficult market. The
Design Fair enabled
organisations and
individuals to make
connections with others in
the field, to benchmark
against others, to stay
informed and to do
business.
There has been a steady
stream of positive
feedback following the
event. DEWM partners are
now considering staging
another Design Fair in
Spring 2010. For more
information and to view
our online gallery from the
Fair, visit the RegenWM
website at:
http://www.regenwm.org.

Creating Excellence offers Building for Life

Creating Excellence was
launched in 2004. It is an
independent company limited
by guarantee and governed
by its own Board. Its mission it
to build the skills and
knowledge of people working
for sustainable communities
by providing improved
learning opportunities for
everyone through networking,
events, website and
publications.
Accredited Assessor Training
Creating Excellence is
now acting as partner to
CABE (the Commission
for Architecture and the
Built Environment) in the
South West to promote
and deliver specific
training on the adoption
and use of the Building for
Life standard.
From 2009 local
authorities must include
Building for Life
assessments as part of
their Annual Monitoring
Report. Growth Points
should identify how
Building for Life will be
incorporated into their
growth plans. Full
information regarding the
Building for Life standard
can be found at
http://www.buildingforlife.o
rg.
Creating Excellence is
making provision to train
officers who might act as
accredited assessors on
behalf of local authorities.
Working closely with
CABE, they have already
held two successful
training workshops for
prospective Building for
Life assessors in February
in Bristol and Plymouth.
They are now looking to
arrange further courses in
May 2009. For further
information on these
workshops please contact
Amanda.hamley@creating
excellence.org.uk.
Please note that due to
the degree of professional
expertise required in
undertaking a Building for
Life assessment
candidate assessors
should have a previous
qualification in
Architecture, Urban
Design, Landscape
Design, Planning or
similar.
Page 3 of 8
Homes and Communities Academy update
Debate Place
HCA Academy’s online
Debate Place has been
set up to enable cross-
sector practitioners to
share their views on key
areas impacting their
work. The first debate ran
in February and generated
over 3000 hits and a
healthy debate on
delivering low carbon
communities. Strong
themes emerged ranging
from policy implications,
the importance of
changing behaviour, to
questioning costs and
calling for community
based solutions. Click on
the link for the full debate:
http://tiny.cc/yIlkI
Key messages from the
debate included:
1. We need to think
carefully about the
implications of
locating new
developments away
from existing
infrastructure. There
was a strong
consensus that we
should instead focus
on improving and
increasing densities
in existing towns and
cities.
Regeneration East Midlands project Ep2
website goes live
Hosted by Regeneration
East Midlands, the
Enterprising People,
Enterprising Places (Ep2)
website is now up and
running. Ep2 is a new
skills programme for
people that work or live in
disadvantaged areas in
the East Midlands and
who are committed to
regeneration. The Ep2
sustainable voice
2. Subsidies should be Coming Soon
increased and made For 3 weeks in April, the
available to enable HCA Academy will host
home-owners to the second in the series of
make their existing on line debates with the From the HCA website, a
homes more energy title ‘In the midst of a proposed street scene at
efficient, and for recession how can we
home-owners and develop cohesive the second Carbon
developers to install communities?’. View a Challenge site in
the most cost series of films of Peterborough. Copyright
effective and practitioners in the field, Browne Smith Baker, Morris
appropriate micro- down load reports and
Homes Ltd and Gentoo
renewables. view case studies on
3. More focus and show case here: Homes, 2008
resource needs to be http://showcase.hcaacade
put into community my.co.uk
engagement and
effective long-term Future Communities
management of new The Young Foundation,
places to enable sponsored by HCA, IDeA
thriving communities. and CIH, has developed a
4. European models for new website aimed at
housing, such as co- everyone involved in
housing, should be developing the successful
considered as a part sustainable communities
of UK delivery of the future.
models. futurecommunities.net The East Midlands’ Urban
5. There should be focuses on community Partnership Group (UPG)
more public and participation and place
is holding an Addressing
professional management. It explores
awareness of the how developments can City Flight event in
importance of great become socially, Leicester on 19th May as
design and place economically and part of the wider UPG
making. environmentally initiative facilitated by
The full report is available sustainable, building in
resident involvement and Regeneration East
on line
http://www.hcaacademy.c engagement from the Midlands. UPG
o.uk/node/490 start. Coordinator Susan
Hallsworth is offering a
limited number of free
places to RCE staff – e-
mails of interest to
programme is managed library, among other tools. susan@regenerationem.c
by Regeneration East o.uk. Confirmed speakers
Midlands and funded Ep2 is unique because it include Richard Simmons
through the East Midlands is about releasing the from CABE and themes
Development Agency. capacity within
communities to carry out include quality of housing,
The website – regeneration for local services and
www.ep2online.org – themselves. The amenities and raising the
highlights the Ep2 programme consists of a profile of urban living.
programme, outlines the series of innovative tools
http://www.urbanpartners
policy behind it and offers and techniques for
a downloadable Ep2 regeneration practitioners. hipgroup.org.uk/
 sustainable voice
Design for London to manage Great Spaces
The Mayor of London
Boris Johnson recently
announced plans for a
‘Great Spaces’ initiative
which will champion
existing public spaces that
currently have poor
access or are
unwelcoming and
unattractive. Design for
Design for London is a London will set up,
small, flexible team which administer and manage
maximises its influence by the Great Spaces
forging partnerships with initiative.
relevant bodies in the
The aim is to help
design and development transform some of the
sectors in London. It city’s better as well as
welcomes the active lesser known streets,
participation of squares, parks and
riverside walks into places
organisations and
individuals who are
working to make London
Urban Design London unveils 2009-10
a better place in which to training programme
live, work and visit.
Urban Design London has
unveiled its brand new
2009-10 training
programme, which is now
available for download by
visiting their website here:
www.urbandesignlondon.c
om. It includes around 80
separate sessions
including:
 Monthly guided site
Urban Design London visits to exemplar
(UDL) helps all London schemes
 A one day
authorities achieve better- introduction to urban
designed environments design course
through support, training  12 different streets
and networking and planning based
foundation sessions
opportunities. UDL is
 8 new workshops
supported by London looking at key design
Councils, Transport for
London (TfL), London Michaela Galler joins Integreat Yorkshire
Development Agency
(LDA), and the Commission Michaela Galler has joined
the Integreat team as PA
for Architecture and the
to the Programme
Built Environment (CABE). Director. Michaela brings
a wide range of
Londoners and visitors will
want to use and enjoy.
Projects at any stage of
their development can be
submitted by London
boroughs for assessment
by the Mayor’s design
panel, led by Deputy
Mayor for Planning and
Policy Simon Milton.
Successful projects will be
adopted and accredited as
a Mayor’s ‘Great Space’
and benefit from top
quality, specialist advice
from Design for London,
which advises the Mayor
on ensuring design
excellence in all projects
that are commissioned or
funded by the GLA Group.
tools and skills
 8 new masterclasses
looking at tricky but
vital important design
issues
The brochure lists all
events they are running
from April 2009 to March
2010.
UDL offers support to
London authorities,
offering significant
training, but also
facilitating a network of
interested officers and
Design Champion
Councillors. They are
increasingly seeing non
authority people attending
their events and getting
experience from both the
private and public sector,
previously working in the
Economic Inclusion
Director’s office at
Page 4 of 8
Projects that have been
developed as part of other
public space initiatives will
be welcomed by the panel
and can be endorsed as
exemplary public realm
projects, and supported by
the programme on the
same basis as any
project, including those
supported through other
Mayoral initiatives like the
Priority Parks Programme,
Street Trees Initiative and
Green Grid and those
projects that have been
part of the previous
Mayor’s 100 Public
Spaces programme.
involved in their network.
UDL is funded and
managed by London
Councils, Transport for
London, the London
Development Agency and
CABE. UDL also runs a
subscription service for
Boroughs where each
authority has a set
number of pre paid
places. General attendees
can book online through
UDL website at
www.urbandesignlondon.c
om. Places may be
available for RCE staff –
send an e-mail of interest
to Esther Kurland:
esther.kurland@urbandesi
gnlondon.com
Yorkshire Forward and as
a Sales Manager in the
Automotive sector,
travelling regularly to
Germany to visit clients.
Page 5 of 8 sustainable voice

Places Matter! appoints North West design

leaders
Places Matter! the
Architecture and Built
Environment Centre for
the Northwest has brought
on new team members to
take its programme of
activities forward to 2012.
Following a recruitment
drive in early 2009, Places
Matter! has brought new
expertise into its
Northwest Design Review
Panel including a new
Chair, appointed a full
time Education Manager
and recruited a Chair for
the Places Matter!
Advisory Group. Martin
Stockley joins Places
Matter! as Chair of the
Northwest Design Review
Panel, a free and impartial
service for local
authorities, developers
and designers. Martin also
sits on the MADE (West
Midlands) Design Review
panel and before
becoming Chair was a
member of the Northwest
Design Review Panel from
its creation in 2007.
The new panel represents
a variety of expertise from
the fields of urban design,
architecture, sustainable
design, planning,
landscape architecture
and many other
disciplines.
The Places Matter! Since its creation in
Education programme will
2007 Places Matter! has
be taken forward by Jo
Harrop, who joins the proved a resounding
team as Education success. With further
Manager from Wigan funding until 2012 the
Council where she has team look forward to
been acting as
driving an innovative
Programme Manager for
the Greenheart Regional and expanding
Park Programme. programme of built
Through Places Matter! environment activities in
Education Jo will provide the region.
a strategic focus and
advocate for good quality
design amongst a wider
audience with an
emphasis on 14 – 19 year
olds.

Inspire East busy with Funding East event,

Winter School, Empowerment road shows
Funding East holds
event - A Funding East
event was held in
Cambridge on Tuesday 3
March. Topics covered
included funding news
from the Church Urban
Fund and Awards for All,
information and advice on
soft outcomes from SOUL
Record research, details of
Inspire East’s enabling
service and a guide to
Local Strategic
Partnerships (LSPs).
There was also a chance
to discuss the implications
of the current economic
climate on funding.
Community
Development Network
arrives in Norwich -The
Community Development
Network gathered in
Norwich on Tuesday 17
March. In addition to the
usual networking
opportunities there was
also a chance to look at
Participatory Budgeting
and to discover the origins
of our venue, The Kings
Centre through a tour of
the building.
Empowerment
Roadshows - The
Regional Empowerment
Partnership held a series
of one day empowerment
roadshows in March to
demystify the
empowerment white paper
and provide an insight into
empowerment activity in
the region. These events
were attended by Local
Authority officers and
members, LSP partners
and the voluntary and
community sector.
View presentations from
Inspire East’s Winter
School - Inspire East held
their most successful
Winter School yet, selling
out completely despite the
snow. View all the
presentations by clicking
the link here:
http://tiny.cc/C3zzw
Biodiversity boost for
South East Ten
organisations, including
SEEDA, Natural
England, the National
Trust and the Forestry
Commission have
signed up to the South
East England
Biodiversity Forum’s
Strategy to improve the
region’s biodiversity.
The aim is to achieve
an overarching
approach to the region’s
ecosystem to help
reduce the cost of
managing flooding and
pollution as well as
contributing to improved
health and well being.
 sustainable voice Page 6 of 8

South East Excellence facilitates cross-

cutting CPD for built environment
South East Excellence is professional organisations where there are gaps in
currently working with the such as the Royal Institute CPD provision in order to
Construction Industry of British Architects develop the skills required
Council South East (CIC (RIBA), the Royal Institute to address the current
SE) to take a closer look of Town Planners (RTPI) economic climate and
at what the Continuing and the Chartered eventual upturn.
The Scottish Centre for Professional Development Institute of Housing (CIH).
Regeneration runs three (CPD) expectations are The work will also identify
cross-Government for the members of the
learning networks that
respond to needs Scottish Centre for Regeneration launches
expressed by people and
organisations working in
new learning networks
regeneration: Community The web portal of the and Sustainable have an interest in
Regeneration; Tackling Scottish Centre for Communities. These three regeneration but come
Regeneration initiative networks help from different sectors and
Poverty Town Centres Partners in Regeneration - regeneration practitioners disciplines.
and Local High Streets; www.partnersinregenerati learn from other people
and Mixed and on.com - lets people and facing the same problems,
The Scottish Centre for
Sustainable Communities. organisations easily network online and hear Regeneration helps to
access evidence, about events and achieve Scottish
These networks give
expertise and excellence programmes. Government’s Purpose,
practical help to those in regeneration. Its Targets and National
working at a local level resources - including The initiative is managed Outcomes through
and connect people from research, tools and case by the Scottish Centre for supporting public, private
across Scotland. studies - help address keyRegeneration, part of and voluntary sector
regeneration issues. Scottish Government, in delivery partners to
partnership with other become more effective at
The initiative’s Learning regeneration regeneration. Visit the
Networks include organisations in Scotland. centre’s website:
Community Regeneration; It has been developed http://www.scotland.gov.u
Tackling Poverty with the organisations that k/Topics/Built-
Town Centres and Local make up the Partners in Environment/regeneration/
High Streets; and Mixed Regeneration network. All pir/about

RegenWM team plants 113 trees in The

The RegenWM team
planted 113 trees in The
National Forest for 2009 Prizewinners
National Forest, one for On 24th March the The RegenWM Prizes that are today being
RegenWM team planted celebrate the success of a turned into regeneration
each of the RegenWM
113 trees in The National wide variety of outcomes for the region.
Prizes 2008 entries. Forest, one for each of the regeneration projects
The National Forest is a Full details and case
RegenWM Prizes 2008 across the West Midlands.
studies on the 2008 Prizes
forest in the making, entries. This will be the The prizes programme
winners are on the
covering 200 square fourth year that RegenWM depends on the
RegenWM website –
miles of central England has planted trees as part enthusiasm and
www.regenwm.org.
across parts of of the Prizes process – to dedication of the entrants.
support The National Through the Prizes
Derbyshire,
Forest project (a previous RegenWM recognise and
Leicestershire and RegenWM Prizes winner). share the fantastic ideas
Staffordshire.
Page 7 of 8 sustainable voice
RCEs deemed ‘impressive’ and ‘excellent’
in CABE light touch review
Creating Excellence and partnership with CABE the The clear message of the
RegenWM received results have been review is that CABE has
positive mention in a light impressive. Design South made and continues to
touch review undertaken West, a strategic alliance make a real difference to Design South West,
by The Commission for of all the key the quality of places and hosted by Creating
Architecture and the Built organisations and buildings in England. The Excellence, and
Environment (CABE) agencies in the region that reviewers made five RegenWM were recently
between May and July is focused on influencing recommendations cited in a light touch
2008. The review was a the quality of the built including:
joint exercise between environment, is jointly -That the sponsor review of the Commission
DCMS, CLG and CABE. funded by Creating departments work with for Architecture and the
The reviewers were asked Excellence (the regional CABE to more actively Built Environment
to consider four areas: centre for sustainable and methodically engage (CABE). Positive
 Alignment; communities) and CABE.” in the planning system
statements indicate the
 Capability and Later it states: “In the through the new regional
impact; West Midlands – a more structure impressive results of
 Focus, effectiveness compact and urbanised - That CABE undertakes a Design South West and
and efficiency; and region than the South review of its learning and the excellent partnerships
 Departmental and West – excellent dissemination strategy, to in the West Midlands
other key partnerships have been make sure that it utilises
relationships. built with the key agencies its experience of the last 9 including RegenWM.
Advantage West Midlands years to drive the design
Regarding CABE’s work (the RDA), MADE (the quality agenda forward
at a regional level, the regional architecture - That CABE makes more
review makes positive centre) and RegenWM explicit how it assesses
mention of two Regional which is working to the effectiveness of its
Centres of Excellence – improve regeneration activities
Creating Excellence and skills and encourage the
RegenWM, stating: pursuit of excellence in Find the full review here:
“Where the RDA and order to secure a http://www.cep.culture.gov
other bodies active in a sustainable future the .uk/images/publications/C
region have joined in region.” ABE_LTR.pdf
Regeneration East Midlands
RCE assists District Council’s ‘innovative’ is helping the North West
regeneration, as reviewed by the IDeA Leicestershire District
Council to regenerate
North West Leicestershire it was assessed by the Panel Manager Coalville (pictured) through
District Council has the Audit Commission. A commented: “North West
report written by the IDeA Leicestershire District its Architecture Centre,
potential to be one of the
best in the country, has cited the innovative Council is a proactive Opun, which runs the East
according to an progress in vision and authority, keen to improve Midlands Design Review
independent review by the leadership made by the the physical environment Panel. The Improvement
Improvement and North West Leicestershire for people who live and
and Development Agency
Development Agency District Council, and in work in the district by
(IDeA). The East Midlands particular its progress in setting high design (IDeA) recently cited the
Design Review Panel, regenerating Coalville. standards. They have Council’s innovative
managed by Opun used the design review progress in regenerating
architecture centre at Opun, the East Midlands process to its full potential, Coalville in their Peer
Regeneration East Architecture Centre at bringing schemes to
Regeneration East review and taking District Challenge. Photo
Midlands, has helped the
council to get there. Midlands, has played a advantage of the copyright Jim Cartwright,
strong role in supporting opportunity for staff to 0116 279 6502
The IDeA review, which the authority through the observe at other review
took place at the end of expertise of its Regional meetings, leading to more
2008, concluded that the Design Review Panel. effective pre-application
Council has made real Kate Lockhart, East discussions.”
progress since 2004 when Midlands Design Review
 Integreat Yorkshire introduces the Great
Briefs Series
sustainable voice
Integreat Yorkshire is
introducing The Great
Briefs series to stimulate
debate and discussion
about the economic and
social issues that are
impacting on our
communities and the
Issue 11 region.
April 2009
Each month, they will
A monthly publish a Great Brief and
newsletter of the follow it up with a lively
Sustainable networking event, which
Communities will unpack the key
Excellence challenges and provide a
Network.
South East Excellence makes regional push
Submissions for good design
deadline for the
A two day workshop to
May 2009 issue: start the process of
15th April. developing a design
Send to: action plan for the Growth
info@scen.org.uk Point in the Partnership
for Urban South
Hampshire Area (PUSH)
took place in February. It
hosted a range of
international and national
speakers including Stirling
Prize winner Keith Bradley
for Accordia from Feilden
Clegg Bradley and Kobus
Mentz from Urbanisms+ in
New Zealand, as well as
having an expert panel
(including representatives
from CABE, ATLAS, PAS
and SEEDA) to offer
advice and guidance to
the PUSH partners
throughout the process.
forum for open discussion and Regeneration. The
and debate across a briefing provides a
number of policy and summary of the main
delivery topics. conclusions of this report
with some commentary on
The first Great Brief event what the Sub National
focuses on economic Review will mean for
policy with an overview of organisations in Yorkshire
the recent policy and Humber. The free-of-
publication, which outlines charge session will be
the Government’s held on 15th April in
response to the Leeds at the Round
consultation on the Foundry Media Centre
Review of Sub-National from 3.20 - 5.30pm. To
Economic Development book call 0113 394 9681.
A design capacity audit Initial feedback from the
carried out before the seminar reports a strong
workshop revealed that determination between the
most of the 11 local authorities to investigate
authorities in the PUSH resources sharing, as well
area have some design as trying to ensure
capacity, although this is common principles in
often development control Local Development
focused and is not Frameworks.
consistent across all
authorities. As CABE’s Simon Eden, lead Chief
Sarah Allan says ‘we are Executive for the Quality
trying to develop a Places Delivery Panel,
diagnostic approach so said ‘I am really
that design can play its encouraged by the shared
part in helping to manage commitment to excellent
the Growth agenda. This design in our local
workshop and the authorities. By working
research preceding it will together we can make a
help the local authorities real difference for our
to provide greater communities’.
leadership in delivering
high levels of growth’.

Busy Inspire East Regional Design Review

reviews Eco Community
The Inspire East Regional
Design Review Panel
recently undertook a
review of the proposed
Rackheath Eco
Community which is being
promoted in the CLG Eco
Towns initiative. The
review took place on the
26th February, over the
course of a whole day,
and included a site visit
and in-depth
presentations by the
developers, Building
Partnerships and Barratt
Homes, the design team,
lead by David Thompson
of LSI Architects, as well
as presentations from
Broadland District Council
and Norfolk County
Council. The day
facilitated interesting and
thought provoking debate
and highlighted a
comprehensive approach
to sustainable
development. A report will
be issued in the next few
weeks to the developer
and planning authorities.
Spring proved a busy time
for the design review
service, with an additional
panel day being put on in
March in order to meet
demand and enabling 8
schemes to be reviewed
altogether.