Release date: 13 July 2012
The Cabe team at the Design Council has today launched a new programme to help communities bring the transformative power of design to their doorsteps. Design Your Neighbourhood is aimed directly at communities groups who need financial and profession support to improve the design of their local areas. The fund is aimed at helping communities improve the design of new housing, town centres, villages, streets and parks, and to promote good design in proposed developments.
Design Your Neighbourhood works by linking community groups to local design partners who will provide expertise in architecture, planning and/ or urban design. Community groups applying for funding can either nominate a design partner or the Cabe team will match them with suitable design expertise. Design support up to the value of £10,000 will be available to around 10 successful community groups. The funding will be paid directly to the design partner that is commissioned to work on the successful projects, with the community group setting the priorities in consultation with Cabe.
Communities can often feel that they have little influence on planning decisions with their neighbourhoods. Cabe’s community engagement work shows that there is a wealth of energy and commitment through England, but in many case communities just need the professional support to really target their contribution and have influence.
Nahid Majid, Director of the Cabe team at the Design Council, commented:
“Cabe believes that good design can transform local places. In fact, we don’t just believe it, we know it. Cabe’s experience shows that good design can revitalise economic activity, create great new homes for people, bring the community together and result in inspiring new buildings for everyone.”
“Cabe wants to reach out to communities and give them the tools to design their neighbourhoods according to their priorities. There’s so many great ideas out there and lots of energy to make them happen. The Design Your Neighbourhood programme is just about linking communities to professional expertise so that by using design an idea can be made a reality.”
Cabe welcomes applications for Design Your Neighbourhood from community groups across England, including residents’ associations, community trusts, civic societies, neighbourhood forums, and town and parish councils. We are now accepting applications for funding. An application form and guidance are available on the Design Council’s website www.designcouncil.org.uk/DesignYourNeighbourhood. The deadline for applications is Monday 20 August 2012.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
1. Cabe is the successor to CABE, the Government’s advisor on Architecture and the Built Environment, which merged with the Design Council in April 2011.
2. The Design Council is a charity which enables people to use design to transform communities, business and the environment for the better. Its work places design at the heart of creating value by stimulating innovation in business and public services, improving the built environment and tackling complex social issues. The Design Council inspires new design thinking, encourages public debate and informs government policy to improve everyday life and help meet tomorrow’s challenges today.
3. A specially-convened selection panel with expertise in community design, architecture and planning will assess the applications. Successful applicants will be informed in early September with a view to successful projects starting the same month.
4. Design Your Neighbourhood is part of Cabe’s ongoing commitment to work according to its values of supporting inclusive communities and creating better places and spaces that improve everyone’s quality of life.
5. Design Your Neighbourhood is a programme delivery by the Cabe team at the Design Council on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government.
6. For further information, please contact:
Tim Crowley, Head of Communications, Design Council: 020 7420 5263 / 07748 906897 tim.crowley@designcouncil.org.uk