One of the government's advisers on design codes does not believe they should be used outside the government's four growth areas.
Roger Madelin, chief executive of developer Argent Group and a member of the ODPM's advisory panel on design codes, said the system would not work in most regeneration areas.

The controversial codes, which lay down design guidelines for developments on aspects such as the width of roads and height of windows, are popular with the ODPM but have angered architects.

But at the Town and Country Planning Association's conference on design codes last Friday, Madelin said: "At the last meeting, a number of us were absolutely forthright about this. As soon as you go into a regeneration area with existing infrastructure, it will not be helpful. It is, at worst, just another obstruction to frustrate good ideas and innovation."

He added that codes would increase the red tape on difficult schemes in regeneration areas. "We also just don't want it imposed on us from above," he said.

A spokesman for the ODPM said the deputy prime minister would give details on the government's plans for coding in the next few weeks.

He added: "We're keen to hear the thoughts of the panel, but we can't say right now we're going to take on board all of their suggestions."

Source

Housing Today