A blueprint for future communities

The event was held to announce the launch of the Office of Place, which will set out a vision for building beautiful places across the UK by drawing world-class design expertise and helping communities drive up design standards. This year, the Office of Place will be supporting around 20 communities who are piloting the National Model Design Code and empowering local authorities to unlock beauty, design quality and placemaking through training on the principles outlined in the National Model Design Code.

At the event, Secretary of State Robert Jenrick praised the Bourne Estate for its high-quality homes centred around beautiful design and open communal spaces such as tree-lined streets, playgrounds and community centres – helping create a strong sense of belonging.

Working closely with the London Borough of Camden (LBC), Tibbalds Planning and Urban Design oversaw everything from feasibility studies to scheme design, planning and delivery. As part of that role, Tibbalds provided planning and urban design services and together with the team took time to understand the Bourne Estate’s architectural heritage, use of space, and needs of its residents to inform a broad masterplanning strategy and detailed design of buildings. Collaboration not just with partners but also the surrounding community played an integral part in the proposals, leading to a scheme that was reflective both of local character and residents’ needs.

The estate has won numerous awards over the years including:

• Overall Winner and the NHS 70 Winner of the Housing Design Awards 2018
• A winner in the Camden Design Award in 2017
• RIBA Award 2018 winner in the London Region
• Housing – Built Winner in the New London Awards 2018
• Commendation in the category for Excellence in Planning for Homes at the Royal Town Planning Institute’s (RTPI) Awards for Planning Excellence 2018

This is just one example of where Tibbalds has successfully led on regeneration projects that have improved standards of living by proactively bringing forward high-quality, impactful design centred around people. As the planning system is changing and more emphasis in design quality and guidance is being introduced, we should draw on these exemplar developments from around the country to help inform future schemes and raise quality further.

If you would like to see Robert Jenrick’s speech in full, click here.