Westminster Metropolis Council has unveiled its first ever Design Overview Panel, a board of specialists that can present impartial recommendation on main growth, planning, public realm and regeneration tasks within the metropolis.
The 32 members of the panel, together with three co-chairs, have been drawn from varied fields of experience together with structure, ecology, sustainability, transport, inclusive design, panorama structure, heritage, and concrete design. The panel will complement the council’s in-house experience, championing prime quality sustainable design throughout all growth tasks.
The three co-chairs are Catherine Burd, founding director of Burd Haward Architects and a conservation specialist, Damion Burrows, managing director at DMBA and broadcaster on property-related TV reveals, and Vinita Dhume Director of Masterplanning and City Design, Savills.
The panel will information the design of proposals to make sure they add worth to native communities and assist meet the council’s bold targets to create new jobs, new properties, and develop into a web zero metropolis by 2040.
Councillor James Small-Edwards, Deputy Cupboard Member for Planning and Financial Growth, stated:
I’m thrilled to announce Westminster’s first ever Design Overview Panel. This panel of specialists from a broad vary of disciplines will work with the council and supply impartial recommendation on planning choices. There are greater than 11,000 listed buildings in Westminster, and the town is dwelling to among the most recognisable buildings and public areas on this planet. This panel will guarantee the long run growth of the town is sustainable, helps our communities, and maintains the prime quality of architectural design that makes Westminster so particular.
Design Overview Panel Co-chair, Catherine Burd, stated:
I’m delighted to have been appointed to guide Westminster’s new Design Overview Panel. Our purpose will likely be to make sure design high quality is positioned on the coronary heart of determination making within the Metropolis. I’ll carry expertise gained from chairing High quality Overview Panels in each Camden and the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, along with experience of delivering residential and cultural tasks in historic environments. I’m focused on exploring how the necessity for progress is balanced towards impacts on current communities, and the way new growth can contribute to the broader public good in our metropolis – be it via provision of top of the range new open areas, well-designed sustainable new buildings or artistic, adaptive reuse of current buildings.
Co-chair Damion Burrows stated:
The Metropolis of Westminster hosts a few of London’s most interesting architectural treasures, and is the worldwide face of the UK for a lot of. Having designed and delivered many tasks inside the Metropolis over many years, I’m thrilled to affix a panel which is ready to each protect and progress Westminster’s celebrated fame for excellence. I stay up for working with my co-chairs and a robust, various panel to make sure that new developments share our aspirations for design excellence, sustainability and contextual empathy, making Westminster a profitable and sustainable shared metropolis.
Co-chair Vinita Dhume stated:
As an area resident and dealing skilled inside the borough, I’m wanting ahead to seeing a better affect on design supply and place shaping. Basic enhancements are already being made to public areas, neighbourhoods, and high quality of life for residents lately – and this journey will proceed with renewed power and drive from a devoted panel which brings a broad breadth of information on varied facets of design. I really feel privileged to be a part of this unbelievable new cohort of various professionals, all deeply dedicated to creating optimistic contributions to future good progress and to allow additional sustainable placemaking in Westminster.