§ Mr. WatersonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many new housing developments have been based on public design competitions in the last five years; and if he will make a statement on the role of urban design guidance in promoting such developments. [75506]
§ Mr. RaynsfordNo data are collected by the Government on design competitions. A number of such competitions—approximately 20–25 per year, 4 or 5 of which involve new housing developments—are run by the Royal Institute of British Architects for a variety of public and private clients. The guidance used to conduct many of these competitions is issued by my Department together with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, entitled "Architectural Competitions: A Handbook for Promoters" (1996). A copy of this publication is in the Library.
355WForthcoming good practice guidance on design in the planning system will promote design competitions as a useful mechanism for achieving better quality housing development.