CABE and English Heritage urge local authorities to introduce tall buildings planning policy

We're calling on local authorities to include tall buildings policies in their development plan, so that it’s clear where tall buildings should and shouldn't go.

CABE and English Heritage have published a consultation draft of their newly-updated Guidance on tall buildings. The guidance, first published in 2003, has been updated to reflect changes to the planning system and the experiences CABE and English Heritage have had in evaluating planning applications for tall buildings.

Central to the guidance document is the recommendation that local authorities adopt a 'development plan-led' approach to tall buildings. This calls on local authorities to include specific tall buildings policies in their development plan so that it's clear where tall buildings should and shouldn't go, before development plans are proposed.

Owing to their high profile and local impact, tall buildings should set exemplary standards in design. The revised guidance places sustainable design and construction as a crucial facet of these design standards. The document is explicitly clear that proposals should exceed the latest regulations for minimising energy and reducing carbon emissions over the lifetime of the development.

Selina Mason, director of architecture and design review at CABE, commented:

'The number of planning applications for tall buildings is at an unprecedented level. These buildings need to be of excellent quality and properly planned as part of a clear long-term vision, not as ad-hoc, piecemeal projects. In order to reach successful planning decisions about buildings that have such an impact on their surroundings, local authorities need to introduce specific tall buildings policies in their plans.'