Memorandum by Warden Housing (CAB 04)
I am writing regarding the forthcoming inquiry
into the role and effectiveness of the Commission for Architecture
and the Built Environment (CABE).
I am the Development Director for Warden Housing
based in Eastcote, North West London. Warden Housing is a Division
of Home Group, one of the largest RSLs in the country.
Home Group owns and manages over 46,000 homes
across the country, including Scotland. Through its Divisions
it provides a wide range of affordable housing, including supported
housing, shared ownership and general needs. Through two subsidiaries,
Paramount Homes and Home Group Developments, we are able to provide
market rented accommodation and housing for sale on the open market.
Warden own and manage over 12,000 properties
in the South East of England and have a very active development
programme. As one of The Housing Corporation's 71 partners, the
Group are involved in a wide range of new housing projects, including
two large regeneration schemes at Rayners Lane in Harrow and Dollis
Valley in Barnet. On average Warden procure over 500 new homes
each year both for the rented market and sales market.
As an active organisation in the housing sector
the political drive to improve the quality and design of affordable
homes has presented us with a challenge. CABE have not only been
instrumental in raising this need and awareness, but have provided
RSLs with the necessary support and direction to address these
challenges.
Through their extensive regeneration guides,
publications and training programmes, they have enabled RSLs to
understand the value of good design and how it can be achieved.
In a sector where change can be slow and difficult
to achieve, we now see evidence of more RSLs procuring buildings
of the very best architecture. There is without doubt a very long
way to go before all RSLs are fully on board with the design agenda
and at this crucial stage the role of a central organisation such
as CABE is critical in ensuring full engagement.
Warden has worked closely with CABE over the
last few years on a number of initiatives. In 2002 Warden was
one of two RSLs chosen to work on the Anglo-French Affordable
Housing Project sponsored by CABE and The Housing Corporation.
Although the project put forward by Warden did not proceed, the
initiative was unique and enabled the organisation to explore
best practice with another European country and exchange ideas
and increase general learning and knowledge.
In my role as Design Champion for Home Group,
I approached CABE last year to enlist their assistance in promoting
the design agenda throughout the organisation.
Through one of their Enabling Projects they
engaged Simon Condor Architects to co-ordinate a series of seminars
which explored the big issues that will affect social architecture
in the next decade and how these will affect the organisation.
The seminars were led by some of the country's leading architects
and issues such as Sustainable Architecture and Modern Methods
of Construction were explored and discussed.
The project has enabled the Group to consider
the nature of good architectural design and its value to our customers
and ultimately to explore how best, as a large provider of social
housing, to procure it and protect it against conservatism and
compromise.
Finally, CABE have just agreed to assist us
in a review of one of our large regeneration projects at Rayners
Lane in Harrow. The first phase of this seven year programme has
just been completed and having seen a number of changes to the
scheme since the original Master Plan was agreed we felt it was
the appropriate time to review not only the Master Plan itself
but the design quality of the completed homes in phase I. The
review is planned to take place in November 2004.
We are unaware of any other organisation that
provides such assistance and guidance to RSLs and to date we have
found their advice and support invaluable.
S J Belk
Development Director
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