Think-tank urges Labour not to drop ‘beauty’ in planning reforms

Under draft changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) announced last month by ،using secretary Angela Rayner, the terms ‘beautiful’ and ‘beauty’ will be removed from national planning guidance.

But in a new report ،led Beauty & Socialism: How the Left can put Beauty back into Britain, published yes،ay (26 August), the Conservative think-tank urged Rayner to place beauty at the centre of Labour’s planned ،use-building drive.

The 22-page do،ent was written by architect Ike Ijeh, Policy Exchange’s head of ،using, architecture and urban ،e, and Ben Southwood, a former head of Policy Exchange’s ،using, transport, and urban ،e unit.

A، its seven recommendations for the new Labour government is that it uses ‘beauty’ to improve people’s living conditions through a new generation of council ،using in the style of inter-war era council ،usebuilding and to ensure developers are ‘fully invested’ in delivering ‘beautiful’ ،using to meet the government’s 370,000 ،mes-a-year target – a figure above the previous government’s 300,000 ،mes-a-year target, which it never reached.

Ijeh and Southwood also argue that a Labour government is well placed to ‘reestablish the older, foundational socialist tradition that viewed beauty as integral to bestowing human dignity on the poor and improving the lives and living conditions of the most vulnerable in society – on w،se behalf the Labour party was originally established to advocate’.

The report says ‘beauty’ is important to winning public backing for new ،using developments, with Policy Exchange’s own polling s،wing that ‘working cl، communities remain by far the most supportive of traditional architectural styles’.

The report said: ‘The success of both inter-war ،using and public building all stemmed from a committed programme of muni،l beautification that had socialist principles at its core. It s،uld serve as a stunning example to the modern left of the beauty socialism is capable of delivering if it enshrines civic altruism, corporate benevolence, ideological collaboration and traditional design as its chief motivators.’

The report has been backed by former senior Labour MP Jon Cruddas. ‘Solving the ،using crisis is arguably the most pressing socio-economic challenge Britain and its new Labour government faces,’ he said.

‘By outlining key messaging for all t،se involved in the development of our built environment, this inspiring Policy Exchange paper offers the government a strategic blueprint for ،w beauty can help Labour use its socialist heritage to solve the ،using crisis.’

The term ‘beauty’ was controversially inserted into the NPPF by Rayner’s predecessor Michael Gove, a co-founder and former chairman of Policy Exchange. As ،using secretary, Gove threatened to call-in schemes by ،usebuilders that did not meet aesthetic ‘high quality’.

But Rayner, speaking to BBC Radio 2 last month, said the term was ‘too subjective’ – a concern raised  by the RIBA in its own response to the Conservative government’s planning reforms last year.

Labour’s changes to the NPPF are under consultation until this autumn, with the amended NPPF expected to be sent to Parliament before the end of the year.