RIBA warns “delivering housing at pace must not sacrifice quality”
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has warned the government’s drive to meet its manifesto pledge of building 1.5 million homes in the parliament must not lead to a reduction in quality.
The RIBA has submitted evidence to the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Excellence in the Built Environment’s inquiry into how to build quality homes.
The institute warns that “delivering housing at pace must not sacrifice quality”, adding that homes “must prioritise good design, sustainability and accessibility to meet people’s needs now and be adaptable to meet the changing needs of future generations”.
It recommends amending the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to include “a vision for high-quality design” within Spatial Development Strategies, defined as “a clear articulation of what an area or project should be like in the future, developed with the local community and stakeholders,” covering “identity and character, sustainability and resilience, connectivity and accessibility, and user experience”.
RIBA is also calling for stronger planning policy, earlier design input in housing development and long-term investment in standards.
RIBA president Muyiwa Oki earlier this week told the inquiry the government should planning legislation, support the architectural skills pipeline, and incentivise modern methods of construction.
The submission also proposes support for Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), noting potential reductions in cost, time and waste. “Unlike traditional construction methods, MMC relies on a vertically integrated factory model for production with specifically trained employees,” RIBA said. “If the potential of MMC is to be fully realised, Government support and aggregated demand are crucial.”
On affordability, it highlights the need for more social housing and refers to RIBA’s Foundations for the Future model, which proposes using publicly owned land to build homes for rent and sale, with proceeds reinvested into further development. The institute argues this would reduce reliance on ongoing central funding while supporting mixed-tenure delivery.
It also supports calls for councils to retain 100% of Right to Buy receipts and lift restrictions on their use.
The inquiry, chaired by Mike Reader MP, a former Mace director and supported by the Construction Industry Council, is gathering evidence from across the sector on how to meet the government’s national housing target without compromising quality.
Housing Today’s sister title Building Design has launched a campaign called “Designing Tomorrow’s Housing”, which is investigating how the delivery of 1.5 million new homes can be reconciled with maintaining high design standards.
No comments yet