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INTRODUCTION
"The quality of Scotland's built environment is important, not only to our own quality of life, but to the perception of the country abroad as an outstanding place to be."
First Minister, Jack McConnell MSP
We believe that significant progress has been made in meeting the objectives set out in the 2001 policy statement, and this is described in our document 'A Policy on Architecture for Scotland: Progress Report 2005'. In 'Scotland's Culture', published in February 2006, a commitment was made to a renewed and strengthened statement on architecture policy. This was not only a recognition of the progress made against the forty commitments in the 2001 statement, but also a recognition that the policy landscape has changed, signifying the need to update the policy and focus on a new programme of action.
In May 2006, a consultation document was published setting out twelve key challenges that the policy needed to address and, in addition to seeking written responses, consultation events were held in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness. In June 2006, a debate on architecture and the impact of the policy was held in the Scottish Parliament. A report on the public consultation was published in December 2006.
DIFFERENCES IN POLICY LANDSCAPE
Since 2001, Scottish Ministers have, both through their architecture and planning policies, sought to place design far higher in the development process agenda. As a first step, we reviewed the role of the Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland ( RFACS), which advised Ministers, local authorities and other bodies on development proposals of significance to the environment. Following this review, in 2005 a new body, Architecture and Design Scotland ( A+DS), was set up to replace RFACS. This was a milestone in policy implementation as, through its increased funding and new remit, we have enabled it to have a very much wider, more proactive role than RFACS in the promotion and advocacy of good design.
A key function of A+DS is to engage with planning and procurement processes and to promote excellence in development at an urban and rural design level, in building programmes such as hospitals and schools, as well as in individual buildings. Its role is set out in detail in the Scottish Planning Policy document SPP 20. The aim of the organisation is to raise the quality of new development, so that high standards of layout and design are the rule, not the exception. A key issue in the work of A+DS is improving the quality of everyday architecture as well as having a concern for the design of high profile buildings. Overall, the development of well designed and attractive cities, towns and villages will support Ministers' determination to make Scotland a better place to live, work and visit. This architecture policy statement sets out how we will build on the role of A+DS described in SPP 20.
In November 2001, the 'Designing Places' planning policy statement was published to sit alongside the policy on architecture. Through this policy, design is now a material consideration in the planning process. 'Designing Places' is supported by a series of design based Planning Advice Notes.
The Executive's top priority is promoting sustainable economic growth to create a modern and vibrant Scotland, and a modern, up to date planning system is critical to achieving that objective. Sustainable growth requires development, and the role of planning is to ensure that this development is encouraged and managed in a sustainable way. The 2003 partnership agreement between the Scottish Labour Party and the Scottish Liberal Democrats, 'A Partnership for a Better Scotland', committed the Scottish Executive to improving the planning system by:
- strengthening the involvement of communities;
- speeding up decisions;
- reflecting local views better; and
- allowing quicker investment decisions.
An extensive programme of consultations and stakeholder engagements on all aspects of the planning system has been carried out, and implementation of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 will commence in spring 2007. This is an extremely important stage in the Executive's commitment to reform the planning system, and can be seen as the culmination of the series of consultations and white papers which commenced in 2001.
The present statement on architecture policy sets out how we will further draw together and integrate our architecture and planning policies.
We have also modernised the building standards system and, in 2004, established the Scottish Building Standards Agency ( SBSA). The new system provides a flexible approach to regulation which takes Scottish building standards into the 21st century. Although more demanding in building performance, it is less prescriptive in the way that this is achieved, allowing more innovative approaches to building design.
A key success of architecture policy to date has been the way in which an increasing range of other Executive policy areas have been influenced in new ways by considerations of how we can achieve quality buildings and how good design can improve service delivery. It is our intention to further integrate architecture policy with our other priorities for government such as those on sustainable development, on health, on housing and regeneration; where the built environment is fundamental to the success of initiatives.
EMERGENCE OF OTHER KEY DRIVERS
Whilst many elements of successful architectural production can remain fairly constant, such as:- the important combination of briefing and the involvement and vision of the client/developer; the skill and creativity of the architect and the wider design team in meeting the demands of the brief; and the contribution of the contractor/builder - new challenges are also emerging which could have a fundamental impact on the way in which we design, construct, use and re-use the built environment.
A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
Sustainable development and mitigating climate change have moved further to the forefront of government and public concern since 2001, and sharp rises in fuel prices over recent years have contributed to a further sense of urgency for many. Unsurprisingly, therefore, sustainability was very high on the agenda of many respondees to the consultation.
'Choosing our future: Scotland's Sustainable Development Strategy' was published in December 2005 and sets out actions which we will take in Scotland to take forward shared priorities set out in the UK Framework for sustainable development, published earlier the same year. Following a formal review of the Executive's response to climate change, the Executive also published 'Changing Our Ways: Scotland's Climate Change Programme' in March 2006. This strengthens the original Programme, published in November 2000, and represents a stepping up of the Executive's ambition and action to tackle climate change.
The challenges of sustainable development and climate change establish a new and increasingly complex agenda for architecture. Decisions we take today about the design, construction and layout of the built environment will have a profound effect on whether we can achieve our objectives of building a sustainable future and how we conserve our existing resources. The way that our buildings perform can make a significant contribution to reducing CO2 emissions - and there is a real opportunity for clients, designers and the wider construction industry to work together in tackling one of the most important challenges that we face as a society.
We believe that good architecture and design can and must start to lead the way in addressing how a sustainable future can be successfully delivered. The 'Sust. The Lighthouse on Sustainability' initiative was the first mark of our commitment to align architecture policy with The Executive's wider sustainability aims. Sust. was developed in 2002 in order to raise professional and public awareness of the importance of design and the contribution that it can make in delivering a sustainable future. Sust. helps its clients to adopt a sustainable approach to design in the built environment and assists those responsible for designing and commissioning buildings to deliver buildings which meet the expectations of all involved.
MAKING BETTER PLACES
The importance of a wider urban and rural design agenda has emerged as a topic which this new policy statement needs to address, going beyond a concern that individual buildings respond to the challenges set out in 'Designing Places'. We need to consider how to achieve the quality of place-making required for the development of successful and sustainable neighbourhoods, villages, towns and cities across Scotland.
Great places are formed from far more than the individual buildings that they contain. Our best urban environments are created where an imaginative and appropriate design approach has been consistently applied to the relationship between buildings and the streets, squares, parks, waterways and other spaces which make up the public domain. Beautiful and functional towns, cities, villages and neighbourhoods do not happen by chance; they emerge because deliberate and careful design direction is given to urban growth, conservation and change. Places that are not designed in this way are unlikely to be successful and, as such, they will not produce sustainable outcomes - even if the individual buildings may be regarded as 'green'.
Good urban and rural design draw together the many strands of place-making and resolve often conflicting demands: planning and transportation policy, architectural design, landscape, engineering, social inclusion, development economics and responsibility to the environment - and integrate these to create inspiring places with character.
Our conference 'Urban Design: Time to take stock', which was held in February 2005, highlighted the progress being made to raise awareness of the value and importance of place-making and urban design across Scotland.
OUR KEY OBJECTIVES
In the written responses to the consultation, in public meetings, in the meetings of the Policy on Architecture Progress Group and in the debate in Parliament, five overarching themes dominated debate as priorities for future policy development. We have reviewed the 2001 policy objectives in order to respond to these emerging themes as follows:
1. Leadership and delivery: We will encourage the quality of new developments in both the public and private sectors to be of a standard that provides an outstanding legacy of well-designed new public buildings, schools, healthcare buildings, homes and neighbourhoods, streets squares and parks - contributing to the development of successful and sustainable places.
2. Cultural context: We will stimulate a cultural climate which acknowledges and appreciates the role of architecture and design in society, which provides a supportive framework for architectural debate and which encourages the widespread involvement of communities in their local built environments.
3. Education, skills and advocacy: We will take steps to put the right skills, tools and support mechanisms in place to ensure the obstacles and barriers that prevent or hinder the development of good quality sustainable built environments are tackled.
4. Sustainability, accessibility and inclusive design: We will strengthen the development of a built environment and architectural culture which embraces sustainable, inclusive and accessible design as key components of the development industry now and in the future.
5. Built heritage: We will encourage a better understanding of the role that our built heritage can play in shaping a sustainable future, and better connections between our past, present and future built environments.
The five sections of the policy statement follow this structure, and set out how we will tackle challenges in respect of each of these objectives. The statement also contains a series of case studies from the past five years which illustrate practical examples of ways in which good architecture and urban design can make a positive contribution to our cultural heritage, to regeneration, to sustainable development and to economic success as well providing a host of other linked benefits. The document ends with a summary of the actions which we will take to achieve the objectives set out above.
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