The task of Design Champions, at councillor and officer level is to raise and maintain a high profile for quality design in the built environment within their organisations and localities and ensure the inclusion of quality design considerations within relevant strategy, policy and development documents.

Over 80 local authorities already have a design champion but the Civic Trust would like to see all 354 local authorities sign up to this initiative and encourage excellence in design.

Do you think the Design Champion Initiative is working? Could Local Authorities do more to promote it? Do you even know who your Design Champion is? Discuss this here!

I considered this a fantastic idea from the moment I heard it (despite the sad reflection on society we need this kind of ‘policing’). Too often one despairs at the unimaginative, uninspiring buildings erected that manage to insult both the local community and its heritage. It is not modern buildings erected within historic areas that lead many society members to despair, it is blandness being allowed to erode the character of place.

Does the Civic Trust directly communicate the benefits and role of Design Champions to LAs? If not can it? (With government support?)

What can local civic societies do to help?

I would support a Civic Trust campaign on this issue including training and publications.

The local authority do not really see the benefit in doing this.

This is similar to a post I have just asked regarding Heritage Champions in the Heritage and Culture section. I do not know if we have a Design Champion, but the benefits are clear to see for why we should have a Champion for the Built Environment.

I do not know if is a bad error on the part of the Civic Society that we do not know or if it is a bad part on the Local Authority for telling us. You would not guess we have Committee members at nearly every planning meeting!!

What can local civic societies do to help campaign on this issue?