Office for Place
[edit] Closure
On 13 November 2024, it was announced that The Office for Place would be closed down and the expertise of its staff redeployed within the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government across the country, where support for design and placemaking would continue.
A ministerial statement by Matthew Pennycook, Minister of State for Housing and Planning, said:
|
Alongside spending decisions taken at the Budget and the re-setting of departmental budgets, the Deputy Prime Minister and I have, however, concluded that support to improve the quality and design of new homes and places can be more efficiently and effectively delivered by the Department itself. The Office for Place will therefore be closed down and the expertise of its staff redeployed within the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), across the country. I would like to reassure the House that this will not impact on wider government commitments to Stoke-on-Trent, including the award of £19.8 million for their Levelling Up Partnerships programme. In taking the decision to wind up the Office for Place, the government is not downgrading the importance of good design and placemaking, or the role of design coding in improving the quality of development. Rather, by drawing expertise and responsibility back into MHCLG, I want the pursuit of good design and placemaking to be a fully integrated consideration as the government reforms the planning system, rolls out digital local plans and provides support to local authorities and strategic planning authorities. I also believe that embedding this work within MHCLG will allow experience to be better reflected in decision-making, as well as integrated within an existing delivery team in Homes England already focused on design and placemaking. It will also ensure continuity of current Office for Place key activities, including support for Pathfinder authorities who received a share of £1 million to produce exemplar design codes, alongside work on digital design codes and funding to support local and regional urban design best practice and skills. The government regards improving the design and quality of the homes and neighbourhoods we will build over the coming years as conducive to, rather than in tension with, our ambition to significantly increase housing supply, and we have put in place the necessary policy and delivery framework to ensure we deliver on both objectives. |
Ref https://www.gov.uk/government/news/closure-of-the-office-for-place
[edit] History
On 20 July 2021, the government announced the creation of an Office for Place.
The government’s ‘Planning for the Future’ proposals set out a package of reforms for a faster, simpler planning system, proposing that local authorities introduce local design codes giving communities control over what is built in their areas. In addition government published revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework and the National Model Design Code.
To support the use of design codes the government created the Office for Place within the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. This was intended to support communities to turn their visions into local standards that all new buildings will be required to meet.
The Office for Place was advised by a board of experts from the planning and development industry:
- Nicholas Boys Smith (Chair)
- Vidhya Alakeson (Deputy Chair)
- Robert Adam
- Andrew Cameron
- Rt Hon Ben Gummer
- Sir John Hayes MP (Parliamentary representative)
- Victoria Hills
- Esther Kurland
- Paul Monaghan
- Ben Page
- AdrianPenfold (OBE)
- Anna Rose
- Stephen Stone
In 2021, it was supporting around 20 communities piloting the National Model Design Code through training on the principles it outlines. The Government was considering whether to establish the Office for Place as an independent body, informed by responses to the planning reform consultation.
Nicholas Boys Smith, Chair of the Advisory Board for the Office for Place, said: "I am delighted to be Chairing the Advisory Board of the Office for Place. Britain has created and is creating some of the best developments in the world. But the quality achieved remains stubbornly inconsistent. We must do better, more often for the benefit of communities, to contribute to the economic success of our towns and cities and to look after our planet... Our vision is to help families, neighbourhoods, councils, landowners, housebuilders and developers more easily create places in which our communities can prosper. The Office for Place aims to encourage the British design and development industries to be the best ‘place-makers’ in the world aided by improving data on the discoverable links between place with happiness, health, popularity and sustainability."
See also: Robert Jenrick MP 21 July 2021 speech on the launch of the Office for Place, new National Model Design Code and revised National Planning Policy Framework at the Policy Exchange webinar on Building Beautiful Places. https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/office-for-place-launch
It was announced in July 2023 that the Office for Place, then a small team in the then Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, would become an arm’s length body to be based in Stoke-on-Trent.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Build back better.
- Building Beautiful Places plan.
- Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission interim report.
- Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission.
- Future Homes Standard.
- Government Construction Strategy.
- National design guide.
- National Model Design Code
- National planning policy framework NPPF.
- Pilot programme for National Model Design Code NMDC.
Featured articles and news
A UK training and membership provider for mould remediation professionals.
Building Safety recap April, 2026
A short and longer run-through of the month, with links to further information and sources.
CIAT May 2026 briefing.
Independent NSI and BAFE study exploring how organisations are changing the way they buy fire safety services.
From medieval scribes to modern word art.
ECA welcomes crackdown on late payment and push for clean energy, whilst CIOB seek fixed cladding removal timeframes.
Cyber Security in the Built Environment
Protecting projects, data, and digital assets: A CIOB Academy TIS.
Managing competence in the built environment
ITFG publishes new industry guide on how to meet the ICC principles.
The UK's campaign to reduce noise pollution: Mythbusting, articles and topic guides.
Setting Expectations on Competence Management
Industry Competence Committee.
New Scottish and Welsh governments
CIOB stresses importance of construction after new parliament elections.
The sad story of Derby Hippodrome
An historic building left to decay.
ECA, JIB and JTL back Fabian Society call to invest in skills for a stronger built environment workforce.
Women's Contributions to the Built Environment.
Calls for the delayed Circular Economy Strategy
Over 50 leading businesses, trade associations and professional bodies, including CIAT, and UKGBC sign open letter.
The future workforce: culture change and skill
Under the spotlight at UK Construction Week London.
A landmark moment for postmodern heritage.