16 June 2008
Two A+DS Advisory Board Members have taken part in the ‘Taking Stock' Planning Conference held today in Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh.Graham Ross delivered a short lecture for the assembled delegates on the ‘design professionals' view' of the planning system and Lori McElroy was a participant on the Conference's panel held at the end of the vent.
Graham said that the conference provided an opportunity to "examine the concept that design is a ‘material consideration' in planning decisions. To discuss whether this was an area that was being fully explored by local authorities and to question whether more can be done to ensure that design is taken seriously in the planning system."
Lori highlighted in her responses the link between sustainability and design stating "when people discuss sustainability of project but don`t make reference to design it makes no sense. Design and sustainability are inextricably linked and I`ve been heartened that today's delegates are now beginning to take this agenda seriously".
Other participants to the conference included Partick Harvie MSP, Petra Biberbach of Planning Aid Scotland and Helen McDale of the John Muir Trust.