The government’s pledge to build 1.5 million new homes over the course of this parliament is one of the most far-reaching housing commitments in recent memory. But, after years of often empty promises on housing targets and recent news that planning approvals have hit historic lows, there is understandable scepticism about whether the government can deliver.

Meanwhile, far too much new housing that does get built is repetitive, car-dependent and lacks a sense of place or community. Most of it is still shaped by the volume housebuilders, with placemaking often the first casualty of building at speed and scale. 

Architects are involved in the design of fewer than one in 10 new homes – a striking absence from a process that should be centred on the creation of well-planned, enduring places.

Today BD is launching a new campaign that asks a simple question: how can we raise the bar on housing quality while meeting the government’s ambitious targets? Drawing on insight from a panel of leading architects and built environment professionals, Designing Tomorrow’s Housing seeks to put design and placemaking at the centre of the housing conversation.

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