Pictured: Julie Tanner, Chief Executive of OPUN
OPUN, the Leicester-based Architecture Centre for the East
Midlands, welcomes the endorsement of its services in a recently
published assessment of its sponsor organisation and funder, Design
Council Cabe.
The Bishop Review, commissioned by Government earlier this year,
undertook an independent analysis of Design Council Cabe's role in
light of its merger and the proposed changes to the planning system
in England.
Led by Peter Bishop, visiting professor in Architecture and the
Built Environment at Nottingham Trent University, the review
concluded that affiliated design review services, such as those
offered by OPUN, are vital in the changing landscape of design
support.
Julie Tanner, Chief Executive of OPUN, welcomed the findings,
saying: "The timely completion of the Bishop Review means that a
strong case has been made in terms of how design should be built
into the planning system. We're delighted that our contribution as
one of Design Council Cabe's key partners has been
recognised.
"OPUN's Design Review Panel plays an important role in providing
built environment expertise and advice to local authorities,
developers and communities so that the buildings and places we
create meet the social, environmental and economic aspirations of
local people.
"More schemes continue to be put forward for Design Review in
the East Midlands, which is evidence that our clients see it as a
useful, independent tool. OPUN adds value by assisting with
community engagement and speeding up the planning application
process to ensure developments are designed to a quality standard
and will meet the aspirations of people who will ultimately use
them."
This positive assessment of OPUN's services comes not long after
the organisation received confirmation that its bid to become a
registered charity was successful. Achieving charitable status puts
OPUN in a stronger position to extend its funding sources and make
its money go further as an independent, not-for-profit body.
Julie added: "Achieving charitable status means we can attract
financial support and sponsorship that we wouldn't have been able
to access under our previous business model. At a time of
challenging public resources, this outcome - coupled with the
positive findings of the Bishop Review - is a positive step in
securing our future."
OPUN is located at De Montfort University, and exists to improve
the quality of building design across the East Midlands and create
better, sustainable and prosperous places.
The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE)
and the Design Council merged in April 2011 to become Design
Council Cabe, due to budget cuts and a challenging economic climate
in which many Government funded bodies now operate.