CABE is to expand its remit to encompass industrial buildings and business parks as well as town centre offices and large residential schemes.
The change follows the government’s last comprehensive spending review, in which funding for CABE was more than doubled.
CABE says that the change will enable it to act against “some of the very worst architecture in Britain”.
CABE will begin looking at business parks within the next 12 months, with chief executive Jon Rouse saying that it would soon be looking at industrial designs as well.
“There is no excuse for the poor quality of some of these developments,” he said.
CABE also announced that its joint urban panel with English Heritage (EH) will have a full roster of members within the next year.
The panel will include staff and commissioners from CABE and EH, giving developers and councils a single point of contact for advice on urban development.
References: EGi News 05/03/03
