If you've lost count of all the government's myriad design bodies, here's a handy guide

At a time when our parliament鈥檚 reputation is at an all-time low thanks to its cavalier spending of taxpayers鈥� money, it鈥檚 worth remembering exactly what else the government pours its money into 鈥� overstuffed quangos. For some reason, the design community appears to have a surfeit of these.

For example, on the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) website, under the heading 鈥淩esources to deliver good urban design鈥�, you will find a number of different bodies dedicated to promoting design quality. I thought it might be informative to look a little bit closer at some of the crossovers:

Design and Sustainable Development Team


The HCA assures us that the DSDT will work to create a 鈥渉armonised set of core standards鈥� by April 2011 to 鈥渟et a threshold on design and sustainable development鈥�. How will it do this? By 鈥渃onsultation and collaboration with partners and key stakeholders鈥� which includes 鈥� Cabe. Er, isn鈥檛 this exactly what Cabe is doing?

ATLAS


The Advisory Team for Large Applications has a website all of its own, with a 鈥淧rocess Zone鈥� that explains all you need to know about applying for a large scale planning application. But why take it from the website when you can ask one of ATLAS鈥� three teams in Milton Keynes, Ashford and Bristol? Above all, ATLAS highlights 鈥渢he need for active stakeholder involvement and support through a collaborative design approach鈥�. With, no doubt, the Design and Sustainable Development Team, Cabe, and the National Consultancy Unit.

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