Look! St. Albans

Look! St Albans - Our Community Voice on Design working in the spirit of Neighbourhood Planning

[Look! St. Albans @LookStAlbans]

We'rea community group that promotes #CommunityEngagement on significant developments in #StAlbansDistrict We take a #collaborative approach to leave a legacy we all can all be proud of Look! remains impartial but facilitates a design charrette process to incorporate all opinions

[Vanessa Gregory @VanessaStAlbans]

Objections to the proposal to knock down a much missed historic hotel in Chiswell Green has officially ended. Basic reason for demolition is for access to a larger site. I don't object to homes, but this is a lazy way of providing them. Here is my take.
https://t.co/hcbsfThyDv

[Vanessa Gregory @VanessaStAlbans]

I count myself lucky having learnt through Sir David since the days of black and white TV what a truly amazing natural world we have and how it is incumbent on all of us to tread lightly and in harmony with nature.

[Look! St. Albans @LookStAlbans]

Sadly despite our best efforts #StAlbans Council with a considerable housing targets, hasn't taken local design codes as a useful took to retain local distinctive character. Are we St Albans or gradually decending into St Anywhere?

[createstreets @createstreets]

To the English councils following us, what are you doing about higher housing targets? @boys_nicholas sets out the increasingly common Create Streets approach to more homes on less land with popular support

[Vanessa Gregory @VanessaStAlbans]

What a surprise. Humans are hard wired to appreciate beauty, from the first face we see when born to homes we draw at school. Well at least those who have the privilege of living in traditionally built homes.

[Vanessa Gregory @VanessaStAlbans]

Unless you are #StAlbans who in their still draft Local Plan leaves design codes to the developer of each site. Hardly any do. An enlightened developer recently had a planning application turned down as his design codes were classed as too 'prescriptive' by local authority.

[createstreets @createstreets]

Apparently £600m is being spent on this giant lump. The best part of a billion pounds to make London uglier. What a depressing misallocation of treasure.

[createstreets @createstreets]

The re-stitching and rebuilding of Dresden is one of the great stories of European civilisation of the last 20 years, staggeringly little known in Britain. All driven by popular preferences in the face of architectural resistance.

[createstreets @createstreets]

Only 2% of British trust developers to improve existing places. 7% trust planners. If we're to fall back in love with future & improve productivity & beauty of our towns & cities, we need to re-learn how to create new buildings which public can instinctively accept, not reject...

[Vanessa Gregory @VanessaStAlbans]

@createstreets @StAlbansCouncil @hertscc Thank you. Unfortunately, I've had to take an unexpectedly prolonged sabbatical from @LookStAlbans . However, to quote from a former Californian governor, I'll be back!

[createstreets @createstreets]

A pristine example of knowing the price of everything & the value of nothing

Had the council cared a little more about place & sanctity (read @JonHaidt & @boys_nicholas) & a little less about avoiding all conceivable risk they might have behaved less wastefully.

[Nicholas Boys Smith @boys_nicholas]

When it comes to design, trust the people.

[Vanessa Gregory @VanessaStAlbans]

How do YOU feel about the buildings where YOU live? Yes YOU! Although sometimes it feels hard to believe but your views should and do count. #Humanise https://t.co/carhQbSofK

[Vanessa Gregory @VanessaStAlbans]

I know when a friend bothers to send me a photo of a beautiful manhole cover they came upon in Chiba city Japan today, that we both really appreciate delightful surprises in the public realm. Why do we in this country mostly put up with ****?

[createstreets @createstreets]

Why do some places stall while others thrive?
Because a vague guide delays.
A good design code speeds up good development - by being crystal clear about what’s allowed and de-risking the right homes in the right places. https://t.co/eMSdumkYkg

[Vanessa Gregory @VanessaStAlbans]

Pope puts architect Antoni Gaudí on path to sainthood. The Vatican has put Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí on the path to sainthood in recognition of his "heroic virtues". #Beauty nourishes the soul, but let's not overlook what it does for us physically.
https://t.co/K1CZcKXRDh

[Charles Campion @charliecampion]

“Showing off the power of co-design & co-production & what it can do!” - delighted to be at UCL Bartlett / The Glass-House Healthy City event this evening led by Sophia de Sousa & Lucy Natarajan and facilitated by Bartlett students on themes Community, Polity, Ecology & Practice

[Vanessa Gregory @VanessaStAlbans]

Completely and utterly avoidable. Yet too many councils shy away from #designcodes #StAlbans has a starter pack available community led. @LookStAlbans https://t.co/bO8IfFtG6I

[Vanessa Gregory @VanessaStAlbans]

Hertfordshire can do it, but seemingly not in historic #StAlbans home of CLASH, RAGE, STRIFE & Keep Chiswell Green. If only people could be persuaded to change their mindset to ensuring any new homes are in harmony with the area. Embrace #designcodes & real community engagement.

[Vanessa Gregory @VanessaStAlbans]

20th Jan St Albans 1896 Plans get underway for the proposed County Museum on Hatfield Rd. In 2014 a community charrette arranged by @LookStAlbans produced a design concept using design codes for next chapter of the building’s life, new homes The New Museum today in Old Town Hall

[Nicholas Boys Smith @boys_nicholas]

Do the top. Not the bottom.