Northern Architecture - Promoting better places in the North East

Engineering timelines is an organisation with one main aim... to celebrate the engineering heritage that shapes the British Isles and beyond. It was the brainchild of structural engineer Mark Whitby. He was struck by the possibilities a website could offer for uncovering historical and geographical connections and coincidences in the story of a profession - engineering. The website was conceived as a means to link the engineering works that surround us today with the past out of which they were born. It continues to be developed as a research tool for students and enthusiasts alike.

Heritage Counts 2012 is the eleventh annual survey of the state of England?s historic environment. It is prepared by English Heritage on behalf of the North East Historic Environment Forum.

The Place Station: Transform your local area The Place Station introduces owners of land and buildings across the UK to people or local community groups with ideas for transforming their local area. The Place Station allows users to: · Search for land and buildings · Add a place you'd like to see owned and managed by the community · Add an idea for transforming local services · Propose new uses for available land and buildings · Establish community support to aid the prioritisation of assets of community value on formal lists held by local authorities · Comment on and offer to support an idea or proposal for a place

Design now has an even stronger role to play in the planning system, both in terms of plan making and decision taking. While the Government has announced a strategic review of guidance documents, there is a wealth of expertise and evidence on how best to achieve good quality design outcomes which are still relevant today. Design Council Cabe has commissioned a short ?wayfinding? document to help planners and others make the case for good design. This document is supported by the Planning Officers Society, RTPI, RIBA, and Landscape Institute. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), published in late March, makes it unambiguously clear that achieving design quality is an important part of good planning. The NPPF is deliberately short and has swept away other policy guidance, particularly PPS1, on design that has informed and influenced development plans and decisions on applications. In future planning authorities, applicants (and their advisers) and local communities will be expected to take responsibility for securing good design, and for taking the opportunities available to improve an area. The Design Wayfinder provides help for authorities, developers and communities. It identifies the main sources of guidance and best practice on good design, on robust local plan policies on design, and the type of analysis required to decide whether proposed development is acceptable.

Since April 2012, local communities are able to lead in the future planning of their area through the preparation of neighbourhood development plans. Whereas local authorities have led plan-making in the past, community development plans will be adopted if they receive a 50% 'yes' vote in a public referendum. This guide gives a concise summary of the process of neighbourhood planning together with suggestions for best practice.