Croydon appoints place review panel

Croydon Council has appointed a panel of experts to review and guide proposed developments in the borough. The council said the panel will ensure quality design and placemaking in all aspects of the built environment, including public realm, infrastructure and buildings. It said it will scrutinise and challenge design quality to create places that continue to attract investment and that people care about and want to spend time in. The independent place review panel will include architecture, design, regeneration and construction professionals. It will complement the services provided by the council’s spatial planning and development management teams. There will be one review day every month, with each review panel consisting of a chair and five panellists. The inaugural review will take place later this month. Council chief executive Jo Negrini added: “Good design relates to more than just architecture. The place review panel will oversee the development of the whole place with a view to improving the borough’s look and feel for those living, working and visiting the borough.” The chairs of the panel are Angela Brady of Brady Mallalieu, Neil Deely of Metropolitan Workshop and Oliver Richards of ORMS. The panellists are: • Hiro Aso, head of transport and Infrastructure, Gensler • David Bickle, director of design, exhibitions & futureplan, Victoria & Albert Museum, • Harbinder Birdi, partner, Hawkins Brown • Darryl Chen, partner, Hawkins Brown • Jim Coleman, head of economics, Buro Happold • Tom Coward, director, AOC, • Russell Curtis, founding director, RCKa • Nick Hayhurst, founding director, Hayhurst & Co • Wayne Hemingway, founder, Hemingway Design • Donald Hyslop, head of regeneration & community partnerships, Tate • Barbara Kaucky, founding director, Erect Architecture • Richard Lavington, founding partner, Maccreanor Lavington Architects • Holly Lewis, co-founding partner, We Made That • Laura Mazzeo, partner, Farrells • Jo McCafferty, director, Levitt Bernstein • Christopher McCarthy, managing director, Battle McCarthy • Tim Murphy, principle heritage consultant, Waterman Infrastructure • Hugh Pearman, journalist and editor of the RIBA Journal • Daniel Rea, co-founder, Periscope • Biljana Savic, director, Academy of Urbanism • Prisca Thielmann, associate director, Maccreanor Lavington • Glynn Tully, associate director, Levitt Bernstein • To send feedback, e-mail alex.peace@estatesgazette.com or tweet @egalexpeace or @estatesgazette