Welcome to the Autumn edition of the MAG Newsletter
MAG have continued to be busy throughout the summer of 2022. Below is a summary of some of the areas of work we would like to highlight to you.
Children walking to school as part of the Walking Bus Pilot in North Belfast
North Belfast Walking Bus Project involvement by MAG
This project involved four primary schools in North Belfast. At the initial visits to each school, we observed the congestion, chaos and conflicts related to the children’s arrival at each school’s entrances in the morning, mostly by car. MAG noted that all four schools have limited existing cycling infrastructure or indeed space for new provision. All have busy roads beside or close by.
However, all four schools were keen to promote and encourage active travel and the concept of walking buses was put forward. This involves organised groups of children meeting at predetermined locations or joining along designated routes and walking to school, managed by staff and parents.
MAG arranged for Sustrans (the UK walking, wheeling and cycling charity, and the custodian of the National Cycle Network) to illustrate the practicalities of walking buses from work they have been involved in with Portadown Integrated Primary School over the last few years. MAG then worked with the schools to help identify potential walking bus routes based on an analysis of where children attending each school lived. MAG also developed a matrix to help identify the desired physical requirements of meeting places. We then attended the launch of the walking buses and project review meeting.
Following the launch, MAG is delighted to report that the North Belfast Walking Bus Project has been tremendously successful, and a report which highlights its success has been circulated by our lead partner Belfast Healthy City. The report can be accessed through the link below.
There is now a desire to both continue the Walking Buses with the schools involved, and a wider aspiration to extend this project to other places.
MAG Design Review Workshops for Councils
The design review workshops introduced the benefits of design review in the two forms that MAG can facilitate: briefing workshops and project reviews. We hope that the presentations also helped to build more understanding of the review process and particularly the timing of reviews. MAG is able to call on the independent expertise of forty advisors many of whom are actively involved in design review in the other three national design advisory groups in the UK.
The range of expertise covers infrastructure, place-making, landscape and public realm design and the workshops were a good opportunity to talk around many of the factors and agencies that influence good design. A Q&A session at each workshop revealed the diverse interests of the Councils and challenges that they are beginning to identify within a rapidly evolving context.
The complete Q&A Report can be accessed via the link button below. It covers a wide range of topics – from the procedural and technical aspects of design reviews, through the importance of their timing and scope, to their value and significance in the planning process.
A key message from MAG is to build-in briefing workshops and design reviews at a helpful time for a project and the project team. It’s not our job to either criticise or validate projects as they come to important milestones, but to be a positive influence, supporting decision making for long term benefit, both for immediate partners and more widely to secure the best possible legacy.
Belfast City Council Consultation on Strategic Planning Policy
MAG welcomed the opportunity to review the Draft Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) issued by Belfast City Council. The suite of guidance is the result of several years’ work by the council in accordance with the commitment given within the Draft Plan Strategy for Belfast. The council offered open stakeholder engagement throughout the drafting of the Local Development Plan and Supplementary Guidance.
The Supplementary Planning Guidance will support and clarify the policies set out within the Local Development Plan and will be a valuable reference. In particular, the development of an Urban Design and Placemaking Strategy for Belfast is an essential element in the creation and maintenance of a vibrant and sustainable city. Other issues addressed by the guidance include Masterplanning Approach for Major Development, Tall Buildings and Residential design.
MAG would be delighted to provide assistance and advice to other Councils upon request. Please contact the MAG Secretariat for additional information.
Design Economy - People, Places and Economic Value
Andrew Haley as Chair of MAG is one of the four heads of national organisations across the UK that take an overview of issues associated with influencing improved quality of design in the built environment. Andrew meets regularly with counterparts in the Design Council, Design Commission for Wales and Architecture + Design Scotland to share knowledge and to seek, by working together to have an amplified voice on key issues.
The Design Council has a somewhat broader remit than the other organisations, with an involvement beyond the built environment, encompassing all forms of design of products and systems. It is in that capacity that they were keen to initiate a programme of research, focussing on the design economy, of which the built environment is a key component. Andrew has been part of the Steering Group for Design Economy 21, which recently published its findings.
Being part of the programme has been a remarkable experience, gaining insights into the breadth of the design economy. With a GVA value of £97.4 billion to the UK economy and with 1.97 million workers, it is evident that together we have the capacity to deliver change on a massive scale, which is essential if we are to address the big challenges of our time; the Climate Crisis, our collective and societal well-being and the difficulties facing our economy.
The research highlighted the stand-out role of digital creatives in Northern Ireland, which provides a strong base for consolidation. Whilst there are many valuable insights that we can take from the work, an issue that we do need to be mindful of is the lack of diversity across the design industry. From pathways into careers, through mentoring and encouragement at all stages, there is much that needs to be done on that front, if we are to have a design workforce that is reflective of society.
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