Two extra categories in housing awards

Regeneration & Renewal, 16 May 2008

The "contributing to wider community agendas" category will reward housing-led projects which can demonstrate that they have helped to support educational attainment, promoted financial inclusion or tackled worklessness.

The "delivering customer-driven services" category will recognise organisations that have developed innovative and effective ways of ensuring that residents' aspirations are taken into account when planning future service provision.

The closing date for entries for the awards - now in their 12th year - is 4 July. For further information, contact Marion Conlon on (tel) 024 7685 1794 or (email) ukha@cih.org

Guide to improving public realm design

A guide on how regeneration practitioners in the North-West can improve the quality of public spaces in the region has been jointly published by sector skills body Renew North-West and the North-West Regional Development Agency (NWDA).

The guide has been produced in response to the region's economic strategy, published in 2006, which argued that creating quality public spaces is vital to boosting economic performance.

Using case studies of high-quality public realm projects from across the North-West, the guide identifies principles that can be used when considering public realm improvements, whether they are in city centres or in smaller community spaces.

NWDA chief executive Steven Broomhead said: "Investing in the quality of the region's public realm and green spaces is essential for encouraging private sector investment, as well as improving the region's image as a place to live and work.

"This document aims to inspire those responsible for designing, procuring, managing and investing in our public spaces to raise their aspirations."

- Creating Inspirational Spaces: A Guide for Quality Public Realm in the North-West is available via www.regen.net/doc.