Build, build, build. The government is moving fast and breaking things again. The planning system is to be reformed. The red tape bonfire has

The Coronavirus Budget shouldn’t lose sight of the huge community challenges that need addressing.

Promoting the ‘value’ of development has been a standard approach for major projects for many years. But I’m getting the sense that its impact is on the wane, in the face of rising scepticism and changing views around what ‘value’ is.

What makes a successful place? A high quality physical environment is a good start; well-designed buildings sitting within plentiful green spaces, and streets laid out sympathetically for mixed use. But it is the community too; the people and the culture, that can give an area a distinct identity and consequently make it a place where people want to call home.

It’s rare that Government reports hit the aesthetic high notes, but the recent Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission report did just that. Brimming with vision and ambition, it called for a shake-up of the planning system and a commitment to beautiful homes in real communities.