Elite Core of Architects Should Make Planning Decisions

Britain's planning process is broken, says Levete, and 'experience, talent and intellect' should be allowed to decide over democratic process when it comes to what gets built.

Levete writes, "As it stands, planning officers make a recommendation to councillors who are certainly not elected on the basis of their knowledge, education or experience in the field of design. The councillors have the power to overturn the considered opinion of their officers. You can call this local democracy and power to the people, but democracy is not an end in itself, particularly when it is used for party advantage, and in doing so misses the big picture and bigger opportunities."