Oakferry Ltd., Warminster, Wiltshire Walcot Reclamation, Walcot St., Bath Architectural Heritage, Boddington Manor nr. Cheltenham, Gloucs. Local authorities running their own salvage schemes include the GLC Historic Buildings Division, Cardiff City Council, Derbyshire County Council; some local amenity societies also run salvage schemes. POINT OFVIEW DESIGN CONTROLIS ESSENTIAL Contributed by David Stenning of Essex County Planning Department It has always seemed to me that the most powerful argument against design control is that directed towards its relative ineffectiveness. I am sure there is a case for arguing that post-1947 planning control works less well, from this point of view, than historic aesthetic restraints. When one remembers that the creation of 18th century Paris,or Edinburgh Newtown, was subject to such control, then the case seems very strong. Mediaeval buildings are strikingly sim- • ilar in design, despite regional variations and gradual social change. This remarkable uniformity seems to have been the result of the craft guild organisation and its tendency to limit innovation in its desire to seek dependable quality. Despite the decline of the guilds, the effects of craft dominance lingered on to the end of the 17th century. The emergence of the wealthy patron, (usually aristocratic), with his professional architect, eventually changed all that. The so-called 'rule of taste', when a small elite totally dominated building practice, had surprisingly similar effects. The wide dissemination of pattern books, 5 and the London Building Act, merely aided this process and tended to encourage uniformity. Only a Horace Walpole, with wealth and aristocratic connections, could 'rebel' to some effect; and even then remained within the overall cultural context. During the 19th century, the pattern of patronage broadened, leading to an increasing diversity of aim. This gradual collapse of consensus opinion eventually led to visual anarchy, and the worst eras of uncivilized building that have ever been known. One must remember that although these early forms of aesthetic restraint were undoubtedly crude and limiting, they helped to produce our delightful historic towns. Present day planning control is therefore just the latest manifestation in a long history of social adjudication, limiting the rights of the individual in the interests of securing the public good. As we are all aware, the architectural profession continually attacks design control, with the avowed intention of achieving its abolition. The hysterical cries of 'censorship' can be very persuasive, despite efforts to make a black and white case out of obviously grey issues. So far, the pressure has been resisted, but the process itself has dire consequences. For me, this is a major reason why design control is lacking in effectiveness. From top to bottom, the planning world feels nervous about design control. This state of unease and embarrassment affects many protagonists, and tends to express itself in strange and contradictory decisions, Surely we are all, when we conduct our affairs properly, part of an eminently respectable tradition that has done much to maintain design standards? I believe that we should all be addressing ourselves to the problem, to achieve a public re-evaluation of design control, as a civilized, positive, and necessary process. David Stenning
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