Built Environment Committee

The Built Environment Committee in the House of Lords examines policy and practice across architecture, planning, construction and the design of public spaces. Operating as a select committee, it conducts inquiries through oral evidence sessions with witnesses from government, industry and civil society. The committee has focused sustained attention on the government's new towns programme, examining implementation in specific locations including Enfield and Adlington, with particular emphasis on inclusive design principles and the role of social infrastructure in fostering community and cultural life. It has also investigated how the built environment sector develops its workforce, scrutinising curriculum design and career pathways in built environment education. More recently the committee has explored youth engagement in placemaking processes, recognising the importance of involving younger generations in decisions that shape their local environments. Throughout these inquiries the committee has taken evidence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government alongside practitioners and stakeholders across the sector.