Urban Splash’s Johnson named in HCA advisory group

Nick Johnson, deputy chief executive of Urban Splash, has been appointed by the Homes & Communities Agency to advise on its design and sustainability policy.

Johnson has been named as one of six people within the advisory group responsible for helping the HCA to meet its statutory objectives for design and sustainability in development.

The other members include:

• David Birkbeck, chief executive of London-based Design for Homes
• Andrew Drury, managing director of West Yorkshire's housing consultancy HATC
• Tom Jestico, architect and founder of London-based Jestico Whiles
• James Pargeter, partner at Drivers Jonas, based in London
• Neil Smith, group head of research and innovation at the National House-Building Council, based in London

The HCA is working towards developing a set of design and quality standards, which will be published for consultation in Summer 2009.

Currently, development partners are required to achieve the ex-Housing Corporation design standards and ex-English Partnerships quality standards for schemes on its land.

Dru Vesty will chair the Design and Sustainability Advisory Group.