UDAL aims to work with all parties concerned with the built environment central and local government, local communities, the business community, property developers and investors and the professions. Urban design provides a means of improving the quality of people s lives through the creation and subsequent maintenance of liveable and sustainable environments. Its principles can be applied in the countryside as well as in towns and cities and are relevant both to existing and new development. As the appearance and treatment of the spaces between and around buildings is often of comparable importance to the design of the buildings themselves, the Guidance also states that landscape design should be considered as an integral part of urban design. Urban design is not simply concerned with new development but also with the maintenance and enhancement of existing development.
Many benefits can flow from urban design.
Through its emphasis on quality in development it can also help to secure continued public acceptance of necessary new development. All of the bodies participating in the Alliance share a belief in the crucial importance that urban design can play in the wider urban agenda of making our cities, towns and villages more liveable and enjoyable places. They recognise, too, that urban design is a matter which crosses many professional boundaries and must, therefore, be a shared responsibility. Show how paying attention to urban design can deliver better value and quality Engage communities in the understanding and application of good urban design Enhance the public s understanding and perception of urban design issues Seek higher standards in the practice of urban design Achieve a higher degree of understanding and co-operation between the professions engaged in various aspects of urban design. Promote the involvement of local communities, local businesses and individual members of the public in the urban design process.