I understand from Kathy Hasler at The Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment that she has been in touch with you in the last days to invite your Secretary of State to attend a conference to be hosted by the Foundation at Shoreditch on Thursday, 18 November entitled "Local Identity in a Fast Track Age". The aim of the day is to create a set of practical recommendations on how to balance local identity with the need for more efficient, low-cost, fast-track production techniques for housing.
Knowing the Secretary of State's interest in, and recognition of, 'local identity', The Prince of Wales thought that the Minister might welcome an invitation to join the delegates for some, or all, of the event to provide a perspective on this specific and vital aspect of urban design. Indeed, His Royal Highness wondered whether the Secretary of State might wish to say a few words, say 3-4 minutes' duration, on her perspective immediately before his Royal Highness speaks?
Last year, the Foundation hosted a similar conference at which the Deputy Prime Minister spoke; that conference lead to a positive partnership working between the ODPM and the Foundation, as well as an urban design skills training workshop which is now successfully touring seven of the Regional Development Agencies. The conference this year will be attended by 100 or so senior practitioners in urban design and architecture, including leaders of the RDAs and Government agencies, NGOs, house-builders and developers; I have asked Kathy to send you some further details.
I know the Prince of Wales would be delighted if the Secretary of State were able to attend perhaps the afternoon session of the conference when he is present and I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience once you have had a moment to discuss it with your Minister. I should also indicated that His Royal Highness has also asked me to invite the Minister for Housing and Planning, Keith Hill MP (whom he met recently when he showed the Minister around Poundbury) given his policy responsibilities and I am waiting to hear from his Private Office to see if that is possible.
