Lede
We used to climb for a view. Now we climb to find one.

What does not make sense

• Cathedrals and skylines designed to be seen, walled off by speculative slabs.
• “World-class placemaking” that forgets the place you can actually see.
• Heritage plaques at eye level; 30 storeys of indifference above.
• “Right to light” studies waved through while streets turn grey at noon.
• Cities that protect views on paper, then cash them in at committee.

Sense check / The numbers

1. London designates 13 “Protected Vistas” (e.g., St Paul’s, Palace of Westminster) with formal viewing corridors. This exists because sightlines matter to a city’s identity.
2. Birmingham’s planning sets guidance for tall buildings in the city centre, referencing skyline landmarks like St Philip’s Cathedral — but policy and practice often lean pro-tower.
3. UK planning routinely uses BRE 209 daylight & sunlight guidance; if you’re harming light, you’re meant to prove you aren’t. Many schemes still pass with “acceptable” loss.
4. Evidence keeps piling up: access to nature and open sky improves mental health. Block it, people pay the price.
5. St Philip’s and its environs are a designated conservation area — the clue is in the word “conserve.”

The sketch

• Scene one: On a hill, a family points to a cathedral spire. A developer crane slides a glass wall in front of it. Caption: “Progress.”
• Scene two: Planning meeting. A slide reads “View: Not Material.” The public gallery holds photographs of the vanished skyline.
• Scene three: Back on the promontory. Same spot, new vista: a keyhole of sky between two towers. The caption says, “Heritage: now with options.”

What to watch, not the show

• “Iconic” claims that ignore where icons are meant to be seen from.
• View corridors drafted, then diluted line by line.
• Daylight reports that average away human experience.
• “Activation” at ground level that’s just a coffee chain and a wind tunnel.
• Public value measured only after the pre-lets are signed.

The Hermit take

A city that hides its landmarks hides its soul.
Keep the sightlines, or keep the marketing — pick one.

Keep or toss

Keep the scenic views of Birmingham – St Philip’s Cathedral. Toss the marketing gloss and the towers that box it in like a trapped relic.

Sources

GLA – London View Management Framework (Protected Vistas): https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/planning/implementing-london-plan/london-plan-guidance-and-spgs/london-view-management
GLA/Tower Hamlets – LVMF SPG (explains the 13 Protected Vistas): https://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/Documents/Planning-and-building-control/Strategic-Planning/Local-Plan/Submission_2018/London_View_Management_Framework_Part_1_GLA_2012.pdf
Birmingham City – Big City Plan (tall buildings, skyline references incl. St Philip’s): https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/1024/big_city_plan_part_1.pdf
Birmingham City – Design/heritage guidance (tall buildings and historic environment): https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/24176/design_guide_spd_consultation_statement.pdf
BD Online – Opinion on Birmingham’s tall-building free-for-all: https://www.bdonline.co.uk/opinion/birminghams-tall-buildings-policy-is-in-danger-of-becoming-a-free-for-all/5122996.article
BRE 209 – Daylight and Sunlight (planning guidance overview): https://tools.bregroup.com/certifiedthermalproducts/page.jsp?id=3792
RICS – Daylighting and sunlighting (use of BRE 209 in practice): https://www.rics.org/profession-standards/rics-standards-and-guidance/sector-standards/land-standards/daylighting-sunlighting
Birmingham – Colmore Row & Environs Conservation Area (incl. St Philip’s Cathedral): https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/866/colmore_row_and_environs_conservation_area_character_appraisal_and_management_plan.pdf
WHO Europe – Urban green spaces and health (evidence review): https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/345751
TIME – Greening vacant lots improved mental health (JAMA study summary): https://time.com/5341975/urban-greening-depression-study/