The head of one of the UK’s leading housing associations has warned that misguided attempts to implement a “beautiful buildings” policy in the wake of recommendations by the government-backed Building Better, Building Beautiful commission could result in disastrous developments.

Paul Hackett, chief executive of Optivo, said the underlying emphasis on style in the BBBB commission’s interim report, published earlier this month, rather than what makes places work was worrying. “Style wars are deeply unhelpful. We’ve seen in the past how people get hung up on style.”