Credibility of body in big doubt

I am grateful to Andy Geddes for raising the question of design in his letter about the co-location of Shrewsbury's two post-16 colleges (Star, March 3).

In case anyone has failed to notice, Mr Geddes is opposed to the co-location and will use any argument that comes along to that end.

He quotes at length from the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (Cabe), which he says finds our designs "mediocre". The implication here is that there must be something wrong.

It turns out that we are in good educational company.

The website of Building Design magazine reports that 10 school building projects that Cabe branded "mediocre" and "unfit for purpose" have all received planning approval, with only one having any significant design changes.

The magazine says this raises "serious questions over the advisory body's credibility".

Having experienced the process, I agree. Our buildings have been designed from the inside out, based on the needs of those who will use them. Our designers spent months consulting with staff about this.

The architect who designed one of the 10 schools says: "Cabe has an hour to assess the project without the project architect even being there, and then it makes this sweeping judgment."

Cabe is given the opportunity to respond and, not surprisingly, sticks to its guns and seeks to justify its existence. Cabe's credibility is seriously in doubt.

Greg Molan, Principal, Shrewsbury College of Arts & Technology