David Birkbeck is the chief executive of Design for Homes, a social enterprise based in Saffron Walden which campaigns for homes to be better designed and produced in greater volumes.

David co-authored Building for a Healthy Life, commissioned by NHS to improve health outcomes in new-build communities which is promoted in the NPPF.

David has been the Housing Design Awards’ director since 2005. An honorary fellow of RIBA, he has served on the design advisory board to the Homes and Communities Agency, as well as the design review panels for both the cities of Oxford and Cambridge. Published works include Car Parking: What Works Where and he had a hand in the HAPPI report which identified how to make developments designed for seniors better places to live.