CABE and Crossrail announced today that a special design review panel has been set up to provide expert advice on the quality of designs for new Crossrail stations, and the buildings above them, in London.

Crossrail, scheduled to open in 2017, is the largest single project in Transport for London’s investment programme, with funding of £15.9 billion which will be met by government, business and farepayers. It will have a major impact on London’s transport network by providing high-frequency rail access into and across London, running from Maidenhead and Heathrow through central London to Shenfield and Abbey Wood.

The new CABE panel will begin its work early in 2009 and will assess designs for new stations in prime locations: Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street, Whitechapel and Custom House.

The panel will be chaired by Les Sparks OBE, a former CABE commissioner who headed CABE’s national design review panel. Its vice-chair is Ken Shuttleworth, a CABE commissioner and founder of Make Architects, who also currently chairs CABE’s schools design panel. The panel also includes other members of CABE’s existing design review panels, together with other built environment experts.

Douglas Oakervee OBE, executive chairman of Cross London Rail Links (CLRL), said: "Crossrail is at the stage where we are ready for feedback and comment on our designs. We are an open project and will be using proven mechanisms in light of best practice to critically evaluate our scheme."