The future shape of the built environment in Wycombe will determine whether the town is a vibrant place to live and work or whether it misses the opportunity to stand out on the map.

With so much competition from neighbouring centres, Wycombe can't afford to mess up. Which is why for the past three years, the district council policy makers have sought wider opinions on the subject of urban living from groups and individuals with divergent views to bring to the forum.

Back in May this year, representatives from residents' associations and parish councils joined architects, developers, lawyers, crime prevention experts, landscapers, parish councillors, conservation experts, district councillors and planning officers on a day-long tour of housing developments to find out what could be learnt from the sites they visited.

Six weeks later, the same group were invited to a feedback session when Penelope Tollitt, Wycombe council's head of urban design collated the good and bad points from those noted by the delegates which the consensus of opinion reckoned should not be overlooked when future development plans are considered.

In previous years the Quality Counts tour has been limited to new sites within Wycombe district. This year for the first time the local planners accepted an invitation to cross the county border into Berkshire and view housing developments completed in the past few years in Reading town centre.

So the majority of the day was spent in Reading. Only the final two stops in the afternoon took the coach party back to Wycombe.

These are some of the lessons learnt from the planners' 2005 tour in their quest to make town centre living a bright prospect for Wycombe.

STOP 1: Bewley's U-shaped development of 113 riverside flats in Kenavon Drive, Reading, (a previously run-down area) at a density of 195 homes to the hectare, with 32 per cent built for the social sector

Design points to remember:

Site assets should be used to advantage in a new design

Individual sites need to be planned as part of a whole to provide overall cohesion

Design all visible elevations to the same standard as the front

Height needs to be assessed in relation to building mass and context

Higher buildings need more attention paid to the architectural interest

Amenity space is it public or private? Design for its purpose

Security shouldn't be obtrusive

Overall verdict: thumbs up: 12, thumbs down: 12, sitting on the fence: 11

STOP 2: Award-winning development in Fobney Street, Reading, incorporating first phase of 112 flats and houses built in the 1980s, a later conversion of grade II listed buildings into a restaurant and loft-style apartments and recent phase of 89 flats completed in 2003

Design points to remember

Use hedges as boundary markers to soften frontage parking and provide privacy

Overall design should form a link with surrounding townscape

Don't be over concerned with density

Communal satellite dishes save proliferation of individual aerials

Landscape design should be integrated from the outset Overall verdict: thumbs up: 33, thumbs down: nil. sitting on the fence: 3

STOP 3: Blake's Quay, Reading, a riverside mixed tenure scheme of 86 flats on the former gas works site with 210 homes to the hectar

Design points to remember

Design from the inside out as well as the outside in

Make a positive relationship between the building and its function and the adjacent public space

Brick quality relate to the style of architecture and context. Pay special attention to contrasting bands

Position front doors at the front for maximum surveillance Overall verdict: thumbs up: 22, thumbs down: 8, sitting on the fence: 3

STOP 4: Kings Reach, Napier Road, Reading, a development of 246 flats being built by KingsOak at a density of 120 to the acre

Design points to remember

Provide a focus for community activity

Find new uses for old buildings

Make street lighting discreet

Take account of noise sources

Remember to include cycle park Overall verdict: thumbs up: 3, thumbs down: 28, sitting on the fence: 4

STOP 5

88 flats and 46 town houses by Gleeson in Kenavon Drive, Reading, with a density of 48 homes to the hectare, many fewer than on neighbouring developments

Design points to remember

Design for people who will be living there eg: children (the entrance to this estate had a sign saying No ball games'

Make sure private gardens don't abut public space/roads

Break up the parking areas

Make sure individual big blocks make a cohesive whole

Overall verdict: thumbs up: 3, thumbs down: 31, sitting on the fence: 2

STOP 6: Wycombe Marsh, mixed retail and residential development on the outskirts of Wycombe including 134 flats. Delegates decided constructive comment was difficult while the site was still being built

Design points to remember

Consider the quality of the living environment in relation to busy roads

Landscaping schemes should include plants for immediate impact and longer term

Maximise value of rivers and ensure landscape conditions are enforced Overall verdict: thumbs up 20, thumbs down 8, sitting on the fence 9

STOP 7: Peddle Court developement of 48 one and two bedroom flats fronting Desborough Road, High Wycombe. Site completed last year at a density of 153 per hectare

Design points to remember

Affordable housing should be built and maintained to same standard as flats for private sale

Balconies must be big enough for two chairs and pot plants and should be solid to half height to avoid clutter

Include water tubs for rainwater harvesting.

Integrate bin storage so not on street frontage

Overall verdict: thumbs up: 24, thumbs down: 3, sitting on the fence: 4