Absolute freedom over who designs buildings only encourages the cowboy practitioner

Only regulated professionals should be allowed to design buildings, writes Eleanor Jolliffe.

Who should be allowed to design buildings? This perennial topic was reignited late last year by RIBA president Chris Williamson's resignation from the register of architects, and the UK Government's continuing work on the recommendations of the Grenfell Inquiry.

The debate is quietly raging in the architectural press. On one side, those fighting to restrict certain functions (planning applications...