NE DRES

The benefit of using design review, pre planning application, is in providing clients, design teams and planners with third party advice and recommendations that will improve the design quality of a scheme, give design quality assurances to local authority planners, create greater certainty for clients in the planning process and offer an impartial discussion opportunity for design teams.

The benefits of design review for policy and strategy review e.g. local plans, SPDs, neighbourhood plans

In terms of supporting the development of planning policy documents and strategies, the Design Review Panel can provide expert advice to ensure that achieving design quality is effectively embedded and promoted through such documents and can provide a client´s perspective to the usability of the document along with specific technical guidance.

---

The value of design review (for local authorities)

• Design Review is an independent, objective and high quality technical service

• Design review is valued by its users – 96% planning officers value the benefits of using design review, 67% of these stated “access to specialist expertise´ as the main benefit

• The Design Review process will improve the design quality of schemes being submitted for planning approval

• Design review is used by 85% of local authorities acrossEngland- 12 of the 12 NE local authorities have used Design Review

---

The value of design review (for clients and developers)

• Design Review is an independent, objective and high quality technical service

• The Design Review process offers value by increasing the likelihood of a successful planning application through verifying and improving the design quality of your scheme

• The Design Review process contributes to a positive pre planning application dialogue with the planning authority and raises awareness of your scheme (a local authority planner is invited to attend the review either for the first and / or second review meeting). A report of the review´s findings is sent to the relevant local authority planner whether they were in attendance or not (subject to agreement with scheme presenter).

• Design Review process can offer value through the cost reduction in design time

• Design review is valued by its users – 96% planning officers value the benefits of using design review

• Design review is used by 85% of local authorities acrossEngland- 12 of the 12 NE local authorities have used Design Review

---

National Planning Policy Framework

The guidance that “Local planning authorities should have local design review arrangements in place” within the NPPF is open to interpretation and we are aware that varying models of “local” design review are being discussed within local authorities.   The North East Design Review and Enabling Service partners are determined to continue to provide a service that is cost effective while remaining impartial, meaningful and of a high quality.  Our affiliation to the Design Council Cabe national Design Review network ensures confidence in the standards and consistency of service that we offer.

The additional guidance on referring major projects to national design review (currently provided by Design Council Cabe) has recently been superseded by a new arrangement with Design Council Cabe that significant schemes will no longer attend “national” design review sessions in London, but will be seen by the regional panels, with their expertise supplemented with members from the Design Council Cabe´s national panel cohort.