Design:Midlands has created a Local Design Review Panel for North East Derbyshire, working with North East Derbyshire Local Planning Authority and developer communities to ensure high quality, sustainable design that embraces the characteristics of this place.
Design Review is beneficial in a number of ways, bringing a breadth and depth of experience that may not be available to the project team or to the Local Planning Authority and helping to improve the design of a scheme to make it function better and be more user-friendly.
Councillor Nigel Barker, Leader of North East Derbyshire District Council said: “The Council recognises that we need to address the shortage of all types of housing in this district. Embracing an independent design review panel will help us to ensure that the quality of this development is enhanced as new schemes come forward. Having design reviews with developers early in the process will allow us to progress the right schemes through the planning process more quickly. The review panel process engages developers and consultees in a wider design led discussion on a scheme and assist in solving problems by providing a fresh perspective. We are delighted to be working with Design:Midlands who will bring together the expertise required.”
Rob Thompson, Chair of the NEDDC Panel said: “Design review will be undertaken by an independent, impartial and multi-disciplinary panel who provide constructive and expert advice at the pre-application stage of a scheme. It helps the Local Authority to make appropriate use of processes for assessing and improving the design of a development and fulfil their obligation to the National Planning Policy Framework. The first Design Reviews conducted by the Design Midlands panel take place this month.”
Funding for this Panel is being provided via the Planning Skills & Delivery Fund, through which the Council secured £100k to invest in staff development. Developers wishing to book a design review can do so simply by submitting a request on the Design:Midlands website here: https://www.designmidlands.org/design-review-form/