West Midlands Design Review Panel

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Our Design Review Panels comprise multi-disciplinary experts who are highly experienced in working on design reviews in the West Midlands. Our West Midlands Design Review Panel members live and work in the Midlands, and bring the independent expertise of their training as well as knowledge of the area to the design review.

Design Midlands’ West Midlands design review panels support all sizes and scopes of design review, from large and complex schemes to individual properties.  Design Review is as helpful for an urban extension and major regeneration project as it is to an individual unit in open West Midlands countryside. 

Our West Midlands Design Review Panel also supports medium-sized development schemes such as town and city centre regeneration, public buildings and housing developments for 20+ dwellings.  If you are an architect or developer working in the West Midlands then Design Midlands is an ideal resource.  The importance of design review to the National Planning Policy Framework is acknowledged and local authorities in the West Midlands have high regard for the outcome of the design review process.  A West Midlands design review is most valuable when implemented at an early stage of any development, it can include local community engagement, design advice and application of frameworks like Building for a Healthy Life.  Our West Midlands Design Review Panel brings together experts who bring a breadth of experience not always available to the project team or local planning authority. 

Design Review undertaken by the Design Midlands Design Review Panel can help to improve the design of a scheme to make it function better and be more user-friendly.  It can assist in solving problems by providing a fresh perspective on a development scheme in the West Midlands and provide the opportunity for consultees to engage in a wider design led discussion such as with Historic England, County Highways and neighbouring LPA.

The Design Midlands design review process means that the most appropriate team members for the project are brought together to form a bespoke panel for your West Midlands development.  The work we do with developers, architects and local authorities helps to progress a scheme through the planning process.  For West Midlands housing development projects, support from the Midlands Design Review Panel and demonstrating that a scheme has responded to the comments raised adds weight to a planning application.

Design Midlands does not just work with large and medium sized projects, we are often approached by architects or individuals who are seeking planning permission for individual dwellings, including isolated homes in the open countryside, para 80 NPPF, infill and developments of up to 20 dwellings in the West Midlands.  Find out more about our design review panels in the West Midlands by clicking here

Our West Midlands based design review experts can also undertake an on site appraisal or address a specific issue which might be a barrier to development and offer advice.

From Shrewsbury to Sandwell, Worcester to Wolverhampton, Cannock to Coventry, Birmingham to Bromsgrove, we undertake design reviews throughout the West Midlands providing constructive advice at the pre-planning stages.  Take a look at the map on our About page to see where in the West Midlands we operate and to see the cost of a West Midlands Design Review.  We extend to the East Midlands too, so we are well placed to advise where there is a cross boundary development. 

A West Midlands Design Review Panel can be structured for specific areas such as Building for a Healthy Life, Design Code and Strategic Sites or Shaping Streets.  Design Midlands manages the Local Design Review Panels in Newcastle Under Lyme, working with the Local Planning Authorities and developer communities to ensure high quality, sustainable design that embraces the characteristics of these places. Our dedicated Local Panel will bring expertise and support to ensuring the best outcomes for these areas.  If you are a Local Authority in the West Midlands and wish to discuss our Service Level Agreement options to provide a Local Design Review service, please contact us.