Summary
Information on Design and Access Statement following the Government's Circular 01/2006 which came into effect on 10 August 2006
Attachments
Adobe Acrobat's portable document format (pdf). To view these files you will need to have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. This can be downloaded free at www.adobe.co.uk|
Design and Access Statement Checklist (PDF 24kB)|.
Design and Access Statements
With a few exceptions, all applications for planning permission and listed building consent submitted from 10 August 2006 will need to be accompanied by a Design and Access Statement.
A Design and Access Statement needs to explain:-
• How design principles and concepts that have been applied to the proposed development - for example relating to the amount, layout, scale, landscaping and appearance of the development, and how the design of the development takes into account its context.
• How issues regarding access to the development have been considered – for example the policy adopted relating to access and how relevant development plan policies have been taken into account, whether any consultation has been undertaken, how any issues which might affect access have been addressed, how prospective users will be able to gain access to the development from the existing transport network, reasons for choosing the main points of access to the site and the layout of internal routes, and how features which ensure access will be maintained.
• For applications for listed building consent, how the design principles and concepts that have been applied to the scale, layout and appearance of the works, and how these and the adopted policy relating to access take account of the special architectural or historic importance of the building, any important physical features of the building, and the building’s setting.
Applications which need to be accompanied by a Design and Access Statement but are submitted without one will not be registered until the Statement has been received.
The exceptions to the requirement to submit a Design and Access Statement are:-
• engineering or mining operations
• material changes of use of land or buildings (unless operational development is involved)
• householder planning applications, unless any part of the site lies within a conservation area – for example applications for domestic extensions within a conservation area will need to include a Design and Access Statement.
We have produced a checklist for Design and Access Statements to help applicants and agents ensure that they cover each of the criteria in sufficient detail. It is recommended that the headings and subheadings are used to help structure the statement. Design and Access Statement Checklist (PDF 24kB)|.
Further information can be found within Section 3 of the Department of Communities and Local Government Circular 01/2006 'Guidance on changes to the development control system' available at http://www.dclg.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1500620|.
Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE), the Government's advisor on architecture, urban design and public space have produced a short guide 'Design and access statements. How to write, read and use them' available at http://www.cabe.org.uk/default.aspx?contentitemid=1436|.