Design and Access Statements
New regulations have been introduced that will mean additional information will be required when 'full' and 'outline' planning applications are submitted to the Council. These regulations took affect on most planning applications and Listed Building applications submitted on or after 10 August 2006.
This means that:
Design and Access Statement will be required for most types of planning applications except:
- Change of use (not involving operational development);
- Householder applications (outside a 'Conservation Area' and 'Designated Areas' including Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty AONB and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs));
- Advertisements;
- Engineering or Mining operations.
Summary: What to include in a Design and Access Statement?
DESIGN ... The process - How the physical characteristics of the scheme have been informed by a rigorous process which should include the following steps:
- Assessment
- Involvement
- Evaluation
- Design
- Use - What buildings and spaces will be used for.
- Amount - How much would be built on the site.
- Layout - How the buildings and public and private spaces will be arranged on the site, and the relationship between them and the buildings and spaces around.
- Scale - How big the buildings and spaces would be (their height, width and length).
- Landscaping - How open spaces will be treated to enhance and protect the character of a place.
- Appearance - What the building and spaces will look like, for example, building materials and architectural details.
ACCESS ... The statement needs to include two potential aspects of access. That is not to say they are separate, and the statement should show that all access issues have been considered together.
- Vehicular and transport links - Why the access points and routes have been chosen, and how the site responds to road layout and public transport provision.
- Inclusive access - How everyone can get to and move through the place on equal terms regardless of age, disability, ethnicity or social grouping.
More detail advice on the Statement can be found on the Department for Communities and Local Government website in Circular CLG 01/2006 - Guidance on changes to the Development Control System or in CABEs document Design and Access Statement: How to write, read and use them.