P7.6: Design & Access Statement

The submission of a Design & Access Statement is now a formal planning requirement, and plays an important role in linking general development principles to final detailed designs.
 
There is no particular format for the document, and as such it’s scope and size should be proportionate to the scale and complexity of the project it relates to. With Outline Planning Applications it is important to ensure consistency in terms of the development parameters and the design principles that would accompany them. The statement should explain both the design process behind the submitted scheme, and assist to inform the subsequent content of reserved matters / detailed applications. ATLAS considers that an effective statement should as a minimum:

• State the overall project vision and objectives up front;
• Explain the context to the project site, its history, current character and the opportunities and constraints influencing its future;
• Explain the urban design process that has been undertaken to justify and explain how a final preferred option has arisen. This should include the scope and outcomes from engagement with stakeholders and the wider public and a summary of the evaluation and analysis of baseline information and demonstrate how this has informed the preparation of options;
• Contain highly visual plans, illustrations and photographs that clearly show and explain what is being proposed;

Crucially, the Design & Access Statement will need to identify, describe and illustrate the development parameters and design principles that have been included as part of the outline planning application as discussed previously in this Guide (link to Establishing parameters page). It will therefore need to state the urban design principles that underpin the overall layout including the way in which the buildings, access routes and open spaces are provided, placed and orientated in relation to each other and to buildings and spaces surrounding the proposed development. If layout is to be reserved for future determination then the application should provide information on the approximate location and scale of buildings, access routes and open spaces and demonstrate the quality of development and sense of place that would be created.

In addition the Statement accompanying the application should explain and justify the amount of proposed development, and it’s subdivision into phases/neighbourhoods and/or character areas. It should also address appearance, defined as the aspect of a place that determines the visual impression it makes, including the built form, architecture, materials, decoration, lighting, colour and texture. If appearance is to be reserved then the Statement should explain and justify the principles behind the intended appearance and how these will inform the final designs.

More information concerning the overall approach to urban design & masterplanning is covered in more detail in the Topic Paper ‘Achieving Quality in Urban Design’.