New Design Code Pathfinders: call for expressions of interest
The Office for Place are looking to work with local authorities who have an adopted design code and are keen to update or expand it.
Applies to England
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The Office for Place is launching the next phase of the Design Code Pathfinder Programme, focusing on testing the implementation of design codes in planning decision making. We are seeking to select up to 5 new design code pathfinders who will receive a share of up to £0.5 million to review, update and expand an existing design code in line with the National Model Design Code.
We are looking for local authorities from across England who have an adopted design code (or equivalent in terms of setting clear, precise requirements) in order to understand its impact through the Development Management process. By reviewing design codes that have been in place and used to assess applications for a number of years, we want to evaluate the impact that they have had on the quality of new development coming forward and the degree to which they are creating certainty for applicants. We will work together with the selected local authorities to expand and adapt their existing design code to improve how it is working alongside updating it in line with the National Model Design Code. This could, for example, include an additional element of the built environment which was not previously coded for or to work more effectively with other planning tools and processes, adapting the code to a digital format, expanding the geographical area of the code, or adapting it to a delivery mechanism such as a Local Development Order (LDO).
Given our focus on implementation, we are seeking proposals from local authorities whose design codes have ideally been adopted for 5+ years, however we will consider expressions of interest where design codes have been adopted for less than this if there is sufficient evidence of it being used as part of the planning decision making process.