Guidance

New Design Code Pathfinders: call for expressions of interest

Published 7 February 2024

Applies to England

Image courtesy of the Design Council

Summary

Do you have an existing design code and are interested in significantly updating or expanding it to improve its impact in creating better places through the development management process? Would you like to adapt or expand it to provide greater certainty of quality asks to support development of popular, healthy, beautiful and sustainable places? Do you strive to develop best practice and inspire learning across the sector? If so, we would like to hear from you.

What are we looking for?

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.

What will being a Design Code Pathfinder involve?

We are looking to work with local planning authorities to hear of their experience with implementing local design codes and to identify the opportunities design codes present to improve planning processes and design outcomes for all users. You will join a network of pathfinder authorities who are each seeking to innovate and test best practice.

As a design code pathfinder you will receive a share of up to £0.5 million funding in addition to receiving expert support and guidance from the Office for Place, such as workshops, roundtables and 1:1 support and challenge sessions. Reflections on the process and resulting design codes will form a range of materials for local authorities, neighbourhood planning groups and communities to learn from, adapt and bring forward as part of their own local design codes.

In return for support from the Office for Place, pathfinders will:

• Work closely with the Office for Place for the 9-12 months programme. At the end of the programme, pathfinders will have produced a draft adapted or expanded code for adoption.
• Be willing to test and try things. This might be include trying different engagement methods or news ways of working with consultant teams, testing new digital technology, or exploring new delivery mechanisms such as LDOs or plot passports.
• Be willing to share the content of your design code, your process and other learning with other authorities.
• Have access to the skills, expertise and senior level support to expand their design code and engage the local community, using their own skills and expertise, or with support from consultants that can be appointed following a successful bid.
• Participate in the pathfinder monitoring and evaluation process, including informing an interim and final report on each of the pathfinders which sets out the process and key learnings.

How to submit an Expression of interest (EOI)

To apply, please submit an expression of interest via the link below. If you have any queries, or issues with the form, please contact us at officeforplace@levellingup.gov.uk

New Design Code Pathfinders: Expression of interest form

Expression of interest closes at 11:59pm on 26 February 2024.

To submit an expression of interest you will be asked to:

1. Provide a copy of your design code (or equivalent in terms of providing clear, precise requirements) and confirm when it was adopted.

2. Confirm your commitment to the process by specifying whether if selected you will:

(applicants will be asked to select yes / no / unsure for each sub question)

a. Work with the local community (as required) to set standards of design that meet their aspirations for more popular and beautiful homes and neighbourhoods.

b. Find ways to demonstrate that the design standards set have demonstrable support from the local community and should lead to locally popular development.

c. Follow the coding process set out in the National Model Design Code in preparing your local design code (analysis, vision and code), with community engagement throughout the process.

d. Co-design a process and detailed proposal with the Office for Place.

e. Ensure your adapted or expanded design code will be aspirational in its aim to achieve beauty in development and sets simple, concise, illustrated design requirements.

f. Work within the programme outlined above, or deliver a draft adapted or expanded code sooner than indicated.

g. Agree to the outputs of the programme being published for other local authorities to learn from, including details of the process you have followed and the resulting adapted or expanded design code. (And that the products of the pilot programme e.g, reports or design codes can be shared with Office for Place and other authorities / the sector more broadly).

h. Have full support for your expression of interest and these commitments from relevant senior officials and elected members.

3. Provide a short (max. 500 word) explanation of why you want to be selected to be part of the Design Codes Pathfinders phase 4 programme.

• What issues and challenges have you encountered through implementation of your design code, and how would you review, adapt and expand it as a result through this programme?
• What key issues or strategic themes would this respond to that other authorities will be able to learn from?

What happens next?

We will be selecting bids based on:

• Whether the applicant has an adopted design code or equivalent in terms of setting clear, precise requirements, which meets the definition of a design code as set out in the NPPF.
• The strength of proposal to expand or update the design code in response to evidence of how it is working in practice to create high quality development and greater certainty for applicants.
• The opportunity for shared learning with other authorities and government bodies, and developing best practice.
• Ensuring that we have a geographical spread across England, a range of contexts and that local authorities will most benefit from the funding.

Those bidders who are shortlisted may be asked to share additional information with us based on their submission.

We anticipate this phase of Design Code Pathfinders to be identified in March 2024, ahead of the 9-12 months programme commencing.