Design and Access Statements
From 10 August 2006, applicants will need to submit a Design and Access Statement with an application for planning or listed building consent. If you do not submit a Design and Access Statement your application will be treated as invalid and it will not be processed.
A brief guide is given below:
Types of Application That Do Not Require A Statement
- A material change of use of land and buildings (unless it also involves operational development)
- Engineering or mining operations
- Householders developments - but statements are required if the property is located within a Conservation Area, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Site of Special Scientific Interest or a World Heritage site.
- Advertisements
- Tree Preservation Orders
- Storage of Hazardous Substances
What is a Design and Access Statement?
It is a short report accompanying and supporting a planning or listed building application that explains the design process the applicant has gone through before submitting the proposal and shows how everyone, including disabled, older and young people will be able to use the buildings or spaces. The statement provides an opportunity for the applicant to demonstrate commitment to achieving good and accessible design.
For most straightforward applications, the statement will be short. More complex applications will require a detailed report. Download the full explanation of "What is required in a Design and Access Statement" from the link at the top of the page.
In short the statement should cover the following:
The use, amount, layout, scale, landscaping, appearance and access design principles and concepts of the development.
- Use what buildings and spaces will be used for.
- Amount how much development is proposed. For residential development, this means the number of proposed units for residential use and for all other development, this means the proposed floor space for each proposed use.
- Layout - the way in which buildings, routes and open spaces (private and public) are provided and arranged on site and how these link and fit with the surrounding area.
- Scale the height, width and length of buildings or spaces in relation to their surroundings.
- Landscaping the treatment of private and public spaces with hard and soft landscaping and maintenance thereafter.
- Appearance details of the visual impression it will make. Its architecture, materials, decoration, lighting, colour and texture.
Listed Building Consent Applications
Information about use, amount and landscaping is not required.
Information about scale, layout and appearance is the same as for planning application design and access statements above.
In addition, the statement should include a brief explanation of how the design takes into account:
- the special architectural or historic importance of the building,
- the particular physical features of the building that justify its designation as a listed building,
- the building's setting.
- How access requirements, as imposed by Disability Discrimination Act where applicable, have been balanced with the historical and architectural significance of the building.
Further Information and Advice