Submitting a scheme

How to submit a scheme to our design review panels, which schemes are eligible, and the supporting documents that are required.

All schemes that fit the government’s criteria for consulting us can be submitted, as long as they are not on our checklist for what we don’t review.

Who can submit a scheme for review?

Anyone can contact us – it’s more common for us to hear from architects, planning consultants and local planning authorities, but we also hear from members of the public who are concerned about a scheme near them.

When do you review schemes?

We review schemes as early in the design process as possible, before a planning application has been submitted. This is when our advice is most useful.

How do I submit a scheme?

We prefer to receive details of schemes – particularly drawings – electronically. Email details to drsubmissions@cabe.org.uk. If the scheme is a planning application, please also include the planning reference (please check our review pages to see whether we have already commented.)

If the file sizes are larger than 10MB, please use our dropbox. Please label the subject box: "For the attention of design review".

What should I send?

You should send us the following documents:

• A set of drawings (including a site plan, contextual information, and plans, sections and elevations). The design and access statement and the planning statement can be useful. It’s not necessary to send all the supporting documents.
• If the scheme is at a very early stage and detailed designs are not available, please send in any information about the nature of the scheme and any visual information that you have - a brochure for example.
• It’s helpful to receive brief background information, including the project timetable and any specific reasons why design advice is sought.

How do I get you to support or criticise a scheme?

Each scheme is assessed individually on its merits in line with our criteria as outlined in publications such as Design review. Positive comment letters are generated by successful design proposals - there is no CABE 'stamp of approval'.

What happens next?

Every week, the staff team looks through all schemes sent to us. It is at this meeting that we decide which schemes we can comment on (please note that this meeting is not a review). We are guided in this decision by the criteria set out by government. While we take on as many schemes as possible, our capacity is limited and we cannot review every scheme submitted.

If we are not able to review a scheme, we will write to say so.

If there is a regional design panel local to a scheme, we will offer them the opportunity to review any planning applications we’re not able to review.

For schemes that we are able to review, a member of our staff will be allocated as case officer and make contact with the design team. They will also request any additional details that might be helpful for the review.

Are there any schemes you don't review?

Yes, we do not review the following types of schemes:

• Environmental impact assessments.
• Statements of community involvement.
• Schemes where detailed or reserved matters planning applications have been determined. (We also cannot intervene in disputes between applicants and the local planning authority.)
• Renovation proposals.
• Modifications to a home, shop or restaurant.
• Schemes for single dwellings, unless they fall under PPS7.

We also don’t consult the public: for very large schemes the developer will often carry out a public consultation before the scheme becomes a planning application; at planning application stage, the local authority will ask members of the public and local groups for their comments.