New guidance for design and access statements

Our guidance explains what access statements should cover and gives detailed advice on how to make sure that the requirements are adequately met.

With an accompanying design and access statement now a requirement for planning applications from 10 August 2006, CABE has released guidance to help architects and clients prepare, and planners to read, design and access statements.

The new guidance, Design and access statements: how to write, read and use them explains what the statements should cover, and gives detailed advice on how to make sure that the requirements are adequately met.

Many planning applications are already accompanied by a design statement, either because a local authority policy requires them or a client and architect produce one as good practice. But the publication today of the Department for Communities and Local Government circular, Guidance on changes to the development control system, marks the first time that all major applications will be required to have one. The changes also mean that statements will now have to cover a set range of subjects. In particular, this means that many statements will for the first time include information on a scheme's inclusive access provision.

Applicants will be required to explain how their scheme addresses issues including:

• The design process - how the scheme has been informed by a rigorous process of assessment, involvement, evaluation and design
• Amount - how much would be built on the site
• Use - what buildings and spaces will be used for
• Layout - how the buildings and public and private spaces will be arranged on the site, and the relationship between them and the buildings and spaces around the site
• Scale - how big the buildings and spaces would be
• Appearance - what the buildings and spaces will look like, for example, building materials and architectural details
• Landscaping - how open spaces will be treated to enhance and protect the character of a place
• Access - how everyone could get to and move through the place, and why the access points and routes have been chosen

Launching the guidance, CABE Chief Executive Richard Simmons said:

'Design and access statements will help ensure more attention is paid to inclusive design and help to achieve high quality design outcomes - if clients, architects and planners approach them positively. CABE is publishing this advice to make sure everyone gets the most out of this change to the system.'

Also available is an updated version of Design at a glance, which pulls together key policy quotes from across the range of PPSs and PPGs.