RTPI President's presentation on 'The role and contribution of the planner in achieving design quality'

1. The role and contribution of the
planner in achieving good design in
neighbourhood planning
Colin Haylock : RTPI President

2. Outline
• Creating the climate for good design
• Developing design policy
• Operating design policy wisely and robustly
• Promoting good design
• Encouraging good design
• Building skills and confidence with and in
communities
--- but, very importantly
• --------- working in partnership

3. Developing design policy
• Based on a clear understanding of the place at the
strategic and local levels
• Strategic view
• Clearly expressed
• At the heart of the Local Plan / Core Strategy
• Fighting for and deserving its place in planning and
in corporate policy
• Only as much detail as is essential
• Setting framework for appropriate innovation
• Supporting with appropriate guidelines and
illustrations

4. LDF to Neighbourhood Plan
LDF to Neighbourhood Plan
Core Strategy and Strategic Design
Dimensions
LDF workshops
Key messages
• Tell the story
• Set the agenda
• Say it clearly
Directly transferable to
neighbourhood plans

5. LDF to Neighbourhood Plan
The Tower Hamlets approach

6. LDF to Neighbourhood Plan
LDF to Neighbourhood Plan
The Tower Hamlets approach

7. LDF to Neighbourhood Plan
The Tower Hamlets approach

8. LDF to Neighbourhood Plan
LDF to Neighbourhood Plan
The Tower Hamlets approach

9. Operating design policy wisely
and robustly
• Having the courage to distinguish principle from detail
and interpret policy with appropriate flexibility
• Understanding the implications and being willing to argue
for considered departure from policy
• Build confidence in and with partners – EH : Civic Socs :
DC CABE etc
• Having the courage to defend policies when they are
under pressure
• Using the developed understanding with partners to help

10. Promoting and encouraging good design
• With the public / development industry and their
professional teams / Council Members
• Awards as exemplars – especially local awards
• Using widely respected tools
• Working on the Council’s own commissioning
-------- are Design Champions dead ?

11. Building confidence with and
in communities
• Getting people talking about place rather than
process
• Understanding and sharing their concerns
• Getting them to talk about aspirations
• Using helpful, understandable and respected tools
• The Planning Aid skills spreading / capacity –
awareness building model
• Finding a comfortable way in
• Bringing appropriate “moves “ into play

12. Redcar and Cleveland: Skelton and Brotton

13. Redcar and Cleveland: Skelton and Brotton

14. Redcar and Cleveland: Skelton and Brotton

15. Skelton and Brotton Neighbourhood Plan

16. Redcar and Cleveland: Skelton and Brotton

17. Redcar and Cleveland: Skelton and Brotton

18. Redcar and Cleveland: Skelton and Brotton

19. Local Policy
CABE Case
Study Library
and
Building For
Life Housing
Projects Library
Design to delivery 19

20. Environment and community
01. Does the development provide (or is it close to) community facilities, such as a school,
parks, play areas, shops, pubs or cafes?
02. Is there an accommodation mix that reflects the needs and aspirations of the local
community?
03. Is there a tenure mix that reflects the needs of the local community?
04. Does the development have easy access to public transport?
05. Does the development have any features that reduce its environmental impact?
Character
06. Is the design specific to the scheme?
07. Does the scheme exploit existing buildings, landscape or topography?
08. Does the scheme feel like a place with distinctive character?
09. Do the buildings and layout make it easy to find your way around?
10. Are streets defined by a well-structured building layout?
Streets, parking and pedestrianisation
11. Does the building layout take priority over the streets and car parking, so that the
highways do not dominate?
12. Is the car parking well integrated and situated so it supports the street scene?
13. Are the streets pedestrian, cycle and vehicle friendly?
14. Does the scheme integrate with existing streets, paths and surrounding development?
15. Are public spaces and pedestrian routes overlooked and do they feel safe?

21. Environment and community
01. Does the development provide (or is it close to) community facilities, such as a school,
parks, play areas, shops, pubs or cafes?
02. Is there an accommodation mix that reflects the needs and aspirations of the local
community?
03. Is there a tenure mix that reflects the needs of the local community?
04. Does the development have easy access to public transport?
05. Does the development have any features that reduce its environmental impact?
Character
06. Is the design specific to the scheme?
07. Does the scheme exploit existing buildings, landscape or topography?
08. Does the scheme feel like a place with distinctive character?
09. Do the buildings and layout make it easy to find your way around?
10. Are streets defined by a well-structured building layout?
Streets, parking and pedestrianisation
11. Does the building layout take priority over the streets and car parking, so that the
highways do not dominate?
12. Is the car parking well integrated and situated so it supports the street scene?
13. Are the streets pedestrian, cycle and vehicle friendly?
14. Does the scheme integrate with existing streets, paths and surrounding development?
15. Are public spaces and pedestrian routes overlooked and do they feel safe?

22. Redcar and Cleveland: Skelton and Brotton

23. Neighbourhood Planning in the North East

24. Neighbourhood Planning in the North East