Consultancy Tibbalds alongside the Design Council have been invited by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to produce a new at-a-glance design guide.
As part of the National Planning Policy Framework’s (NPPF) aim to improve awareness and creation of well-designed spaces, the new visual design guide is to be developed as part of the revised Design Planning Practice Guidance. It is due for completion at the end of summer 2019.
Tibbalds Planning and Urban Design and the Design Council want to create a guide that offers local authorities, developers and built environment professionals an easy-to-use aid to inspire quality in their approach to development projects, planning policy and guidance.
Stakeholders will be encouraged to engage
Jane Dann, director at Tibbalds, said: “With the 2018 NPPF’s renewed emphasis on achieving well-designed places, this new visual design guide is a significant opportunity to provide national guidance for everyone involved in the development process and help the raise the profile of good design. It is an opportunity to make national planning policy more accessible.”
MHCLG’s own design team will work closely with the Design Council and Tibbalds to develop the guide and also collectively encourage stakeholders to engage and take up the design guidelines.
Good design contributes to quality of everyday lives
Jane Dann, director at Tibbalds, said: “The visual design guide is an exciting opportunity to promote design quality nationally, recognising its value, the role it plays in our well-being and in the quality of our everyday lives.
“It will focus on the common qualities of well-designed places and, just as importantly, it will be illustrated with examples of what they look like in practice.”
Sue Morgan, director of architecture and the built environment at the Design Council, said: “We believe that our work will play a significant role in raising the quality of the built environment across the UK – improving quality of life, stimulating the economy and enhancing our inside and outside spaces as a result.”