ABSTRACT

This chapter introduces some of the main issues of ‘design control’, i.e. the ways in which the planning system attempts to deal with design issues. It focuses on the various planning documents that address design, including the following: central government advice to local authorities; design policies in statutory local plans; and supplementary guidance produced by planning authorities. The planning system is essentially involved in regulating the development and use of land in the public interest. In dealing with design issues, planning documents may be most effective when they contribute towards an overall design vision – a vision that is linked to the formal plan policies, is supported by public consultation, and avoids excessive prescription, leaving room for innovation. It is to be hoped that a wider adoption of good principles in urban design, throughout the planning system, will encourage a greater emphasis on urban design training.