When are they needed?
A design and access statement must accompany applications for both
outline and full planning permission. For householder developments
a design and access statement is required where any part of a
dwelling house or its curtilage fall within one of the following
designated areas:
- National Park
- Site of special scientific interest
- Conservation area
- Area of outstanding natural beauty
- World Heritage Site
- The Broads
They are not needed for:
- Householder developments (see exemptions above)
- A material change of use of land and buildings, (unless it also
involves operational development)
- Applications relating to advertisement control
- Applications relating to tree preservation orders
- Engineering or mining operations
- Applications relating to the storage of hazardous
substances
What is a Design and Access Statement?
A design and access statement is a short report accompanying and
supporting a planning application and should seek to explain and
justify the proposal in a structured way. The level of detail
required in a design and access statement will depend on the scale
and complexity of the application, and the length of the statement
will vary accordingly. The design and access statement should cover
both the design principles and concepts that have been applied to
the proposed development and how issues relating to access to the
development have been dealt with. A design and access statement
should be proportionate to the complexity of the application, but
need not be long. Such a statement accompanying an outline
application provides the link between the outline and reserved
matters.
What is Required in the Design Component of the
Statement?
Statements should evolve throughout the design and development
process. The statement should explain the design principles and
concepts that have been applied to particular aspects of the
proposal. It would be expected that this would cover the amount,
layout, scale, landscaping and appearance of the development.
Amount
This explains how much development is proposed. For residential
this means the number of residential units proposed and for other
uses the proposed floor space for each use. Whilst the amount can
not be reserved within an outline application it is common to
express a maximum amount of floor space for each proposed use. The
statement for both outline and detailed applications should explain
and justify the amount of development proposed for each use, how it
will be distributed across the site, how the proposal relates to
the sites surroundings and what consideration is being given to
ensure that accessibility for users to and between the parts of the
development is maximised. Where a range of floor spaces for
different uses is specified the reasoning for this needs to be
covered.
Layout
This describes how buildings, routes and open spaces (private and
public) are provided, placed and orientated in relation to each
other and buildings and spaces surrounding the development. How
these relationships will create safe, vibrant and successful
places. The use of drawings to illustrate this is encouraged. An
indication should also be given of factors important to
accessibility of the site for users, such as travel distances and
gradients, and the orientation of blocks and units in relation to
site topography to afford maximum accessibility. The statement
should demonstrate how crime prevention measures have been
considered in the design and how the design reflects the attributes
of a safe, sustainable place.
Scale
Scale is the height, width and length of a building or buildings in
relation to its surroundings. The statement should explain and
justify the scale of the buildings proposed including why
particular heights have been settled upon and how these relate to
the site’s surroundings and relevant skyline. It should also
explain and justify the size of building parts, particularly
entrances and facades with regard to how they relate to the human
scale.
If the scale has been reserved at the outline stage the parameters
for the upper and lower limits of each building proposed should be
stated.
Landscaping
This covers the treatment of private and public spaces to enhance
or protect the amenities of the site and the area in which it is
situated through hard and soft landscaping measures and how they
will be maintained. The statement should explain and justify the
proposed landscaping scheme explaining the purpose of landscaping
private and public spaces and its relation to the surrounding area.
Specific details are not required for outline applications but
should still explain and justify principles so as to inform any
future landscaping scheme for the site.
Appearance
This is the aspect of a place or building that determines the
visual impression it makes, including the external built form of
the development, its architecture, materials, decoration, lighting,
colour and texture. The statement should explain and justify the
appearance of the place or buildings proposed including how this
will relate to the appearance and character of the development’s
surroundings. As the choice of particular materials and textures
will have a significant impact upon accessibility it should be
explained how the decisions in this area have considered this. Use
of materials that contrast in tone and colour to define important
features such as entrances, circulation routes or seating for
example will greatly enhance access for everyone. Early
consideration of the location and levels of lighting will be
critical to the standard of accessibility achieved. Outline
applications do not need to provide specific information but the
statement should explain and justify the principles behind the
intended appearance and explain how these will inform the final
design.
What is Required in the Access Component
It is important to note that the requirement for the access
component of the statement relates only to “access to the
development” and therefore does not extend to inside aspects of
buildings.
The statement should explain how access arrangements will ensure
that all users will have equal and convenient access to buildings
and spaces and the public transport network. It should also address
the flexibility of the development, how it may adapt to changing
needs and what access policy has been adopted. Reference should be
made to relevant policies in local development documents and how
they have been considered.
Details on feedback from any consultations undertaken regarding
access issues and how it helped shape the design should also be
included.
Where relevant, access for emergency services should also be
explained and may include circulation routes round the site and
emergency egress from buildings.
Statements accompanying outline applications should indicate points
of access to the site and clearly explain the principles which will
be used to inform all aspects of the access arrangements for the
final development
Legislative Background
Section 42 of the Planning & Compulsory Purchase Act 2004
supersedes previous Planning and Listed Building legislation so as
to provide that a statement covering design concepts and principles
and access issues is submitted with an application for planning
permission and listed building consent. It also inserts a new
section 327A into the Town & Country Planning Act 1990 which
prohibits, among other things, a local planning authority from
entertaining an application unless it is accompanied by a design
statement and an access statement, where required.
Further Information
What is required in a design and access statement is set out in
article 6.4C of the
Town and Country Planning (General Development
Procedure) (Amendment) (England) Order 2006 and in the
Department for Communities and Local Government
Circular 01/06 – Guidance on Changes to the Development Control
System .