Design and Access Statements
Legislation requires that a Design and Access statement is submitted with certain types of planning application. A Design and Access Statement is a document that explains the design thinking behind a planning application, allowing decision makers, and those consulted on a planning application, to better assess the development proposal.
Combining Design, Access and Sustainability
In the past sustainability statements have always been required with certain types of planning applications, by the Council separately. However the increasing integrated nature of sustainability and design, and government guidance within PPS1 and its supplement Planning and Climate Change, promotes the integration of the Design and Access and Sustainability Statements to form one document. Consequently the council now requires sustainability issues to be addressed in Design and Access Statements and where needed in a full sustainability statement. (Sustainability Statements should be submitted for all commercial development and new build residential development.)
See contacts and links below for further information
Design and Access Statements
Design and Access Statements must be submitted with all planning applications except: -
- Householder Development (where the property is not in a conservation area)
- A material change of use of land or buildings
- Engineering or mining operations
- Advertisement control
- Tree preservation orders
- Storage of hazardous substances
Applications submitted without the required statement will be treated as invalid.
The Design Component:
A Design and Access Statement should include a full site analysis, set out the design principles that have led to the design and justify the chosen design solution.
The Access Component:
The Statement should explain how the needs of all users have been incorporated into the design, and should be accompanied by plans showing circulation routes, facilities, dimensions etc. The number of Lifetime Homes and Wheelchair Housing should be clearly stated.
The Sustainability Component:
The Statement should demonstrate the environmental performance of the development (e.g. energy and water efficiency, renewable energy, sustainable urban drainage systems). It should also demonstrate how the 20% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from onsite renewable energy generation, as required in the London Plan (Policy 4A.7 Renewable Energy) will be met. The statement should show a clear commitment to achieving the stated targets, and should not describe what different technologies could be used but rather should explain the chosen technologies that will be used.
All components of the statement should be considered holistically. Access and sustainability should never be isolated from the design principles and should be considered when carry out the site analysis.
For more information on what to include within a Design and Access Statement and tips on how to write and present a Design and Access Statement please see the Council’s Supplementary Planning Advice Note: Design and Access Statements, which can be accessed from the link at the bottom of this page.
Contacts
Design and Access Statements:
Planning and Development Department
020 8547 5302