Eight not-for-profit organisations that promote better and more sustainable places to stimulate economic growth have come together to form the Design Network.
The Design Network is an alliance of eight bodies that provide design advisory services throughout England.
The move comes as a result of increasing demand for independent, impartial and affordable design advice for local authorities, developers and architects.
The new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which came into effect in April put good design at the heart of the planning system to improve the quality of places and ensure greater prosperity for all.
With the NPPF recommending that design review arrangements should be in place to support the planning system, the formation of the Design Network will signpost local authorities, developers and communities to where independent, established Design Review Panels exist across England.
Each Network member has a proven track record of delivering successful Design Review Panels. This service ensures that planning and development proposals for building and public spaces are sustainable, cost effective, user friendly, attractive and fit for purpose, but their work goes well beyond Design Review. The Design Network members also offer a broad range of services to help local authorities, developers, consultants and communities bring forward schemes which will deliver growth and maximise the social and economic benefits to an area.
Training, community engagement, economic development, design workshops, advice to local authorities, neighbourhood planning support, and sessions on the new Building for Life 12 standard all form part of the Design Network offer.
The eight organisations have been working together for at least five years, but have now decided to strengthen their common identity as the Design Network to better signpost to where independent design support can be provided.
Members include:
• Creating Excellence – covering the South West
• Kent Architecture Centre – covering the South East
• IntegreatPLUS – covering Yorkshire & the Humber
• MADE – covering the West Midlands
• North East Design Review & Enabling Service (NE DRES)
• OPUN – the architecture centre for the East Midlands
• Places Matter! – covering the North West
• Shape East – covering the East of England
Each organisation has a strong relationship with the professional bodies in their regions, and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Landscape Institute have already signalled their support for the move towards an integrated Design Network.
Further information can be found at www.designnetwork.org.uk
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