New guidance to help planners place good design at the heart of their core strategies published

New guidance to help planners place good design at the heart of their core strategies has been published by CABE.Planning for places: delivering good design through core strategies spells out the need to: first, tell the story of the place; second, set the agenda – say what is wanted for the area and what is expected in terms of design quality; and third, say it clearly: make the core strategy relevant and clear for a wide audience, with easy to read graphics, maps and photographs.

All local authorities must produce a core strategy, the document which describes their vision for their place over the coming 15 to 20 years.

CABE has been working with local authorities to see how design quality can best be embedded in emerging strategies. The new guidance draws on findings from 50 workshops held with local planning authorities.

Planning for places references some approaches currently being taken.

The London Borough of Camden, for example, tells its story clearly. It references the key locations that people readily identity with the borough, like Camden Town and St Pancras; recognising its relationship to the wider area; and setting out critical issues clearly, such as the supply and cost of housing, and crime and safety.

Brighton and Hove sets its agenda well, identifying seven key areas of change within the city and clearly stating what is wanted in each of these areas.

York City Council succeeds in clearly and concisely setting out the local and regional context, the issues that York is facing, and the vision for the future of the city. The section on York’s special historic and built environment clearly identifies design quality as a priority.