Before the Review Meeting

Before the review meeting you will be required to complete and submit a scheme pro-forma for circulation to Design Panel Members that includes information such as the project brief, context description and key areas for the panel to focus on.

The pro-forma should also be supported by a full presentation or key drawings/plans such as elevations and floor plans as digital files. It is important that we receive this at least 1 week prior to the meeting date in order for it to be circulated to the panel along with an agenda.

At the Review Meeting

Site Visit: The panel will aim to undertake a site visit at the beginning of each review which the design/client team will be informed of. A site visit is always the optimum preference in each review session but if this isn’t possible, illustrative material and the scheme presentation should provide the necessary level of detail.

Presentation: Depending on the meeting location you will either be required to bring your own laptop or your presentation on a memory stick – this will be confirmed prior to the meeting. A representative of the developer, or the client body should present each development proposal. Normally this will be the architect/designer, although in appropriate circumstances it may be the developer. Following the presentation, hard copy information handouts are recommended for everyone to refer to during the open discussion. Physical scale models and display boards aren’t essential but are strongly recommended as valuable tools to prompt useful discussion.

Structure: A panel review will last approximately two hours (including site visit):
35 mins – Site Visit (approximate time if carried out)
05 mins – Welcome and Introductions
20 mins – Presentation by Design/Client Team
15 mins – Questions by the Panel on the Scheme
40 mins – Open Discussion with Panel and Design/Client Team
05 mins – Summary of Discussions by Chair

After the Review Meeting

Following the meeting a written report will be issued summarising the design qualities and implications of each proposal, and recommending actions or options to improve the design quality.

The report will be issued within a minimum of 2 weeks of the Design Review meeting taking place. The report will be conveyed to the relevant planning committee through the planning officer’s report and will also be accessible to members directly if requested, and will be regarded as a material consideration in an outline and full application. Pre-application schemes will be brought to the panel in confidence and the Design Review Report will not be made public until such time as a planning application is submitted to the council.