Design & Access Statements
Summary
A statement covering the design principles and access considerations of your proposal now needs to be submitted with an application for planning permission or listed building consent. The aim is to encourage higher design quality, and if you don't provide this statement along with your application, it will be returned to you without being registered.
Important!
The application, plans and any documents or comments you send us - including Design & Access Statements - are part of the public record and are available for any member of the public to see or have copies of. They will also be scanned and placed on our website in our online Planning Explorer.
Downloads
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Download the Guide to Design and Access Statements here [PDF, 407 Kb]
Further information
Do I need to provide a Design & Access Statement?
Statements are needed for both outline and full planning permission, although there are some exceptions. Statements are required for all applications involving listed buildings - no matter what your proposal - but otherwise you don't need to provide a statement if your application is for...
- a material change of use of land, unless it also involves operational development;
- engineering or minor operations;
- extensions, conservatories and other developments to an existing dwelling, or;
- development within the boundary of a property (garages etc.) provided that the property is not within a Conservation Area, Site of Special Scientific Interest or the Broads.
How to write your Statement
The aim of your Design and Access Statement is to illustrate the process that has led to the development proposal, and justify your scheme in a structured way. There is no specific format for it (i.e. no special form you need to fill in), and short statements are acceptable for minor proposals as long as they address the following two elements:
The Design
- The process – site investigation, context of the area, consultations carried out;
- Use – what buildings and spaces will be used for, and the relationship to surrounding uses;
- Amount – details of how much development is proposed (number of units or floorspace);
- Scale – how big the buildings and spaces will be, and how they have been influenced by the existing character of the local area;
- Layout – how the buildings and public and private spaces will be arranged on-site, and their relationship with the buildings and spaces adjoining the site;
- Landscaping – how spaces will be treated to enhance the character of a place;
- Appearance - what the buildings and spaces will look like.
Access considerations
- Vehicle and transport links – why access points and routes have been chosen, and how the site responds to road layout and public transport provision;
- Inclusive access – how everyone can get to the place regardless of age or disability.
Statements for Listed Building applications should also explain:
- the special architectural or historic importance of the building and its setting;
- how the approach ensures that the special architectural or historic importance of the building is preserved or enhanced, and;
- what measures have been taken to minimise the impact of the application.
Further help and advice
Specific guidance on preparing Design & Access Statements has been published on the Commission for Architecture & the Built Environment (CABE) website.
General advice is available from us (our contact details are below), but it may be necessary for an architect or planning consultant to prepare an appropriate Design & Access Statement for you, and you may wish to seek qualified help before submitting your application.
Related pages on this website
External links
Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE)
CABE work with architects, planners, designers and developers and advise on preparing good quality designs for development. Their site contains several articles about Design & Access Statements.
Contact us
| contact officer/team: | Planning Administration |
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| web: | online enquiry form |
| email: | planning@s-norfolk.gov.uk |
| freephone: | 0808 168 3000 |
| telephone: | 01508 533845 |
| minicom/textphone: | 01508 533622 |
| address: | South Norfolk Council South Norfolk House Swan Lane Long Stratton Norwich NR15 2XE |
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If you need information in large print, audio cassette, braille, translation (written or verbal) or signed interpretation, let us know when you contact us.
Last updated on: 24 April 2008