A partnership with Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) to deliver expert advice and review to support 12 Pathfinder authorities in developing 10 Design Codes.
- Pathfinder Authorities: Blackpool Council, Dacorum Borough Council, Hartlepool Borough Council, London Borough of Waltham Forest, South Kesteven District Council, Stockport Council, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Tewkesbury Borough Council, Cheltenham Borough Council, Gloucester City Council, Thurrock Council, Wakefield Council.
- Location: Nationwide
Overview
The Design Code Pathfinder Programme aims to identify learning and insights for all local councils by funding and supporting selected Pathfinder authorities in the production of exemplar Design Codes in line with the National Model Design Code (NMDC). Design South East (DSE) partnered with the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government (MHCLG) to support the 12 local authorities selected for Cohort 4 of the Pathfinders Programme and to share learnings that will inform future nationwide guidance on the development of Design Codes.
Brief
Design South East was appointed to deliver an expert advice and review function as part of a wider package of support provided to the Pathfinder authorities alongside direct grant funding. DSE’s programme of support built on our expertise from involvement in the NMDC Pilot Programme and comprised informal critical friend support tailored to the specific needs and strategic themes of each Code through 1-1 advice sessions, plus formal Design Code review sessions to assess the robustness of the Codes and provide constructive feedback.
Project
26 critical friend advice sessions and 8 Design Code reviews were delivered across six months, involving 20 expert advisors with extensive experience in the preparation and application of NMDC-aligned Design Codes. Our expert panel was drawn from DSE’s expert network as well as from our Design Network partners – Design Midlands, Design Yorkshire, and Design North East – to bring local knowledge and to reflect the geographical diversity of the Pathfinder authorities.
Outcome
Notes and key actions from the informal advice sessions were shared with the Pathfinder authorities to support their progress through the design coding process, while the Design Code review process provided formal written commentary on the draft Codes and set out a clear process for addressing the panel’s feedback.
Monitoring and evaluation were undertaken throughout the programme of delivery, with learnings shared with MHCLG throughout the process. At the end of the programme, findings and recommendations were captured in a report evaluating the success of the Pathfinder Support Package in delivering on its key objectives.
Impact
The critical friend support and Design Code review sessions enabled:
- strengthened decision-making by Pathfinder authorities through access to tailored advice from an independent, expert ‘critical friend’;
- upskilling of Pathfinder authorities by developing officers’ confidence, knowledge, and practical skills; and
- the production of exemplar Design Codes, including contributing to a portfolio of digitised Design Codes.
Shared learnings and recommendations from the monitoring and evaluation process:
- identified potential risks associated with Design Code development and provided recommendations as to their mitigation;
- identified best practice approaches within Design Code development and provided recommendations as to their implementation; and
- helped to distil learning around design coding at the local authority level.
Testimonials
“Working with Design South East on phase four of the Design Code Pathfinder Programme has been an overwhelmingly positive experience. Their expertise and collaborative approach have been invaluable in supporting our Pathfinder authorities to develop robust, exemplar Design Codes. The programme successfully navigated the transition from the Office for Place to MHCLG, and DSE’s flexibility and commitment ensured continuity and high-quality outcomes throughout” – Senior Design Capability and Capacity Advisor, MHCLG
“The overarching comments from the panel have shone a light on the areas, information and sites, and what is lacking in effectiveness. This aids with future projects, as it helps to understand their limits and has been a useful learning curve within challenging limits” – Head of Strategic Planning, Dacorum Borough Council.