Enlarged design review panel offers expertise throughout the South East and East of England
Design South East has appointed some of the UK’s leading built environment professionals to join its successful design review panel. Under the leadership of Bob Allies (Partner, Allies and Morrison), the strengthened panel is building on its success and reputation to offer local and regional design review expertise across the South East and East Anglia.
The South East Panel was established in 2002 and was the first of its kind in England. Since then the Panel has reviewed over 600 schemes, including many of the most significant projects in the region. As the panel’s caseload continues to grow, Bob Allies has been joined by the following co-chairs:
Jane Briginshaw (Head of Design and Sustainability, Homes and Communities Agency)
Ben van Bruggen (van Bruggen Urban Design)
Peter Studdert (Peter Studdert Planning and former head of planning at Cambridge City Council)
Keith Williams (Keith Williams Architects)
Anthony Hudson (Hudson Architects) and Richard Portchmouth (Birds Porchmouth Russum) join the Panel as Deputy Chairs with special responsibility for East Anglia and the South East respectively. Noel Farrer (Farrer Huxley Associates) becomes Deputy Chair with special responsibility for landscape design.
A complete list of panel members is listed here.
The South East Panel is managed by Design South East, as part of its work to support local planning authorities, developers and communities through impartial, constructive and expert advice on policies, plans and projects. As the South East and East Anglia face growing pressure to accommodate growth and infrastructure, the work of the South East Panel offers the very best skills to help planners and developers balance new development with design quality. The Panel has already advised on hugely significant projects including new settlements and extensions: a workload that will continue to grow as population growth and other factors (including the advent of Ebbsfleet Garden City) continue to drive development across the region.
The work of the panel varies from single reviews to long-term project based design panels for major developments. Developers, local authorities and architects alike benefit from the objective and constructive advice provided by the panel and its multidisciplinary approach to placemaking. Schemes reviewed by the panel include Pallant House Gallery in Chichester, Ipswich Garden Suburb, the Brighton Aldridge Community Academy, and urban extensions in Ashford and Thanet.
Bob Allies said:
“The work of the South East Panel is absolutely vital, given the concentration of new development across the region and the emphasis placed on design review in the National Planning Policy Framework. Our strengthened panel contains an outstanding range of individuals, with the expertise and skills to help developers and local authorities bring forward well-designed new buildings and places.
“The South East Panel is hugely respected for its expertise, impartiality and constructive approach. As design review is increasingly seen as a positive and integral part of the planning process, we are looking forward to further opportunities to assist applicants, local authorities and communities.”
