By Chris Lamb
The housing crisis is one of quality as well as quantity. Too much new housing in this country is poorly connected, car-dependent and lacking a clear sense of place. As targets are accelerated, the challenge is to build not just more, but better.
We hear and see much about exemplary schemes, particularly in the capital – but what I am passionate about is improving the quality of the everyday. Happily, we have the tools to do this — and design review is one of the most important.
For decades, independent design advice has quietly transformed outcomes, raising standards locally and nationally. Yet its role is still undervalued and, too often, misunderstood.
Design review is not new. The post-war Royal Fine Art Commission set the precedent for independent critique of design quality. The big shift came with the national design review panel in 1999, but these had their limitations: reviews were centralised in London, carried out by officers rather than panel members — and were too late in the process to effect the change that was often needed.
When we set up the first regional panel in the South East, the approach was different. We moved from place to place and focused on pre-application schemes where our comments could be taken on board and used to help develop the design. Once public funding was withdrawn, we had to move quickly to evolve the model and, recognising the value of timely, independent design advice, developers began to fund the process that they, and local authorities, valued. Building on that, we developed bespoke panels in partnership with local authorities.
Today, design review remains one of the few opportunities for local authorities, clients, consultants and design teams to come together for meaningful dialogue on the quality of place. Done well, it challenges the status quo, facilitates early decisions on housing mix, infrastructure and sustainability, and encourages clients to invest in design.
So how should design review evolve to meet the challenges of the next decade? Here are nine priorities:
- Give design review the recognition it deserves
The NPPF lists design review as just one of several tools. This undersells its significance. Its value is proven, and it should be positioned as a fundamental means of delivering well-designed places, working in parallel with design coding. - Empower local planning authorities
Applicants do not need endless flexibility; they need clarity. Design review builds knowledge and confidence within authorities, helping them set clear expectations and standards from the start which the design review process reinforces. - Bring everyone together early
Too often, formative decisions on housing mix, sustainability or infrastructure are made late, when change is costly or impossible. Design review is one of the few forums where local authorities, clients and design teams spend hours together — it should be used to help make those formative decisions. - Influence the client, not just the design team
Without up-front commitment, sustainability expertise and full consultant teams are brought in too late. Design review is a rare opportunity to challenge clients directly and encourage them to invest in the design process. - Focus on the everyday
It is easy to celebrate exemplary schemes — but design review adds most value when it engages with the type of developments that will define how most people live. This is where design review should focus. - Support local policy and spatial strategies
Panels can do more than comment on form. Their expertise can help local authorities plan for resilience, connectivity and growth, and help them to establish a clear vision for the type of place they want to create. - Complement design coding
Codes raise difficult questions: what if a poor scheme complies, or a good one doesn’t? Design review can help authorities navigate these challenges and, where appropriate, support quality over compliance. - Be more visible to communities
While panels cannot be fully public, they must be more transparent. Hybrid professional and community panels, and stronger civic engagement around coding and policy, will help build trust. - Think of the future
Panels need the right range of expertise, which is constantly evolving, and to benefit from emerging talent by actively encouraging future leaders in their disciplines to contribute.
