Delivered through half and full day sessions, our panel meetings provide advice on major schemes throughout design development and the planning process. Independent and expert, our panel members deliver constructive advice and guidance that fosters dialogue and collaboration between applicant and authority.

Delivering independent design advice informed by a depth of understanding of local context, local panels also provide a wealth of expertise to be deployed across a local authority. We work closely and collaboratively with our local authority clients, developing panels that respond to context, help deliver long term objectives, augment design capacity and provide consistency for applicants. We recruit high quality, multi-disciplinary, diverse and gender balanced panels. Once established, the panel is supported by a dedicated Design South East panel manager and our operations team who ensure consistency of delivery.

The duration, scale and complexity of delivering major projects, particularly urban extensions and new settlements, has increased demand from the public and private sectors for bespoke project panels to work flexibly with them to support design quality. We set up panels of 6-12 people that provide the skills required, but also continuity and consistency over the project development timeline.

Surgeries are half or full day sessions held in a local authority’s office that enable case officers to obtain in-house design advice on smaller schemes. Scheduled in advance, surgeries provide a cost effective source of advice, which is provided by one of our design advisors alongside an expert panel member.

Accredited Building for a Healthy Life assessors, we provide a workshop and an assessment service for local authorities, house builders and registered social landlords using this government endorsed tool.

We provide advice and assistance to public and private sector development teams to support the procurement process; including the development of design guidance and design briefs and consultant team selection, including attendance at selection interviews. For local planning authorities, we also help policy teams develop design policies and guidance and we provide advice to case and project officers working on major planning applications.