We are working with DLUHC and the Design Code Pathfinder authorities to deliver series of online workshop on Design Codes specifically for Development Management officers, looking specifically how Development Management officers can best be involved in supporting and steering the content, use and monitoring of Design Codes.
As part of their Design Code Pathfinder Programme, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities have been working with 25 pathfinder authorities to support them with preparing their own local design codes, in line with the National Model Design Code. As pathfinders continue to make progress with finalising and adopting their codes, the programme is turning its attention to how design codes are working in practice and the benefits they can provide. This includes engaging with pathfinders to understand and explore their experiences with implementing and monitoring their codes.
Through this work, the programme is looking at the role of Development Management officers in the design coding process and how they can best be involved in supporting and steering the direction of code production and implementation. To share these insights, PAS will be working with DLUHC and the pathfinders to host a series of events through 2024 specifically aimed at Development Management officers, looking at how pathfinder authorities have engaged with DM teams at different stages of design code preparation and discussing how codes can be integrated into local authority decision-making processes.
Design Codes for Development Management Officers series
The next events are scheduled for 21 May and 4 June and will focus on post-adoption matters, in particular around the use of design codes in the decision-making process.
At these sessions, you will hear from LPA pathfinders about their design codes and how these are being implemented, covering their use in pre-application engagements, the role of compliance tools and checklists, and the application of design codes when determining planning applications.
These sessions are specifically aimed at DM officers and spaces will be limited to only two per authority across the two dates.
The sessions will run from 3pm to 5pm and attendees will have the opportunity to both hear from pathfinder authorities but also ask questions and share experiences. Places can be booked from the following links.
Our first series of events were held on 12 and 26 March and focused on the pre-adoption process. These explored how and when DM officers should be involved in the preparation of design codes, approaches to training for DM officers and testing and applying codes before adoption. Recordings of these sessions can be found below.
We intend to host further sessions on each of these topics later in the year. As sessions are delivered in this series of workshops we will make the recordings and material available to be accessed.
Design Code Production for Development Management Officers, 12th & 26th March.
The first of the series of online events were held on 12th & 26th March, focusing on the pre-adoption/production process. Six local authority pathfinders of Trafford, BCP, Barking & Dagenham, East Riding, Teignbridge and Bradford presented across the two session on how DM officers should be involved in the upskilling, preparation, testing and applying of codes prior to adoption. DLUHC also delivered an update on national guidance on design code use and the pathfinder programme.
The recordings and presentations from the two session can be found below.
DLHUC
Trafford
BCP
BeFirst - Barking & Dagenham
East Riding
Teignbridge
Bradford
Future workshop series will discuss the application of codes in the decision-making process (in May/June) and the monitoring and long-term impacts of design codes (later in the year). We intend to host a final series with one session from each of the earlier topics later in the year (est. September/October).
Future dates will be announced via the PAS Bulletin, and published here, along with recordings and materials from the sessions.