Local development frameworks (LDF)
A good spatial plan, clearly set out in the local development framework, is essential to achieving high quality places and good design.
Planning for places: delivering good design through core strategies helps local authorities take a spatial approach to their core strategy, the key document in the local development framework.
An efficient planning system and a good spatial plan are essential to achieving high-quality places and good design.
All local authorities must produce a core strategy to describe their vision for their place for the next 15-20 years. It is vital in helping to deliver quality and getting it right is one of the most important tasks facing planners today.
Planning policy statement 1 (PPS1) states that “good design is indivisible from good planning”. Good design will be facilitated by a core strategy that is based on an understanding of a place and that has a clear vision for the future. The core strategy has to go beyond generic design policies – it should communicate an understanding of place and a vision for changing things for the better. A clear idea of how a place works is needed to manage its future quality.
How to embed design quality in your core strategy
Planning for places: delivering good design through core strategies has three key messages for local authorities to embed design quality in their core strategy:
Tell the story
A good core strategy needs to tell the story of the place, explain how it works and highlight its qualities and distinguishing features. Telling the story helps everyone understand how the qualities of the place have shaped the strategy and its priorities for future quality. Great examples of this include Tower Hamlets, Camden, Plymouth and Newcastle-under-Lyme councils.
Set the agenda
Use the core strategy to say what is wanted for the area, express aspirations and be proactive and positive about the future of the place and say how this will be achieved. Set out what is expected in terms of design quality and where necessary provide links to the relevant development plan documents or supplementary planning documents. Excellent examples of this include Brighton and Hove, Manchester and Leicester councils.
Say it clearly
Make the core strategy relevant and understandable to a wide audience. Use maps and diagrams to inform the text and communicate the strategy and show what quality of place means. Good examples of this include York, Wandsworth, Norwich and Redcar and Cleveland councils.
Watch the Planning for places video
This video aims to help local authorities take a spatial approach to their core strategy and set the long-term vision for a place.
If you cannot see the video(s) below go to www.cabe.org.uk/redirects/videos
Workshops with local authorities
Between 2007 and 2010 CABE has held workshops with local planning authorities exploring how to embed design in core strategies. With the help of a panel of independent professional experts, the workshops discussed local authorities’ core strategies, the challenges they face and their ideas for the future. The workshops supported local planning authorities in improving their core strategies and contributed to CABE’s knowledge of place-making. CABE’s focus is on design, but its work is not limited to design policies.
We held workshops with 105 local planning authorities. We know how challenging it is to write a core strategy that will deliver good design. Local authorities often have the knowledge and ability to develop a spatial strategy but don't always communicate this spatial thinking in their document. Too many core strategies are focused on individual themes rather than integrating these themes into a spatial approach.
Based on learning from the workshops we have produced six advice notes for planners on common issues in core strategies.
Using Building for Life
Core strategy documents need to go beyond using generic design policies to a strategy that communicates an understanding of the place and sets a clear vision for change in the future.
Building for Life can be a useful tool to raise the quality of housing as part of a core strategy. It details the design commitments in Planning Policy Statement 1 (PPS1) and Planning Policy Statement 3 (PPS3). Authorities should emphasise particular aspects of the Building for Life criteria where there is a clear local need.