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Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning 2003

Application form

This application form can either be completed by hand or electronically (pdf version) on the Planning homepage at www.scotland.gov.uk/planning . Please complete all four questions. The deadline is 12 September 2003. An acknowledgement letter will be sent to the person who has completed this form.

Please provide a name and contact details of the organisation responsible for this work. If partners were involved, identify the lead organisation, and then list the other partners/bodies who had a key role.

Name of key partners (if appropriate)

Please complete the form by providing a brief summary (in no more than the space provided) of the piece of work you have entered. You must also conclude, with a key reason, as to why you think this work merits an Award.

Please tick the key criteria which relate to this entry:

You must describe in your written submission (below) how the criteria which you have ticked relates to your project.

Description of project

The Edinburgh Standards for Urban Design are the City Council's response to the "Designing Places" policy statement. They represent both a clear statement of expectations for urban design and a process of change to bring greater effectiveness into the development control process.

The City Council identified that its existing commitment to achieving urban design of a high quality could be extended and strengthened if it responded to the "Designing Places" policy statement in a co-ordinated manner.

Description of project (continued)

Planning Committee was presented with an action plan, including:

• Establishment of a short-life Members/Officers Working Group to examine the quality of urban design in the City.
• New supplementary urban design guidelines and development briefs.
• Increased specialist staff resource and improved design skills of Planning Officers to guide assessment of design in planning application proposals.
• Increased awareness of design issues amongst Planning Committee Members.

The process represents a step-change in the City Council's approach to delivering improved quality of urban design through the development control process.

Timescale (over which the project has developed)

• The Scottish Executive published the "Designing Places" policy statement in November 2001.
• CEC Planning Committee considered its response in February 2002 and set up a short-life working group in April 2002. The working group reported its recommendations in February 2003.
• The Council's Vision Statement submitted to the Scottish ExecuUve in June 2003 as part of the Cities Growth
• Fund bid included a key link between the quality of urban design and the economic vitality.
• Draft urban design principles for the City were considered by Planning Committee in April 2002 and consultation undertaken over Summer 2002.
• Additional staff resources were appointed in Summer 2002.
• CEC Planning Committee approved new urban design principles "The Edinburgh Standards for Urban Design" in August 2003.
• Staff training was undertaken throughout 2002 and 2003.
• Member training was delivered in August 2003 and the Annual Planning Committee Tours in 2002 and 2003 used to raise awareness of design issues.
• CEC Planning Committee agreed to the appointment of an Urban Design Patron and Design Champion in August 2003.

Context (the problem which had to be addressed)

The issues facing the City Council following November 2001 were:

• How to raise the profile of urban design among the local development community.
• How to provide urban design guidance which would define local expectations.
• How to resource the Planning service to negotiate good design through the development control process.
• How to improve Planning Committee Members' awareness of design issues.

Action taken

Raising the Profile: A short-life Members/Officers Working Group to examine the quality of urban design in the City was established under the chairmanship of Councillor Trevor Davies. It took advice from a number of respected architects and design professionals. Its 25 recommendations included the appointment of an honorary Urban Design Patron to promote and uphold urban design standards for the City and a new Senior Officer or "Champion" to support the Patron and promote good urban design throughout the Council's activities and within the City (both now being recruited). Further procedural recommendations, aimed at encouraging the achievement of higher standards in development control, are in progress.

Setting out Expectations: "The Edinburgh Standards for Urban Design" are supplementary guidance for developers and the design community in the City. The principles are tailored to the City context and range from the structural city-wide dimension to street level detail in the public realm. They are a clear statement of what the Council will expect. They will provide a context for pre-application discussions and for assessment of proposals submitted as planning applications. They were prepared after wide-ranging consultation, including three workshops with prominent local architects and planners.

Resourcing the Planning Service: The staffing resource of architect-planners with urban design skills was increased from one to three in Summer 2002 to ensure direct provision of urban design expertise to each of the three geographical Development Quality teams (responsible for pre-application discussions and processing planning applications). In-house training for Planning Officers was arranged by Planning's Staff Development Group and delivered by the University of Dundee's Centre for Conservation and Urban Studies in 2001 - 02. It was followed by a four day urban design course arranged by Trevor Roberts Associates and delivered in-house by specialist practitioners. A total of 34 Planning Officers attended at least one of these courses; 60% of total Planning Officers. Later in 2003/04, the staff training initiative will be developed further with a jointly delivered course in partnership with Falkirk and Stirling Councils. This will expand the number of CEC Planning Officers trained in design issues whilst allowing exchange of experience with their peers in other Councils.

Planning Committee Members' Awareness of Design Issues: As part of the Members' training exercise following the 2003 Local Government elections, a design considerations workshop was delivered in-house by Kevin Murray of Trevor Roberts Associates. The Annual Planning Committee Tour, used to allow Members to review the implementation of planning policies and the impact of their decisions, was used in 2002 to focus on design issues. Representative developers and architects of the selected developments (including Richard Murphy and Allan Murray) provided critique for Members. Additional appraisal of key issues was provided on the Tour by CEC Planning Officers.

The 2003 Tour followed a similar format but was additionally linked to the training workshop for Members. kevin Murray accompanied Members on the Tour and related issues on the ground to the theory and practice covered in the workshop.

Results achieved

• New profile for urban design issues in the City.
• Improved understanding of the link between urban design and economic vitality.
• A set of expectations of local urban design quality to guide prospective developers.
• Improved specialist staff resources and improved awareness of design issues amongst Development Control Case Officers.
• Improved awareness of design issues amongst Planning Committee Members.

The experience of preparing and developing the Edinburgh Standards for Urban Design has been applied in a number of schemes, including the Western Harbour. Whilst building on work already carried out, the new proposal shows the benefit of a fresh viewpoint and interpretation of the standards. It reduces the scale and moves away from the bald formality of the previous perimeter block approach, to one which starts to convey a sense of place, where people live and work. The smaller block sizes bring greater variety in spacial structure, building forms and townscape opportunities. This brings a more human scale, an increased diversity of character and the potential for local identities within the overall plan area.

In the peripheral estates, at Wester Hailes Westburn Village and in Craigmillar at The Hays, Planning has worked closely with local communities and produced practical lessons to reawaken their local distinctiveness and help to join new and existing communities together.

Conclusion - Why does this piece of work merit an Award?

The co-ordinated response to the "Designing Places" policy statement represents an innovative approach to the allainment of quality urban design through the development control process. Initiatives have been developed following extensive consultation exercises. The new "standards" have set out expectations for developers. Professional knowledge and skills have been developed and expanded. Members' awareness of design considerations have also been increased.

Submitted Evidence:

Planning Committee Reports:
February 2002 - Quality of Urban Design
April 2002 - Quality of Urban Design Progress
February 2003 - Report of Working Group
August 2003 - Championing High Standards
August 2003 - Urban Design Principles
The Edinburgh Standards for Urban Design
Tour Brochures for Annual Planning Committee Tours 2002 and 2003

Date

03 September 2003

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