Design panel

The Plymouth Design Panel was established in June 2004 to promote the highest possible quality of design in the city and ensure that development proposals contribute positively to the urban renaissance in Plymouth. It has been set up in consultation with the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) to ensure it meets with national best practice. The panel is chaired by Les Sparks. From 1991 to 1999 he worked with Birmingham City Council as Director of Planning and Architecture, where he was personally involved in award winning projects such as the Brindley Place regeneration scheme, and the redevelopment of the Bull Ring.

Role

The design panel’s role is in an advisory capacity to the City Council. It has no statutory function. The advice given by the panel will be a material consideration in the City Council’s statutory planning function in determining planning applications and adopting planning policy.

What does the design panel do?

The panel considers development proposals of strategic importance to the city as well as emerging design policy. The panel will review development proposals and plans against planning policy, emerging policy and the vision for Plymouth. The most productive use for the panel is to view projects when they are at a very early stage so that the panel is able to provide positive input into the evolution of the development proposals.

Who sits on the panel?

There are six members:

• Les Sparks (chair)
• Bruce Duncan
• Professor Adrian Gale
• Martin Harradine
• Rebecca Child
• Mark Pearson
• Tanya Griffiths (secretary)

Over time the members of the panel may change but the aim is to have distinguished professionals from areas of expertise including architecture, urban design, historic environment as well as the commercial environment.

When and how is panel advice sought?

The panel sits every three months. Applicants can request that the design panel considers a proposal; however the decision as to whether the item goes to the panel is at the discretion of the chair of the panel in consultation with the Assistant Director of Development (Planning and Regeneration) at Plymouth City Council.

Who attends the panel?

The following people attend panel meetings:

• The chair and panel members
• Relevant representatives of Plymouth City Council
• Scheme architect and applicant
• Observers who have a particular interest in the scheme

If a member of the panel has any commercial interest in a proposal being presented they must declare this interest and withdraw from the panel item.

What happens during a panel?

The panel will have received a week or more prior to the panel, information from the applicant describing the scheme, together with a critique from the City Council’s officer. Site visits take place if required. The applicant/architect is invited to present the scheme to the panel members when appropriate.

The City Council Officers identify the key issues that the City Council has particular concerns about and the panel then leads a discussion. At the end of the panel meeting the panel chair closes the open part of the meeting and the panel members retire to compile their written report.

Whilst many issues will have been discussed at the panel meeting, it is the final written report that will be considered as a material consideration in the statutory planning process.

How is the panel's advice given?

The panel’s comments will be sent in writing to Plymouth City Council approximately one week after the panel meeting. The report will then be circulated to the project architect/designer. This information will then be published on our website unless the information is confidential due, for example to issues of commercial confidentiality. If this is the case a reason for confidentiality will be stated on the web. All design panel reports from 2007 to date are available below. Please contact Planning Policy should you require any previous reports.

Design panel leaflet

Design panel agendas

Design panel reports

Future design panel meetings

If you wish to attend a panel meeting, find out agenda items or have any other enquiries about the panel, please telephone 01752 307893 or email us.

[Back to top]