Agenda item

The Executive considered a report proposing the use of a design review panel to consider housing schemes in excess of 50 dwellings (Gross) and those where the new floor area exceeded 10,000 square metres (Gross). The report proposed the use of Design – South East as the appointed body responsible for the reviews and to recover the costs of the design review panel from the applicants. It also proposed that the protocol on how this would operate in practice should be agreed at officer level.

Members noted the success of the piloted work on the Princess Royal Barracks, Deepcut, which had been well received by both developers and officers. The threshold for major projects had not been defined by the Government as each local authority was considered to have different local requirements and issues, but the proposal to include schemes in excess of 50 dwellings or 10,000 square metres, was considered appropriate for Surrey Heath.

Resolved, to agree to

(i)            the use of a design review panel with the indicative threshold set at housing schemes in excess of 50 dwellings (gross); and, any other developments where the new floor area exceeds 10,000 sq metres (gross);

(ii)          appoint Design- South East (D-SE) as the appointed body responsible for review; and,

(iii)         the applicant paying for the design review panel service and for a protocol as to how this will work in practice to be agreed at officer level.