Agenda item

To receive a briefing on measures that the Planning Service is undertaking to improve the quality of new development coming forward.

The Chair elected to bring Forward Item 9 on the agenda, around Delivering Quality in New Developments.

The Committee considered a report that was tabled by the AD for Planning as part of the agenda pack on the implementation of a new design review process. The Committee noted that Peter Studdart had been appointed as an independent Chair of the Quality Review Panel. Peter Studdart gave a presentation to the Committee, outlining how the design review process worked and how this would fit in to the other measures that had been put forward.

The following points were raised during the presentation and the subsequent discussion:

• The National Planning Policy Framework recommended that local planning authorities had local design review arrangements in place to ensure high standards of design.
• A Quality Review Panel helped to demonstrate that the authority had high aspirations for design quality. The context was set by Haringey Quality Charter and Local Plan. Quality was particularly relevant given the high profile major developments around Tottenham.
• Quality Review Panel would replace the existing Design Review Panel and moved to a more structured service.
• Chair appointed, but 12-15 panel members were sought.
• Design review process aimed for one full day meeting per month from April and is funded by the developer. 4-5 Panel members chosen per meeting which ensured an appropriate range of skills.
• The review process would involve a site visit.
• Process should speed up the planning process if done well, reduced risks and costs to the developer and identified contentious issues early on in the process.
• Process provided access to independent expert advice and guidance, showed that Haringey was serious about securing high quality design and backed up officers when poor schemes were recommended for refusal.
• It was noted that the closing date for applications to the Panel was 13^th March. Panel appointed and provisional meeting dates set from April for coming year. Peter Studdart agreed to give an annual report back on progress to Regulatory Committee.
• The AD for Planning commented that the design review process was estimated as costing around £3100 and £1500 for a design review meeting, compared to around £8000 for a CABE design review meeting. The operating costs were modelled to be of no cost to the public purse.
• In response to a question around where the Quality Review Panel sat in relation to pre-planning meetings, officers advised that the two processes could work alongside each other..
• Confirmation was given that it would be a judgement call from officers as to which schemes were brought before the Quality Review Panel. It was noted that they would tend to be the larger schemes or the more contentious cases.
• Confirmation was also given that it was envisaged that the Panel would be made up of a range of skilled expertise such as architects, engineers, heritage advisors etc. In order to provide a broad range of expertise to reviewed schemes.
• The AD for Planning noted that he would not expect Peter Studdart to attend Planning Committee. Instead, it would be the role of officers to act as a conduit between the Quality Review Panel and Planning Committee.
• Advertisements for the Panel had been placed in specialist publications and promoted through existing channels and contacts for  people that had the requisite the range of skills and were able to speak with authority on design. Some local membership would be desirable but not exclusively.

RESOLVED

·          That the report, and the steps being taken to improve design quality in the borough, be noted.