Future development proposals in Bournemouth will benefit from independent expertise with the introduction of a new Design Review Panel this autumn.
Members of the panel have been selected and consist of high quality experienced professionals from the local and wider area including,: architects, transport engineers, landscape architects and urban designers who are experts in their field.
The aim of the Panel will be to encourage excellent design and sustainable development within the town. It will provide constructive criticism of major development proposals as well as public realm improvements and occasionally design guidance documents.
Councillor David Smith, cabinet member for planning and environment, said:
“We are really looking forward to working with the new team of professionals who make up the panel and hope developers will take up the offer of having their projects reviewed by a team of independent specialists, who are here to support the Council in building a better Bournemouth.
“We strongly support the design review process to ensure that quality design is put at the heart of any new proposal to develop in the town.”
The Panel will work independently from the Council on an unpaid basis, meeting regularly to consider schemes. Priority will be given to larger development schemes, but other smaller ones are also likely to be looked at. A report will be produced that will feed into the decision making process on a planning application.