Urban design helps with the process of change in the built environment, ensuring that new developments function well and are properly integrated with their context. It also strives to create distinctive places, by reinforcing local character as well as encouraging contemporary solutions.
The Urban Design section provides urban design and design advice to a number of divisions within the Council, principally Development Management officers. The core work of the Section is the preparation of a range of development briefs and Urban Design Frameworks, intended to distill policy and design parameters for specific sites or areas. Such documents can be produced quickly and can provide additional advice to inform development proposals. They are non-statutory documents and are not part of the Local Development Framework but do have weight in the determination of planning applications.