ARGYLL AND BUTE PLANNING DESIGN AWARD
This 1999 nomination, by Argyll & Bute Council, is of its local Planning Award scheme. In November 1996 Members of the Councils Planning, Development and Tourism Committee agreed to the introduction of Argyll and Bute Council "area based" planning design awards with a view to encouraging a good standard of overall design in developments which come before the Council as Planning Authority. The main objectives of the Planning Design Award project are to: Improve the quality of design outcomes on the ground; Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the development control process; Improve the Departments communication process with regard to design guidance/policy; Improve the understanding of good design principles with regard to persons involved in the development control process e.g. officers, Elected Members, architects/developers. The planning design awards are implemented on an annual basis based on schemes drawn up by planning case load officers and Elected Members from the Councils four decentralised areas. The awards are approved on an individual decentralised area by the four Area Committees based on a short-leet of schemes which are individually assessed (against a set list of criteria) by Senior Planning Officers, Local Members and an outside expert (normally a qualified architect from outwith the Council area). The award is open to all categories of planning application from large new build projects to simple shop front alterations and is presented to the scheme which in overall terms represents the best example of good planning and design. Sponsorship of the award (which takes the form of an inscribed Caithness glass bowl) is obtained on an area basis from local businesses which helps increase the profile of the award and reduces the cost of implementing the scheme to the Council. The planning design award is linked closely to National, Council and Departmental objectives. In terms of National Policy it has a close relationship with N.P.P.G. 3 Land for Housing and P.A.N. 36 Design and Siting of New Houses in the Countryside. It impacts on the Argyll and Bute Council Corporate Strategy 1998 -2001 in that the award helps in the attainment of "Strategic Objective - Sustaining and Improving the Quality of the Environment" and "Strategic Priority - Protecting and Enhancing the Quality of the Natural and Built Environment". In terms of the Development and Building Control Business Unit Service Plan 1998 - 2001 the planning design award helps attainment of the principle objective of "improving upon the speed of delivery of service, improve the quality of service and quality of outcomes on the ground". Evaluating the success of the planning design award over a short period of time is difficult to quantify, this is particularly true of a design outcome process which is often subjective in nature. In relation to the objectives of the project the following positive benefits are readily identifiable: · Positive feedback from Elected Members (via Committee and informally) and members of the public/local agents (via development control user forums) that design standards are increasing leading to higher environmental quality, helping to maintain the attractiveness of the area for local residents and visitors. · The design award has helped to improve the standard of planning application submission. This has benefited staff resources by avoiding the need to refuse applications, deal with appeals or negotiate improvements to applications. As a result the development control process is more efficient leading to performance improvements in terms of the Scottish Executive and Accounts Commission Performance Standards. · The planning design award has improved the Department's communication process. Each design award has been presented at the Council's Local Area Committees and this taken with numerous area press releases has substantially increased public awareness of the positive impacts of good design. Planning design award candidates and winners are mounted on permanent displays in planning offices to illustrate local example of successful design. · A greater understanding of the design process has been achieved through planning staff interacting with architects in the adjudication process and also by Elected Members undertaking site visits to award candidates thereby being aware of design principles, use of materials etc. This understanding/knowledge can be transferred to the planning application determination process. The planning design award is an important component of the Planning Service's Best Value regime to achieve continuous service improvement by securing better quality planning outcomes on the ground. The design award itself is subject to continuous improvement through feedback from development control user forums, Council Committees and liaison with architect groups. New initiatives being considered include extending the award categories to include energy efficiency/green initiatives; benchmarking outcomes on the ground with other Council benchmarking club members i.e. peer review groups/study tours etc; linking the design award with seminars on design and new improved Council design guides.
The judges asked for a presentation on this nomination. The judges were interested to learn how design standards and environmental quality can be improved not just through policies but by example. They were intrigued by the arrangements for selecting and judging the nominations for these planning design awards. They felt that the assessment process should have a greater degree of independence. But they could see the immense advantages for the development control service of involving area committee members and officials so closely in reviewing past decisions and examining the completed outcomes on the ground. Identifying local examples of what local decision-makers regard as good design practice is a valuable and tangible expression of policy, and the judges were delighted to hear of its positive effects. The judges therefore recommend this nomination for 1999 Commendation in the development control category.