Services

​Welcome...  ... the main services that we provide are design review, enabling and training:

DESIGN REVIEW

We partner with Cornwall Council in order to provide the Cornwall Design Review Panel .  Follow this link to find out more and to book a review:  www.cornwall.gov.uk/environment-and-planning/planning/cornwall-design-review-panel/   The panel is currently looking for new members - please see the NEWS section of this website for more details...

We have a long-standing collaboration with Torbay Council in supporting the delivery of their design review service - see: www.tor-bay-harbour.co.uk/torbaydesignreviewpanel_leaflet.pdf.  

We have recently been appointed to form the Design Review Body for South Hams Council with a particular responsibility for the new town at Sherford - for which we have assembled a highly qualified and expert design review panel.

In addition, our LOCAL MOBILE drp is a high-calibre, roving design review panel that can act independently in any location across the region - please contact us for more details and to explore options for the types of review and service that we can offer.

We have also provided expert advice to local authorities and other organisations in how they might best establish their own local design review panel based on accepted national principles of good practice...

​ENABLING

We provide design support for all types of project, drawing on a multi-disciplinary panel of experienced associates.  We have 'enabled' neighbourhood plans; community 'planning for real' workshops; 'design literacy' training for elected members; constructing and testing design codes and in acting as an expert 'critical friend' to the private sector in progressing major development projects or in helping local planning authorities determine effective policy and development frameworks.  We can also draw on our strong experience of mounting architectural design competitions - for those at the outset of commissioning projects and keen to secure a strong and creative consultant team through an open and principled selective process.

​TRAINING

We have delivered a wide range of design training events to civic societies, local planning authorities, housing associations/ registered providers and other groups - including working with the Building for Life (BfL12) assessment framework for new residential-led developments.  We like to offer a bespoke package that is based on the current and typical challenges that an organisation is facing in order to make the learning appropriate, relevant and immediately applicable. ​
"We arranged three days bespoke urban design training from the Architecture Centre Devon and Cornwall for Development Management and Strategic Planning Officers.  The sessions were well planned, covered the detail that we had requested and were delivered in an effective and informative way.   The training involved a considerable amount of interactive learning including site visits, which was well received by officers.  I was pleased that the sessions were made relevant to all levels of officers, and Mark (the trainer) encouraged and ensured that everyone participated in discussions.   Following the training sessions officers have improved their knowledge and design skills and also have increased confidence in negotiating design matters with developers."  Helen Addison - Team Leader, Development Management, Torbay Council
A parking survey that we recently conducted as preparation for some recent training and support - in order to understand current design practice and consequent resident behaviour in relation to a typical residential layout that had been just completed within the local area.

The reluctance to use internal parking courts was pronounced - compared to those residents that preferred to park in conventional street locations that were to the front of their dwellings - even to the extent of some people parking illegally or where they might cause nuisance to others (vehicles indicated in red).

It is important to conduct surveys like this in the evenings when everyone is 'home from work' - problems are simply not apparent in the middle of the day!...