The Design Dimension of Planning Theory, content and best practice for design policies

This book examines the design policies in current development plans. With design quality of growing importance to the public, consumers, developers and their clients, and high on the Secretary of State's agenda, this book makes an important practical contribution to improving design control. With the increasing importance attached to district-wide development plan policies since 1991, local planning authorities and community groups have an important opportunity to improve their control over the built environment. This research text explains how clear, comprehensive and effective policies can be researched, written and implemented.

Index of figures. Index of extracts. Preface and acknowledgements. Origin, methods and structure. The development of design policy in England. The development of policy. The key themes in government advice. Central government advice on design. The content of development plans and design policy formulation. The impact of government advice on plan policy. DoE regional office scrutiny of policy content and force. The fundamentals of design - substantive and procedural theory as a basis for policy. Exploring the substance of design. Policy conception, organisation, expression and presentation. A theoretical basis for policy conception and organisation. Central government advice. Urban design. A theoretical basis for urban design policy. Central government advice on urban design policy. Urban design in current plans. Townscape. Urban form. Public realm. Architecture. A theoretical basis for architectural policy. Central government advice on design policy. Urban design in current plans. Townscape. Urban form. Public realm. Architecture. A theoretical basis for architectural policy. Central government advice on architectural policy. Landscape. A theoretical basis for landscape policy. Central government advice on landscape policy. Landscape and planning procedures. Conservation and listed buildings. A theoretical basis for conservation policy. Central government advice on conservation. Conservation policies in current plans. Design process and procedures policies: a theoretical basis for process policies. Central government advice. Process policies in current plans. Supplementary design guidance and development plans. Central government advice. Design guidance in contemporary plans. The effectiveness of design plans. The effectiveness of design policies. Setting priorities for policy improvement and development. The substantive recommendations. New central government advice. Impediments to improved design control.

Matthew Carmona, John Punter