Design's back in the planning

With the release and imminent gazettal of the new State Planning policy 7 Design of the Built Environment and the Apartment Design Policy we will see the role of design formally elevated into the planning system. It’s a significant change to the way our built environment is produced. For the first time we have a policy framework which supports decisions being made on design quality. Many professionals will however need to adapt to this new focus and the processes which will be put in place.
Last year we mapped out the key roles of those typically involved in the production of buildings, what sort of design understanding they usually have and then what they are expected to have to effectively use the new policy. Perhaps the most significant knowledge gap revealed was at the planning assessment stage.