A Design and Access Statement must accompany planning applications for outline and full planning permissions and for listed building consent. It is a short report accompanying and supporting a planning application to illustrate the process that has led to the development proposal, and to explain and justify the proposal in a structured way. It must explain and justify the proposal in a structured way, relating the development to current planning policies.
They will be required for all planning applications except for a material change in the use of land or buildings, unless it also involves operational development, engineering or mining operations, development of an existing dwelling house, or development within the curtilage of a dwelling house for any purpose incidental to the enjoyment of the dwelling house, except in a designated area (for Leicester a conservation area, but additional areas affected elsewhere).
They are not required for applications relating to advertisement control, tree preservation orders or storage of hazardous substances.
The level of detail required in a design and access statement and its length will depend on the scale and complexity of the application, and the length of the statement will vary accordingly. It should explain the design principles and concepts that have been applied to the amount, layout, scale, landscaping and appearance of the development. For access it should show how arrangements will ensure that all users will have equal and convenient access to buildings and spaces and the public transport network.
The statement must specifically refer to the relevant saved policies in the City of Leicester Local Plan, and policies in the adopted Core Strategy.
For listed building consent they will be similar but, should address the additional requirements in relation to listed building consent including the historic and special architectural importance of the building, the particular physical features of the building that justify its designation as a listed building and the building’s setting.
Where there is a planning application submitted in parallel with an application for listed building consent, a single, combined statement may be submitted.
For further information and guidance about Design and Access Statements, visit the Planning Portal's website.
