Design Advisory Panel

The Southampton Design Advisory Panel acts as the public's experts on design. Panel members are drawn from a pool of local architects, landscape architects, urban designers and other design-related professionals.

Members meet monthly to offer advice and assist in raising the standards of quality of places, spaces and buildings across the city.

The panel meets the requirements of the city'sĀ planning strategy and the National Planning Policy.

The policy states;
"Local planning authorities should have local design review arrangements in place to provide assessment and support to ensure high standards of design. In general, early engagement on design produces the greatest benefits. In assessing applications, local planning authorities should have regard to the recommendations from the design review panel."

Applicants who have submitted proposals for pre-application advice on major schemes may be invited to give a short presentation on their proposal to the Design Advisory Panel.

The panel will look at the proposal and presentĀ its view to the council. The council will then pass this on to the applicant.

All pre-application advice is confidential up until the time a formal application is received, at which point the advice is placed on the planning file, for public record. The panel's view is one material consideration taken into account with other material considerations, before any decision is made by the Local Planning Authority.

If you are applying for pre-application advice, you are not allowed to contact panel members. If you have any queries regarding the Southampton Design Advisory Panel, please email planningpolicy.enquiries@southampton.gov.uk