Our design guidance and other publications have earned us a reputation for innovative thinking and clear expression
Our design guidance and other publications have earned us a reputation for innovative thinking and clear expression
We create innovative design guidance for national and local organisations. Our bespoke design guides will cut through the confusion of the planning system; fill missing gaps in policy and guidance; and make things happen.
We develop innovative guidance that raises design aspirations and delivers results
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Client: Homes and Communities Agency Project led by UDS
Will this planning proposal create a well-designed development? Planners, councillors and others involved in the planning process often find themselves expected to answer this difficult question. If they have not spent several years studying design or a lifetime assessing buildings and spaces, they may need some help.
Qualityreviewer is a method of appraising the design quality of development proposals throughout the planning process. It is a step-by-step guide with plans, case studies and practical examples that help planners and others to focus pre-application discussions on quality; to structure planning applications and design statements; and to appraise design quality at design review and development management stages. For more information, visit the
Qualityreviewer website.
Client: Urban Design Group Project led by UDS
Design and access statements are becoming the most important interface between local authorities and planning applicants. The quality of the statements and local authorities’ skill in using them will help to determine the quality of design. This makes it vital to raise standards of practice.
This guide explains what design and access statements are for, how to prepare them, and how to use them. It encourages good practice and innovation rather than prescribing a standardised tick-box approach. It states that design statements must be relevant and specific to the site in question, and must not merely collate bland, generic commentary or regurgitate existing published guidance. For more information, visit the Urban Design Group website.
Client: Homes and Communities Agency
Project led by UDS
With a complex client team, the Qualityreviewer method allowed for the development of a clear and concise developer brief, highlighting the aims and objectives for the extension of an existing village with 300 new homes. The brief developed to focus on the most important design considerations and the factors that will create a successful place for Fryston’s residents.
Client: Homes and Communities Agency
Project led by UDS
The pilot project focused on aligning design clarity between the developer and Wakefield Council’s development management teams by using the Qualityreviewer method to structure the design and access statement and planning application assessment for the small residential development. The project raised awareness of design issues and the importance of focusing on place-making issues early in the process.
Client: the Scottish Government
Project led by UDS
This Planning Advice Note describes and illustrates the Scottish Government’s commitment to the design quality agenda. The document covers the master planning process from beginning to end: from understanding the need for master planning, to preparing, creating, processing and implementing. The document encourages good practice through a range of exemplar case studies.
Client: Architecture and Design Scotland
Project led by UDS
Project facilitation focused on the development of generic design guidance frameworks with design codes for Irvine Bay Urban Regeneration Company’s five major master planning areas. These generic frameworks were used by multi-disciplinary teams in the production of detailed master plans for Irvine, Kilwinning, Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenson.
Client: CABE
Project led by UDS
Successful streets contribute to the identity and vitality of strong neighbourhoods, but there are few recent good examples of new residential streets. Through research, interviews and site visits, five case studies were developed as best practice examples: Black Cat Drive, Upton; Cornwall Street, Gun Wharf; Errol Gardens, Crown Street; Oak Road, Charlton Drive; and Aberdeen Avenue, Accordia.
Client: Architecture and Design Scotland
Project led by UDS
UDS wrote exemplar cases studies of recent Scottish master plans, including Craigmillar, Crown Street, Isle of Gigha, Raploch and the Highland Housing Fair. The role of master planning in a range of different contexts was explained with an evaluation of each plan and information, to inspire developers, local authorities and other agencies.
Client: Homes and Communities Agency
Project led by UDS
The Qualityreviewer method was used to structure a successful client brief to create a clearer and more transparent bidding process, focusing on design quality. The brief was organised with the headings of site analysis; concept; movement and legibility; space and enclosure; mixed uses and tenures; adaptability and resilience; resources and efficiency; and architecture and townscape.
Client: Arc (the architecture and built environment centre for Hull and the Humber region)
Project led by UDS
UDS’s award-winning design skills appraisal method, Capacitycheck, was used to appoint and structure an expanded design review panel for Hull and the Humber region. Outputs from the appraisal identified the direction and scope of panel expansion, and formed the basis for panel members’ applications and their assessment.
Client: 1st East, Urban Regeneration Company for Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth
Project led by UDS
Enabling support helped to establish and provide direction for 1st East’s design review panel. The process used Capacitycheck and Qualityreviewer to procure the panel, to develop a panel handbook and to structure design training. Training over three months focused on an introduction to design review; design principles; evaluating policy; and reviewing master plans.
Client: the Welwyn Garden Heritage Trust
Project led by UDS
The document provides an initial feasibility study to develop a heritage centre in Welwyn Garden City. The work investigates three scenarios: a purpose-built, dedicated heritage centre; a virtual, online heritage centre; and group heritage activities. The adopted strategy with Welwyn Garden City stakeholders focused on an incremental approach, leading to the future development of a new centre.
For more information visit www.qualityreviewer.co.uk
UDS develops innovative guidance that raises design aspirations and delivers results
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