New National Design Guide published

The national design guide sets out the characteristics of well-designed places and demonstrates what good design means in practice.

Housing secretary Robert Jenrick launched a housebuilding design guide at the Conservative party conference in Manchester last week which will hold local councils to account over national standards.

Unveiling the guide, the party said 'there is no accepted national standard for the development of homes, only vague documents with little enforceable power. This new design guide will introduce a national standard for local authorities to adhere to.'

Jenrick said: “I am replacing the existing vague and outdated guidance with a brand-new national design guide. It will be produced with a more ambitious and firmer vision for better designed homes.

“This new design guide will have real clout. There will be a national standard for local authorities to adhere to but we recognise that what good likes like differs across England. So, for the first-time local authorities will be expected to design their own locally applicable guides in keeping with the national standard, which must deliver the quality of homes that we expect.”

A Written Ministerial Statement setting out the guide’s purpose and how it is set to be used will be unveiled shortly with the National Planning Policy Framework then expected to be updated to incorporate its proposals.

To access the guide, click here.