Every stage of the design process is an important moment of continued collaboration and stakeholder engagement. Schemes that adopt the approach outlined below tend to face fewer objections, stronger officer support, and more confident committee decisions, particularly where Design Review Panels or additional expert bodies are also involved.
An overview of the design development process
The design development process for a built environment project typically follows a structured progression from project inception to submission of a planning application. In Kent, this is a framework for collaboration. While specific terminology may vary by firm or region, the key stages are consistent, and each stage includes essential processes that ensure the project’s success:
Step 1: Context
The earliest design stage, focused on understanding the project goals, constraints, context/site context, who the key stakeholders are, and refining the project brief as necessary.
Step 2: Vision and Concept
Use the understanding of site context and early engagement with key stakeholders to develop a clear vision for the site and explore initial design concept ideas. Agree shared priorities and refine the brief as necessary. Timing is critical – the process should seek to engage with relevant stakeholders as early as possible.
Step 3: Testing
Rigorously test the chosen concept and emerging design with key stakeholders to ensure that it is high quality, aspirational and delivers on the relevant policy requirements and project brief.
Step 4: Design Development
Progress and refine the design to reach creative solutions, and using a clear rationale to give stakeholders confidence in the proposal and manage expectations. Together, stakeholders should generate a shared approach for appropriate, continued collaboration for the project duration.
What does this mean in practice in Kent?
In Kent, industry best practice for collaboration during the design and planning process typically equates to:
- Early, transparent pre‑application engagement with the relevant Local Planning Authority and County-level expert teams
- Inclusive, proportionate methods of community collaboration and co-creation, suited to the local context
- Clear links between community and officer input and design decisions
- Alignment with place‑based and social value objectives, as outlined in the Kent Sustainable Design Principles
- Ongoing dialogue with stakeholders through delivery