The vision
We are all designing for a Kent that is more sustainable, equitable and resilient. A Kent that is rooted in its local identity, landscapes and stories, inclusive of all ages and communities, and responsive to the need for low-carbon and efficient solutions.
The principles
The five principles in this section form a shared framework for achieving the vision, creating context-driven, climate resilient, and people-focused developments, and helping to define what good, forward-thinking design looks like in Kent. In response to stakeholder aspirations which were collected in a series of workshops and feedback sessions, they integrate place-based identity, community, landscape, health and wellbeing, mobility, infrastructure and climate response.
The principles reflect the importance of Kent’s distinctiveness, support innovation, and provide stakeholders with a clear, actionable guide for future development in the county. They are a call to action – for developers, planners, designers and communities – to build places that reflect Kent’s heritage, address today’s challenges, and inspire the future of Kent.
How to use the principles
Kent’s Sustainable Design Principles have been used to structure the Kent Design Guide and should be considered across all developments in Kent, whether they are urban, sub-urban or rural. They should be referred to throughout the brief-making, design, planning and construction processes, to inform how homes, streets, spaces and infrastructure are shaped to work for people, place and planet. They exist to serve:
- Local Planning Authority officers – as a benchmark for development quality throughout the planning process.
- Kent County Council officers – a lens through which to provide expert advice and evolve policy/guidance.
- Developers and designers – as a framework to shape high-quality, site-responsive development briefs and designs.
- Communities and stakeholders – as a shared vision for Kent to participate in and hold others accountable to.
It is accepted that the size, scale and type of development will impact which detailed aspects of the principles are most relevant through the design, planning and development process, and the type/level of information required as part of the decision-making process. This should be assessed on a case-by-case basis with the relevant Local Planning Authority.
Critical to a successful response to Kent’s Sustainable Design Principles is collaboration with key stakeholders. For more information about best practice engagement, please refer to the People and Process section of the website.