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Design review panel

Overview

Our independent Torbay Design Review Panel (TDRP) acts as a constructive ‘critical friend’, reviewing proposals to help deliver design excellence within Torbay. We are committed to securing high-quality development and public realm for those who live, work and visit Torquay, Paignton and Brixham.

We expect all new development to be of the highest quality and are fully committed to raising the standard of design throughout the Bay. In addition to our pre-application advice service, we strongly encourage the use of the design review process in the assessment of development proposals, and would advocate this at an early stage in the process. Where a project has a design review, we will consider the panel's recommendations in our planning process and decisions.

We have been working jointly with the other authorities across the West of England to help deliver high quality placemaking across our combined areas, and we have established a new design review service with Design West.

Design West will deliver the TDRP as an independent, impartial service for Torbay, its strategic partners, politicians, community, and development community. As an advisory service it will be flexible, challenging, collaborative and accountable to:

  • Improve design quality for Torbay in meeting its challenges and ambition by working in partnership.
  • Embed best design and sustainability practice and promote that ‘champion’ role for Elected Members, Officers, and stakeholders.
  • Create an open culture and dialogue with adjoining LPAs (when applicable) that moves towards a collaborative service to meet challenges of growth in South Devon. 

How to apply

Applicants, agents and developers can all apply to use Design West services. You can find out more about what's involved, the service and panel dates on the Design West website.

What is TDRP?

TDRP was first set up in 2006 and re-established in 2023 by working with Design West. It is made up of a pool of independent built environment professionals who provide design guidance on new development and public realm proposals.

TDRP is an important part of the planning process and we recommend that schemes are reviewed early as part of the pre-application process. TDRP does not make planning decisions and is not a substitute for our Spatial Planning team. TDRP members provide supplementary expert appraisal, comment and support.

Its use is endorsed in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). Torbay Planning Committee takes into consideration TDRP comments and they place weight on the panel’s findings in their determination of planning applications.

By offering advice to applicants the panel support Torbay’s planning officers and planning committee in securing delivery of high quality developments and the creation of exceptional places. Those involved in the decision making process such as our Councillors and the Neighbourhood Forums understand how this process helps, particularly if it is shown that TDRP endorses, or has helped raise the quality and design of a particular scheme.

For detailed information on our TDRP, please see our terms of reference

Schemes that may be referred to the panel

The types of schemes that may be referred to the TDRP include all those for which achieving ‘good design’ (as required by the NPPF) has a strong significance:

  • large buildings or groups of buildings,
  • large public realm proposals,
  • masterplans, design codes or design guidance,
  • schemes being developed through Planning Performance Agreements (PPAs).

Significance related to site and public/civic interest, for example:

  • proposals affecting sensitive views,
  • developments with a major impact on their urban or landscape setting,
  • schemes involving significant public investment.

Projects may also be referred to the panel by the planning authority at its discretion, for example where it requires advice on:

  • challenging building types, for example single aspect dwellings,
  • environmental sustainability,
  • design for climate change adaptation and mitigation,
  • proposals likely to establish an important precedent for future development,
  • proposals that seek to establish a new or distinct character in relation to their context,
  • schemes with significant impacts on the quality of everyday life,
  • landscape / public space design.

Panel members

The TDRP pool of experts has expertise in urban design, architecture, landscape architecture, transportation, highways and sustainability. Membership is refreshed periodically and new members are recruited through online advertisements.

Types of review and the review process

Depending on the scale and complexity of each case, alternative review formats / durations can be offered:

  • Small (£2,500). Our standard design review service is appropriate for returning schemes, individual buildings, and infill developments. Suitable for developments of less than 20 dwellings.
  • Standard (£3,950). Our half day review is appropriate for developments requiring a site visit, e.g., infill, mixed use, regeneration, town centre, policy reviews. Suitable for 20-200 dwellings.
  • Major (£4,950). Our full day service is appropriate for developments requiring a site visit. Suitable for 200+ dwellings, or developments requiring new infrastructure, regeneration, Garden Village, SUE, new campus, transport hub, etc. Workshop options can ensure stakeholder collaboration on significant schemes.
  • Building for a Healthy life (£1,500-2,500). The BHL Assessment service provides an independent performance review of development proposals against the 12 design considerations. The BHL assessment is led by Panel assessors as a desktop-based assessment following a site visit.