Design Review

The Greater Norwich Design Review Panel has been set up to provide independent expert advice to the Greater Norwich Development Partnership and its constituent Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) on the quality of development proposals.  The panel will cover schemes across the whole GNDP area (Norwich City, Broadland DC, South Norfolk DC and part of Broads Authority). LPAs (including the County Council) will refer schemes to the Panel for review. 

Each meeting will involve around eight members (including the chair), selected from a pool of 21 panel members. The aim will be to have at least two members representing each area of expertise so that a substitute is available when a member cannot participate due to a conflict of interest.

There will be ten meetings each year, held every five weeks. Each meeting will review up to two schemes, therefore up to 20 schemes will be reviewed each year.

The panel has an advisory role. It is a non-statutory consultee in the planning process and the panel’s comments can be a material consideration in reaching planning decisions. 

The view of the panel is summarised by the chair during the meeting. That view is written up by the GNDP support officer in a letter to the scheme promoter. A copy of the final letter is provided to the Local Planning Authority (LPA). The content of the letter will then be discussed by the LPA and scheme promoter at their next meeting. The panel’s comment letters will also be available on the GNDP website.

An annual review of the Panel’s activities will be produced that will look at each scheme the Panel has reviewed and explain what influence the Panel’s views had on the evolution of the scheme.

Members of the Panel at the Design Review Launch