East Suffolk Council

Design

Design and placemaking are important considerations for East Suffolk Council. The value that well-designed places have on communities and the environment are incomparable.

Design and placemaking influence many aspects of the council, from planning through to regeneration. To promote the importance across the district, East Suffolk Council are proud to promote a dedicated Design and Conservation team within Specialist Services boasting of five officers with Architectural, Urban Design and Conservation qualifications and experience. Their role is focused to planning but has reach across the council.

To further drive this agenda, East Suffolk Council employs what is believed to be the first and only Design Champion role within England. The role is to promote the quality of design and placemaking across the district through involvement across the various services and teams within the Council and outside.

This section provides information and resources around the approach to placemaking across East Suffolk.

East Suffolk Place Review 2024/25

The East Suffolk Place Review 2024/25 provides a comprehensive assessment of the quality of residential development delivered across the district over the past decade. It provides a robust, evidence-led analysis of how well new places are functioning in terms of design, sustainability, liveability, and community value.

Drawing on detailed audits of completed housing sites, land use studies, and surveys with industry professionals and planning officers, the review identifies what has worked well and where future improvements are needed. It highlights recurring challenges while also recognising high-performing schemes that contribute positively to local character and wellbeing.

The insights from this review will inform future planning policy, support the development of design codes, and guide the delivery of high-quality, sustainable places across East Suffolk. It forms part of the council’s wider commitment to raising design standards and creating great places for people to live, work, and thrive.

Design Skills Audit

The Design Skills Audit was undertaken across the Planning Service at the end of 2022 to gain a better understanding of the challenges planning officers face when negotiating design and placemaking. The audit was approached to be data driven allowing further audits to be undertaken to assess change in the approach to placemaking ensuring initiative can be managed to address current challenges. The Audit has been made public to demonstrate East Suffolk Council’s commitment in ensuring positive change around design and placemaking.

Suffolk Design Review Panel

The Suffolk Design Review Panel is an independent body comprised of locally-based experts from across the built environment professions, with the fundamental aim to promote and encourage high standards in the design of the built environment in Suffolk.

National Design Guidance

The National Design Guide promotes good design and placemaking across the district. The guide provides overarching approaches to design and placemaking ensuring development and regeneration promotes best practice.

Good Homes Alliance

East Suffolk Council is a Vanguard Member of the Good Homes Alliance. The Good Homes Alliance is a network of organisations with a shared interest in the delivery of sustainable and net zero development and places which enable happy and healthy lives.