Advice to Chief Executive, Shape East

Enquiry

• From: Chief Executive, Shape East
• Date advice given: 10 November 2011
• Enquiry type: Phone

Thank you for your previous advice on the role of The Design Council / CABE within the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) process.

Can I please clarify the working patterns of the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) and CABE / The Design Council?

Advice given

The relationship between the IPC and the Design Council / CABE functions as with any other statutory consultee within the 2008 Planning Act regime. The technicalities of this relationship are covered in our previous advice on 27 September 2011.

As the government body examining applications for NSIPs, we do not have direct involvement in design reviews or other CABE / Design Council initiatives. This is to ensure the impartiality of the IPC in terms of scheme design and associated issues, which protects the interests of all parties involved.

As previously detailed, the Design Council / CABE have a number of opportunities to formally comment during the NSIP process. Their role at these points would be to offer their professional opinion rather than co-ordinating / mediating with the parties on design issues.

The Design Council / CABE can also work directly with developers or other non-IPC parties in the design evolution of a project, especially at the pre-application stage. You may wish to contact The Design Council / CABE to confirm their criteria for this type of assistance as the IPC maintains only an advisory role on our processes at the pre-application stage.