Local authorities to produce design codes

Twelve local authorities will be supported by the Office for Place as part of the Design Code Pathfinder Programme for 2024/25.

This round of the programme:

• intends to evaluate the effectiveness and expand on existing local authority design standards in line with the National Model Design Code;
• aims to generate new "theme-based" design codes to demonstrate the range of potential uses and benefits.

The following five local authorities will evaluate their existing design standards and their impact on increasing certainty in planning decision-making, and then design standards will then be updated:

• Dacorum Borough Council;
• South Kesteven District Council;
• Thurrock Council;
• Wakefield Council; and
• London Borough of Waltham Forest.

The following other areas will produce new "theme-based" examples, covering various issues such as how to develop a design code for a non-residential area, how design codes can be combined with a delivery mechanism to bring forward development, and joint local authority design codes:

• Blackpool Council;
• Hartlepool Borough Council;
• Stoke-on-Trent City Council;
• Stockport Council;
• Tewkesbury Borough Council;
• Cheltenham Borough Council; and
• Gloucester City Council.

A share of £1 million has been distributed to each area to produce the design codes, the:

• five areas evaluating existing design standards has received £80,000; and
• other areas creating design codes based on themes have received £120,000 each.

The Office for Place expects the draft codes to be produced by the end of March 2025.