Design codes: their use and potential

Abstract

Design codes are nothing new, but in recent years have increasingly been identified. both in the urban design literature and in practice. as tools that might help to deliver better quality development, more efficiently, and in a more inclusive manner that better integrates the contributions of key stakeholders. This paper reports on a research project that has sought to establish what is already known about design codes, in order that lessons from that existing experience can feed into the future development of design coding. The paper draws on an extensive literature review. a survey of existing practice in England. and on five case studies of design codes that have been used to deliver development on the ground. An analytical framework is first developed which integrates the three sources of data, which are then presented in the chapters that follow. The framework is used again in the final chapter to draw out conclusions. Based on the findings. it is argued that despite the design, certainty and integration benefits that codes seem particularly suited to deliver, design codes are only one means to deliver these benefits. Furthermore, they may not be the quickest, most inclusive or most resource efficient means to do so.