About the Oxford Design Review Panel

Design review panels promote high quality design to help create better buildings, streets and public spaces in the city. Oxford City Council delivers the Oxford Design Review Panel using an in-house team.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) reinforces the role of Design Review in ensuring high standards of design. ODRP operates under the nationally accepted Design Review Principles and Practice guidance document.

Oxford City Council will encourage all major development proposals to be assessed by ODRP before a planning application is submitted. A fee is charged for the service - see our review types and fees page.

What is Design Review

Design Review is a cost-effective and efficient way to improve quality and create well-designed places through the planning process. ODRP undertakes design reviews of proposed developments to provide independent, impartial advice on the design of new buildings, landscapes and public spaces.

Each ODRP meeting panel will:

• be multi-disciplinary
• be conducted by expert practitioners with current experience in design and development, a record of good design in their own projects, and the skills to appraise schemes objectively
• offer feedback that will lead to the improvement of schemes, but does not redesign them
• give decision makers confidence and information to support innovative, high quality design that meets the needs of communities and clients

What schemes can be proposed for design advice or review?

The following types of scheme are recommended for ODRP review:

• 10 houses or more
• 1,000 sq. m or more
• 0.25 Ha or more if residential
• 1.0 Ha or more if commercial

Plus all other proposed developments that are deemed to be sensitive, in terms of design, heritage, public interest or impact on a locality.

Who can propose the Design Review?

Oxford City planning officers have a key role in nominating both major and sensitive schemes for review as most will go before the Panel while still at the pre-application stage. Schemes can also be nominated after a planning application has been submitted.

Applicants need to discuss the scheme with the planning officer to identify if it is ready to present and suitable to go forward for a design review or workshop.

Nominations can also be made by elected councillors at the pre-application stage when they become aware of them through pre-application consultation or when an application is submitted.

The ODRP Panel members

The Oxford Design Review Panel draws from experts who have delivered high quality design, which includes working in sensitive and historic environments, such as Oxford. ODRP Panel members cover a wide range of disciplines, including architecture, town planning, sustainability, landscape architecture and other relevant professions.

The Panel will engage with the City Council as local planning authority, Oxfordshire County Council as highway authority, and statutory agencies as observers including Historic England, Natural England, the Environment Agency and others where appropriate.

Structure of the Design Review meetings

As most proposals will be reviewed at pre-application stage, the meetings are not open to the public. Meetings are chaired by the Oxford Design Review Panel Chair.

Each development proposal needs to be presented by a representative of the developer or the client, generally this will be the architect.