Decision details

Relaunching Sheffield Design Panel in early 2022.

This report seeks to:

-       confirm the renewal of proceedings of the Sheffield Design Panel with some modest changes in terms of the operational model, including a charge to recover costs, as is standard across the country.

-       recruit new members to address shortfalls in certain specialisms while positively targeting to achieve diversity within the Panel membership. 

-       rename Sustainable Development and Design Panel to Sheffield Design Panel

Sheffield was a relatively early and enthusiastic adopter of design review, establishing the Urban Design Review Panel in 2006. The panel was relaunched in 2009 (with approval at Cabinet) as the Sustainable Development and Design Panel.

The Design Panel has not operated since 2016, due to lack of staff resourcing, but was only placed in hibernation rather than being dismantled. This omission currently leaves a big gap, as we are missing a positive tool that a Core City should have to support placemaking.

The proposed restarting of the Design Panel is acknowledged with increased resourcing for the Design Team within the Planning restructure as currently proposed.

That the Executive Member for City Futures: Development, Culture and Regeneration:

-       confirms the relaunch of the Sheffield Design Panel with some modest changes in terms of the operational model, including approving a charge to recover costs, as is standard across the country.

-       Gives approval to retain and recruit new Panel members to ensure a pool of 30 and to address shortfalls in certain specialisms while positively targeting to achieve diversity within the Panel membership (Appendix 2)

-       Confirms the renaming of the Sustainable Development and Design Panel to Sheffield Design Panel

Based on the research done to date, and from discussions on the priorities identified, a bespoke Sheffield Design Panel is considered the preferred option. This would enable Sheffield to develop a panel that reflects the specific challenges and characteristics of Sheffield, and the council’s ambitions for high quality design.

The intended outcomes of this report are:

-       confirmation for the relaunch of the Sheffield Design Panel with modest changes including a charge to recover costs.

-       approval to retain and recruit new members to address shortfalls in certain specialisms while taking positive action to improve the diversity of the Panel membership.

-       Confirms the renaming of the Sustainable Development and Design Panel to Sheffield Design Panel.

Alternatives to restarting Sheffield Design Panel are:

• use of an existing panel – such as Design Council CABE’s national panel or a regional design review panel

• establishing a joint panel – either adapting an existing panel or working with a neighbouring local planning authority

Having assessed both options against the need, the disadvantages outweigh the advantages, especially in terms of added value.