Design and Access Statement

What are design and access statements?

Its basically a document that explains the design thinking behind a planning application. It is now required for Listed Building Consent applications. I can hear the groans and screams of anyone wanting to change a window or fireplace… I know – stupid. But, wally government in their attempts to make life more complicated, wants it – so we have to do the things. At the bottom of the page is an example DAS Statement for you to download.

It should show that you have thought about how everyone, including disabled people, kids, and the aged, will be able to use it.. Hmmm – maybe the new sash windows will have ‘pensioner friendly’ catches with locks to prevent the kids from climbing out of a third floor window… Actually, it is more to do with history than pensioner proof catches….

Your statement needs to include a written description and justification of the planning application. OK… so we are taking out a plastic pvc sash window, which is deteriorated by sunlight degrading the plastic, and doesnt look right for the old Georgian building – and replacing it with a wooden sash, which does look right. You should include photos, drawings – in this instance, it might be a good idea to take a load of pics of grotty old plastic pvc sashes, happily defacing an otherwise lovely Georgian facade, and then show some pics of nice wooden ones in restored buildings, so the governing wallies can understand the need to remove and replace them. I know – we all know they need to be replaced, and what with – but some poor little public servant would be out of a job if you didnt give wally something to read.

This, for a Listed Building, is more a statement of historical information. All you know about the building, its history, development, significance (we just found out that Douglas Bader owned a house we surveyed and would have flown from near there during the war) and a treatment of features – windows, doors, window and door furniture, and so on. The DAS is a powerful tool in getting LBC – the better it is, the more chance your application will sail through – it shows you know and have researched the house. You understand why it is Listed – its significance in time, place, socially, materially. The changes you propose will relate to the DAS and harmonise with it. For example if you were to remove a rotten 1960’s window, your DAS would examine other windows in the house – are they original or copies – what other houses in the area are similar – maybe built by the same architect. Do they have similar windows? If you can propose a new design based on 3 other Georgian houses in the same street, which have original windows, your application will likely succeed. If your DAS just says you like this kind of window, and there is no research into why that window should be approved, you almost certainly will be turned down.

With the DAS you will need to give a schedule of works, and specifications for materials to be used. These should be based on traditional materials – lime mortars and plasters – no cement and gypsum. Timber not plastic. Traditional fillers like oakum caulking, not silicone. Internal changes like bathrooms and kitchens obviously need to be modern – but you need to make sure they don’t damage historic fabric, and that they don’t introduce irreversible change. Reversibility is important. As an example, taking windows out and replacing them with more modern, double glazed ones will not be approved. Restoring them, and fitting glass shutters to the stop beads of the sashes, would be approved as secondary glazing that is consistent with modern life, but is easily reversed, and doesnt impact on the significance of the building.

Damp proofing of any kind is frowned upon. Injection holes destroy historic fabric and is thus a criminal offence.

So – having made your point about replacing the windows, and given them hours of nice piccies to look at, you wrap up the statement with a description of the fittings and how they enhance the probability that your kids can’t fall out of upstairs windows as they presumably have managed not to with the plastic ones anyway. Aunt Dolly will be able to undo the catches with her arthritic fingers once she’s been shown how the child proof lock works…

So in summary – we’ve shown wally what we are applying for and why – we’ve carefully explained and justified it, and we’ve made provision for it to be linked to any planning decision by conditions. Wally often tells you that the application is approved – Conditional upon you doing something for his delectation – in this case, he wants you to submit a photo of Aunt Dolly actually smiling, having managed to undo one of the childproof, fireproof, draughtproof, and environmentally friendly catches you fitted on the window.

Wally government explains that: The statements should explain the design principles and concepts that have informed the development and how access issues have been dealt with. It is intended as a check to see if the proposal is good enough to approve.

The statement should address the design principles and concepts that have been applied to the scale, layout and appearance characteristics of a proposal.

It must describe the historical and special architectural importance of the building (nothwithstanding the fact that Wally, in his infinitesimal wisdom, already has this – in the form of a Listing)

The particular features of the building that justify its designation as a listed building (Again Wally – its in the listing!)

… and the buildings setting

The statement will need to explain your approach to ensuring that the historic and special architectural importance of the listed building is preserved or enhanced. Where an aspect of the design has the potential to affect this adversely, the statement should explain why it is necessary, and what measures have been taken to minimise its impact.

You also need to consider any issues regarding accessibility for disabled people, and how that is restricted by any significant fabric that cant be altered.

So.. you can see that there is an element of sense to the thing, but if you are replacing a couple of windows, keep it short and sweet – we wouldnt want Wally falling asleep in his attempt to justify his salary by taking all day to read it…