It is accepted that good design is highly subjective. However, the planning system has allowed the steady homogenisation of built environments, with a dominance of bland, monotonous “identikit” housing estates from major housebuilders.

Design Guides/Codes are acceptable on large scale, strategic developments, but should not be imposed on smaller scale developments where other mechanisms, including parameter plans, can adequately achieve similar and proportionate outcomes. Local community input will also be as stated, and a robust consultation process will be needed since the ‘devil will be in the detail’; these documents must go beyond broad requirements for new homes to be ‘in keeping’ with the character and appearance of the area.

However, it will take time for these design guides to be drafted and adopted. In the interim, developers could be signposted towards an alternative framework. For example, the National Design Guide, which includes 10 characteristics of a well-designed place: context, identity, built form, movement, nature, public spaces, uses, homes and buildings, resources, and lifespan. Schemes which can demonstrate a high standard of design should be fast-tracked through the application process.

Additional measures should be introduced for strategic scale development to avoid monotony. For example, the policy could introduce a minimum number of individual house types, appropriate to the scale of development.