Inspired by award-winning designer Wayne Hemingway, a ground-breaking “Design Guide” for building and development in Suffolk is being created by the county’s local authorities. Critical to its success will be local input and with this in mind, a survey has now been launched to ensure that the views of Suffolk people play a key role in future decisions. Although other counties have produced similar Guides, this will be the first that incorporates the wishes and opinions of the people that matter most: those that live (or have lived) in, work in or visit the county. Essentially, the people that love Suffolk.

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The Suffolk Design Guide will provide ground rules for planning applications for future Suffolk projects and the survey (at www.suffolkdesign.uk) asks people to say what they do and don’t like about the way Suffolk is currently built; from its public buildings to street lighting.

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Wayne Hemingway of HemingwayDesign said: “Whether you live in, work in, study in or visit the county, whether you have left to live elsewhere but care about Suffolk, we want you to have your say in the creation of a Suffolk Design guide that will help new development and initiatives contribute to the county’s unique identity. “Opinions are critically important and this online survey will give as many people as possible the chance to have their say. It can be completed in as little as 10 minutes, but we also hope that people will take their time and really put some thought in to helping make Suffolk the best place it can be.”

 

The survey is just the start of the process and the councils will work with other public bodies, land owners, developers, parish councils, architects, engineers, artists, and amenity groups to finalise the finished Guide. A wide range of events will also take place including conferences, study tours, community events, developer meetings and interactive exercises.

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Notes for Editors:

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“Suffolk Design” is being led by a joint team including all Suffolk Authorities: Suffolk County Council, Babergh & Mid Suffolk DCs, East Suffolk (Suffolk Coastal & Waveney DCs), Ipswich BC and West Suffolk (Forest Heath DC & St Edmundsbury BC) with consultancy support provided by HemingwayDesign, Design South East and Hudson Architects.

 

For further information and to contact the team please visit www.suffolkdesign.uk/contact.

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Examples of existing County Design Guides:

 

Essex: (www.essexdesignguide.co.uk)

Kent: (https://www.kent.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/12092/design-guide-foreword.pdf)