Independent and impartial Design Review
Independent Design Review
Design review is an independent and impartial peer review system working across the North West of England as part of the Design Network, promoting the highest quality of design and placemaking throughout the region.
Utilising a multi-disciplinary panel of experts, Place Matter positively assists design teams in achieving high quality outcomes and supports Local Planning Authorities in determining the design quality of proposals.
To arrange a Design Review or to request more information please contact Richard Tracey. More information on Design Review can be found here in our prospectus (opens in a new window).
Places Matter Panel
These are the current panel members, drawn from across the built environment professions.
We seek to ensure that panel members skills are matched to the requirements of the projects under review and each panel will usually contain a mix of architects, landscape architects and urban designers, with planners, master planners, engineers, developers, historic and conservation specialists, and sustainability experts added when we feel this is needed.
Our current co-Chairs are Annie Coombs and Matt Brook.
Annie Coombs, Landscape Architect (Chair)
As co-chair of the Places Matter design review panel, and a member (and former deputy chair) of the HS2 independent design panel, Annie Coombs regularly chairs or participates in design review. She was a national design review panellist for CABE and is a Design Council Ambassador, sitting on design panels for a range of projects including highways and masterplans. Annie is also an Examining Inspector for major infrastructure with the Planning Inspectorate.
Matt Brook, Chartered Architect - Founding Director of Matt Brook Architects (Chair)
Matt Brook is an industry-leading designer, who has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with RIBA, which has included chairing RIBA North West and serving on RIBA's National Council. Matt is passionate about the positive impact that great design can have on people and places. Leading Matt Brook Architects' people-focused design approach, he brings a clear rationale to every project, which produces simple elegant spaces and memorable places. Matt has designed numerous high profile and award-winning schemes, including Mann Island, a RIBA Award winning project on a highly significant and complex site within a former World Heritage Site, cited by Historic England as an exemplar response to context.
Standard Fees
All fees are payable in advance. All other services quoted on request.
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One building, at a set panel or on a date to be agreed:
£2,950 + VAT
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Design Review of single dwelling subject to Paragraph 80 of the NPPF
£3,950 + VAT
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Projects with more than one building or smaller residential schemes up to 150 dwellings:
£3,950 + VAT
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Larger residential schemes over 150 dwellings / sustainable urban expansion / garden village / major regeneration schemes:
£4,950 + VAT
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Desk Review of a previously seen scheme:
charged at 50% of the original fee + VAT