Urban design is concerned with how places look and work, the relationship between buildings and spaces and about how people use them.
Good urban design is based on understanding and responding to the context and involving stakeholders and users in the process of development proposals.
The Urban Design Team reviews the design quality and sustainable construction proposals for major planning applications as part of the development management process. The team also provides design advice to the wider planning service and assists in the formulation of design and sustainable construction policy.
The public realm is an aspect of urban design that is becoming more prominent and gaining a higher profile. The public realm is all space to which the public has ready physical and visual access. It includes all streets and roads, public spaces, green spaces, private gardens, squares, footpaths, and parks.