Design and access statements

A design and access statement can help make or break a project. At Halliday Fraser Munro, we take great pride in the exceptional quality of the statements we produce.  In essence, a great design and access statement will arm the planning officers with everything they need to approve the application and leave no room for them to reject it.  It will also win over the hearts and minds of the press and public and generate positive coverage for our clients. It can play a critical role in addressing concerns with more contentious projects by rationalising and justifying design decisions and help to secure planning permission.

Telling a compelling story

Our extensive experience tells us that a clear compelling story lies at the heart of every successful design statement. We take great care to craft this and explain the design principles in simple engaging terms that people can relate to.  The statement will describe the context of the architectural design in the surrounding land or cityscape and how it will blend with and complement its surroundings. We also explain how and why the development will benefit and provide value to the area over the long-term.

Our ability to create resonant and effective access statements is always the result of detailed research and reasoning to ensure that we have taken, every possible factor into account.

Setting the right tone

We know that getting the language right is vitally important to a design statement’s success.  Our teams all take great care to avoid hyperbole or jargon and use clear, non-emotive language. Often design statements are quoted directly in the press, so using straightforward language efficiently will help drive positive coverage of the project.

Imagery also plays a hugely important part in promoting the project. Our technical ability to generate the very highest quality architectural visualisations enables us to present the project in the best possible light.

Accessibility Statements

Accessibility must be carefully assessed in relation to disability, transport links and emergency services. While this section of the report is relatively straightforward, it is a key part of the approval process, so we always consider this in depth covering every aspect of the building’s design and location.

Improving your chance of winning planning approval

We have refined the art of creating design and access statements through extensive experience on projects of every size and scope. This guarantees our clients the highest possible chance of success for their development proposals.