We work to ensure that the design of new buildings and the public realm (for example, streets, roads, public rights of way, squares, parks and public gardens) is of high quality.
In-house design expertise
As part of the pre-application and planning application process, officers provide written and verbal guidance. This includes expertise on urban design, heritage, trees, landscape and different types of transport that affect the quality of the development and public realm.
Design guidance
We have published design guidance to help guide decisions on planning applications.
The guidance for the whole Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area includes:
The guidance for the Bournemouth area includes:
- Bournemouth Public Realm Strategy – Guiding Principles (2013)
- Bournemouth Town Centre Development Design Guide (2015) part 1 and part 2
- Residential Development – A Design Guide (2008)
- Residential Extensions – A Guide for Householders (2008)
- Design Principles for Retail to Residential Conversions (2000)
- Boscombe Shopfront Design Code informal guidance (2023)
The guidance for the Christchurch area includes:
The Christchurch Borough-wide Character Assessment. Here it is split into sections.
The guidance for the Christchurch area includes:
- The Christchurch borough-wide Character assessment (2003) part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4 and part 5.
- Christchurch Shopfronts and Advertisement Design Guide (2005)
- Design advice note (2003)
The guidance for the Poole area includes:
- Poole Characterisation Study (2010) part 1, part 2, part 3 and part 4
- Poole Landscape and Character Assessment (2007)
- Poole Town Centre SPD (2015)
- Our Streets and Spaces SPD (2012)
- Street Scapes SPG (2005)
- Shoreline Character Areas SPG (2004)
- A Design Code SPG (2001)
- Landscape and Natural Environment Design Code (2001)
- Shopfronts and Shop Signs SPG (1998)