Design and Access Statements
A Design and Access Statement (DAS) is a planning document that accompanies certain planning applications. Where it is required, it is not optional — submitting an application without one will typically result in the application being invalidated by the local planning authority before it is even registered. Where it is not formally required, it is increasingly common to submit one anyway for applications with a significant design component.
This guide explains what a Design and Access Statement is, when you need one, what it must cover, and how to write one that supports your application rather than just ticking a box.
The requirement for a Design and Access Statement is set out in Article 9 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 (the DMPO). This makes a DAS a mandatory part of the application documentation for certain categories of application. The requirement applies in England only — Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have their own separate requirements.
A DAS is required for three categories of application:
A DAS is required for any major application, which means:
A DAS is also required for applications in designated areas — conservation areas, World Heritage Sites, National Parks, and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty — where the proposal involves:
This means that a small residential development in a conservation area — even a single new dwelling — will require a DAS. This is one of the most common situations in which architects and planning consultants encounter the requirement.
A DAS is required for all applications for listed building consent, regardless of the scale of the works proposed. This reflects the particular sensitivity of alterations to listed buildings and the importance of explaining the design rationale behind any proposed changes.
When is a DAS not required? Householder applications (extensions, loft conversions, outbuildings) in non-designated areas do not require a DAS. Changes of use without building operations do not require a DAS. Engineering operations typically do not require a DAS. However, even where it is not required, a brief design statement addressing the key design considerations can be useful for complex or sensitive proposals.
There is no single prescribed format for a DAS, but the DMPO and the Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) set out the matters that must be addressed. In practice, most DAS documents are structured around six core sections:
| Section | What it covers |
|---|---|
| 1. Existing Site Features | The existing character of the site and its surroundings — built form, topography, vegetation, boundaries, relationship to the street and neighbouring buildings, designations |
| 2. Access | How vehicular, pedestrian, cycling, and public transport access has been addressed; accessibility for people with disabilities; internal circulation; parking; means of escape. Must reference the Equality Act 2010 and NPPF paragraph 110 |
| 3. Layout | The arrangement of buildings, routes, and open spaces — how the layout creates a safe, accessible, and legible environment and responds to the surrounding context |
| 4. Scale and Appearance | The height, width, length, and massing of the proposed buildings; materials and architectural approach; relationship to the scale and character of the surrounding area. Reference NPPF paragraphs 124, 130, and 135 |
| 5. Landscaping | Hard and soft landscaping proposals; planting strategy; boundary treatment; public realm; green infrastructure |
| 6. Heritage Assets | For applications in designated areas or affecting listed buildings — an assessment of the impact on the significance of the heritage asset, in accordance with NPPF Chapter 16 and the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 |
The access section is the section most commonly written too briefly. It is not enough to say "the development will be accessible." The DAS must demonstrate that access has been genuinely considered for all users — not just able-bodied visitors arriving by car.
A thorough access section should address:
The Equality Act 2010 imposes a positive legal duty to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not placed at a substantial disadvantage. This duty applies to the provision of goods, services, and facilities — which means it is directly relevant to any building that members of the public will enter. The DAS should explain how the proposed development complies with this duty.
NPPF 2023 paragraph 110 requires that development should "create places that are safe, secure and attractive — which minimise the scope for conflicts between pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles, and which incorporate facilities giving high quality access to transport." Citing this paragraph and demonstrating compliance is good practice in every DAS.
For applications in conservation areas, National Parks, World Heritage Sites, or affecting listed buildings, the DAS must include a heritage assessment. This should:
Section 72 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 imposes a statutory duty on local planning authorities to pay special attention to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of a conservation area. Your DAS should demonstrate that the proposal meets this test — ideally by identifying specific design decisions that respond to the conservation area character appraisal.
Planabl generates a six-section Design and Access Statement in under 60 seconds — covering site features, access, layout, scale, landscaping, and heritage. First draft free, no account needed.
Try Planabl free →There is no prescribed length, but the Planning Practice Guidance is clear that a DAS should be "as long as is necessary to explain the proposal." In practice:
Quality matters more than length. A four-page DAS that addresses every required matter clearly and specifically is better than a fifteen-page document full of generic boilerplate. Planning officers read dozens of DAS documents each week — a well-structured, specific, and concise statement will be received better than a lengthy one that does not engage with the particular characteristics of the site.
A DAS is not a description of what you want to build — that is what the drawings are for. The DAS should explain the design rationale: why the building is this height, why these materials were chosen, how the layout responds to the site's constraints and opportunities. Statements that simply describe the proposal without explaining the reasoning behind the design decisions are the single most common failing.
A single paragraph stating that the development "will be fully accessible to all users" does not satisfy the requirements of the DMPO or the Equality Act 2010. The access section must address each mode of access specifically and demonstrate that disabled access has been genuinely considered in the design, not added as an afterthought.
For applications in conservation areas, the DAS must engage with the specific character of the conservation area — not just state that the design is "in keeping." Reference the LPA's conservation area character appraisal, identify the key characteristics that have informed the design, and explain specifically how those characteristics are reflected in the proposed materials, scale, and massing.
NPPF references in a DAS should be to specific paragraphs, not to the NPPF in general. For London applications, the London Plan 2021 forms part of the statutory development plan and must be addressed alongside the NPPF and the borough local plan. Policies D3, D4, and D6 of the London Plan are the most commonly relevant for design and residential applications.
These are two distinct documents with different purposes, and for major applications and applications in designated areas, both are typically required.
A planning supporting statement makes the policy case — demonstrating that the proposal complies with the relevant planning policies and explaining why any policy conflicts are outweighed by material considerations. It typically covers the principle of development, planning history, policy framework, and an assessment against each relevant policy.
A Design and Access Statement explains the design process — how the development responds to its site and surroundings, how access has been addressed for all users, and the design rationale behind the key decisions on layout, scale, appearance, and landscaping.
In practice, for smaller applications in designated areas, elements of both documents are sometimes combined into a single statement. For major applications, they are almost always separate documents.
Planabl generates professional first drafts for both document types in under 60 seconds. Select your document type, fill in the project details, and download an editable Word document ready to review and submit.
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