A stakeholder led review of the former Countryside Agency's design programme leading to a framework for Natural England's work on sustainable design and principles to guide future policy initiatives.
This study reviewed all the former Countryside Agency's policy initiatives on sustainable design, including landscape character assessment, Countryside in and around Towns, Green Infrastructure & Growth Areas. It provided an objective critique and a framework for future discussions following the formation of Natural England. An extensive programme of stakeholder consultation identified opportunities to influence those responsible for planning and implementing sustainable design, as well as the specific requirements of different stakeholder groups and ways to operate effectively within the new planning system. The output was a strategic framework for a future sustainable design programme within Natural England, incorporating key objectives and sample actions to guide future policy advice