Issue - meetings

Mr Rob Jarman, Head of Planning and Development, outlined that the Maidstone Building for Life 12 was important for two reasons.  Firstly, it sent a clear message that MBC expected high quality designs for future residential developments.  Secondly, it enhanced the structure and consistency of operational discussions.  Mr Jarman suggested that the appointment of a Member Design Champion would enable Councillors and Officers to work collaboratively on matters relating to the design of residential developments.

The Committee stated that the Maidstone Building for Life 12 guide was an excellent tool to use in development planning conversations.  It was requested that the guide be incorporated into Officer training to ensure it was widely used.  The Committee commented that Councillors had been involved in similar work through site visits and workshops, which had proven to be effective.  This ensured that all Members were able to contribute to the work, and the appointment of a Champion was therefore unnecessary.

RESOLVED: That the Maidstone Borough Council Building for Life 12, attached as Appendix 1, be approved for use and publication.

Voting: Unanimous