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Although different places face different challenges, high quality development is essential to the successful delivery of sustainable communities. Good planning needs to be a positive and proactive process that seeks to get the right type of development in the right place, at the right time.

In June 2006, the Government, through its commitment to raising the design quality of new development in all locations, published a research report, Design Coding in Practice: An Evaluation. This report found that design codes can play a major role in delivering better quality development and that they are particularly valuable when sites are large, when they are in multiple ownership or when a development involves several developers or design teams.

This manual has been specifically published to show how design codes can help deliver good quality places, and to convey the means by which design coding can be integrated into the planning, design and development processes that shape the built environment. It compliments good practice guidance which has been published to help encourage high quality development and the delivery of good quality places. It not only directly supports the implementation of PPS3 but is also relevant to all aspects of the built environment and is not restricted to new residential development.

The use of design codes is not mandatory. The key for developers, local authorities and other interested parties is to understand when and why design codes may be the right tool to use, and under what circumstances design codes can streamline processes, add value and delivery better quality development.

This manual addresses these important issues. It forms the what, how and who guide to preparing and implementing design codes, by answering the following three key questions:What are design codes, and why and where are they useful?How can they be prepared and what represents an efficient and effective design coding process?Who is responsible, and what are the roles of all those involved through all stages of the process from preparation to implementation.