Design Review Panel
Islington is famous for its historic squares and terraces and we want future generations to be just as proud of the buildings that are being constructed today. Our Design and Conservation team works to make sure that new development in the borough is of the highest quality.
The council set up a Design Review Panel (DRP) in 2013 as an independent advisory body contributing towards delivering design excellence within the borough. We renewed this by competition in September 2023.
Panel members
The panel is made up of representatives from a range of built environment professions such as architecture, urban design, heritage, landscape design, environmental sustainability, structural engineering, energy efficiency, retrofitting and other relevant disciplines.
Depending on the type of review agreed for your project, we select - from a broad range of panel members - who is best suited to the scheme and they will advise on and contribute to the review.
Review structure
The reviews are normally held every other Tuesday each month, often in Islington Town Hall.
We will agree the type of review with your case officer and urban design and / or heritage officer.
They range from full reviews, generally required for large scale projects, to more hands-on workshops. They also include reviews for small and complex schemes, and for public realm and landscaping schemes. In some cases projects may be assessed by a Chair’s Review.
You can find out more about types of reviews, procedures, and the fee scale in the council’s Design Review Panel Brochure 2023.
Fees
Current fees started in September 2023.
| Review type | Price without VAT | VAT | Total with VAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full review - chair with four panel members | £6,500 | £1,300 | £7,800 |
| Follow-up review (full) | £4,500 | £900 | £5,400 |
| Workshop - chair with two to three panel members | £4,500 | £900 | £5,400 |
| Follow-up review (following a workshop) | £4,500 | £900 | £5,400 |
| Complex small-scale scheme review - chair and two panel members | £3,500 | £700 | £4,200 |
| Small and medium-scale, public realm and landscaping schemes - chair and two panel members | £3,500 | £700 | £4,200 |
| Chair's review - one or two chairs, or one chair and one panel member | £3,000 | £600 | £3,600 |
Booking
We recommend that schemes are reviewed as part of a pre-application process.
If you would like to present your scheme to the panel, please discuss it with the planning case officer for your scheme or email the design and conservation team on: DesignConservation@islington.gov.uk.
