The Government attaches great importance to the design of the built environment. The National Planning Policy Framework contains a strong set of policies on designs enshrining good design as a core planning principle and sending a clear message to councils to reject development of poor design.

Local authorities and organisations, including the Royal Institute for British Architects, have welcomed the framework stating that a clear message has been sent to developers, planning officers and committees that poor-quality development will no longer be accepted.

The policies on design in the framework must be taken into account in the preparation of local and neighbourhood plans. It is through the local and neighbourhood plan process that design policies that will influence development locally, are tested and adopted. We have made good progress on local plans, with seven out of 10 councils now having a published local plan, compared to three out of 10 in May 2010. As of April 2013 over 500 communities are taking up the right to make a legally binding neighbourhood plan for their area.

To meet Housing Strategy commitments we have also provided funding to Design Council that has enabled it to work with partners to establish ways of delivering design support to communities, councils and developers and encouraged industry to innovate, for example through the annual Housing Design Awards.