SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)·Page 20·4.27
Consistency with Design Policies and Guidance
Planning authorities should not refuse permission on design grounds if the proposal is consistent with local plan policies or supplementary design guidance, unless exceptional circumstances exist. Poor designs that are out of scale or incompatible with context will be rejected.
Where the design of proposed development is consistent with relevant LPD policies and/or supplementary design guidance, planning authorities should not refuse permission on design grounds, unless there are exceptional circumstances. Planning authorities will reject poor designs, particularly proposals that are inappropriate to their context, including schemes that are clearly out of scale, or incompatible with their surroundings, or not in accordance with the LDP or local design guidance.
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