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FROM JULY 1ST 2007 PLANNING APPLICATIONS FOR MOST DEVELOPMENTS REQUIRING PLANNING PERMISSION MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ACCESS STATEMENT. What are the advantages of an access statement? - it encourages applicants to identify the inclusive design aspects of the development at an early stage, helping planners and building control officers to assess how barriers to accessibility have been dealt with and how compensatory measures have been included where full access is impracticable or unreasonable: - by allowing pre-application discussions with planning officers and disabled access groups it provides a cost-effective way of avoiding expensive alterations of features at a later stage of construction or refurbishment: - it will result in a completed development of a higher intrinsic and commercial value as a result of the incorporation of features that provide end-users, who will have legal obligations, particularly under the Disability Discrimination Act, with a record of decisions and their rationale. What should an access statement contain? - details of the external features of the development – parking, open spaces, and access to any buildings – and how their design will meet legal obligations for safe and inclusive access for all potential users. [see attached appendix] - details showing the visibility of entrances and access to any buildings through entrance areas and front doors, and how access for the emergency services and the evacuation of disabled people in an emergency will be provided. [see attached appendix] - details of which standard design and building codes and regulations have been used, and of consultations undertaken with disabled access groups, access consultants and user groups: - additional information, when particular design proposals do not meet recognised standards or best practice, to show how the proposals still meet the legal obligations of ‘reasonable provision for accessibility’: - details of internal design specifications are not currently mandatory in an access statement - it is, however, recommended practice to include such information so that the inclusive design concepts leading through to the completion of the development can be apparent to planning and building control officers at an early stage: [see attached appendix] Contact details for local disability groups Brecknock – Dave Summers [01874 624321] dave.summers@btinternet.com Disability Powys - [01597 824059] info@disabilitypowys.org.uk |