Share your views on the design of future development in the district

DDC is asking residents for their views on the design of new development, to help shape future Design Codes for Dover District.

A survey is inviting residents to provide input and feedback on the design and character of local developments to help identify clear design principles for what is built in East Kent. 

A design code is a planning document that sets out specific design requirements for new development. For example, it may include:

• the layout, including street pattern
• how landscaping should be approached, including the importance of streets being tree-lined
• the height of buildings and façade materials
• the environmental performance of places and buildings;
• that developments should clearly take account of local vernacular and heritage, architecture and materials.

The final Design Code/s for Dover will be used to determine whether planning applications are acceptable in design terms and will support the adopted Local Plan. It will set specific local requirements to improve the design quality in new developments.

The council, along with other neighbouring councils in East Kent, has been awarded government funding through the Planning Skills Delivery Fund for the first two stages of preparing a design code – analysis and developing a vision.

We are working with experts BPTW, Design South East and Create Streets to deliver the project.

Your feedback is a chance to positively influence the design of future development in the district and will help shape the overall vision of a future design code.

Have your say by completing our survey (closing date: midnight on Sunday 9 November 2025).

Paper copies of the questionnaire are available on request. If you need a paper copy, please email planning.policy@dover.gov.uk.

Notes 

This is a joint project with Ashford, Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone and Hythe and Thanet Councils. It’s being led by Design South East and consultants BPTW, who are undertaking stage one and two of the process (analysis and vision) for each authority.

Following completion, each council will then move onto stage three and start to individually produce their own local Design Codes. 

 For more details about the project, see Design Codes