New members are being sought to help maintain high-quality development in Hackney as part of Hackney Council’s influential Design Review Panel (DRP). 

The Council is recruiting professionals with an awareness and knowledge of the borough and expertise in a range of disciplines, including architecture, urban design, landscape and public realm, building conservation and heritage, sustainability, engineering, town planning and other built environment professions.

Hackney is one of the smallest London boroughs by area but one of the most densely populated, with a diverse and rich built environment. The borough has 29 parks and significant open spaces, a fine built heritage with over 30 conservation areas, some 1,200 statutorily listed buildings and over 470 locally listed buildings. Hackney also faces enormous pressures for development, making the need for quality design all the more important.

The panel was one of the first in London when it was established in 2006 to help raise the standard of design across all types of development, as part of the Council’s wider objectives to achieve balanced, sustainable communities and neighbourhoods. It has reviewed more than 200, many of which are now built and have become nominated and award winning projects.

The panel is an independent body to the Council and panel members are not directly employed by the Council. An hourly fee is offered to compensate panel members for participation in design review sessions. For further information on how the Hackney Design Review Panel operates please visit: hackney.gov.uk/designreviewpanel.

Hackney Council aims to have a panel that best reflects the diversity and inclusivity of the borough and would welcome applications from professionals from a diverse background in particular from Black, Asian, minority ethnic and LGBTQIA+ communities, those with protected characteristics or with disabilities and female professionals. 

To apply, send a 200 word cover letter with an illustrated CV to: DRP@hackney.gov.uk. Applications open between 8-28 March 2021.