This policy establishes a baseline of what is expected to achieve good design, across all projects in NSW. Good design is a phrase that encapsulates the aspirations of Better Placed including its vision for NSW, its definition of good process, and its outline of objectives for the built environment.

Good design creates useable, userfriendly, enjoyable and attractive places and spaces, which continue to provide value and benefits to people, the place and the natural environment over extended periods. Good design brings benefits socially, environmentally and economically, and builds on these benefits over time – continually adding value.

• Better Placed is structured to work in a number of ways, with the purpose of achieving better places for the people of NSW by:
• Advocating the importance of design for better places, spaces and outcomes.
• Supporting industry and government to deliver good design for people.
• Enabling effective design processes to be established and supported in the planning system.

The policy will:

• Raise awareness of what the NSW Government means by good design in the built environment.
• Provide clear, consistent, rigorous objectives to achieve good design throughout the development process.
• Outline the value of design thinking and what is involved in supporting effective design processes.
• Provide a framework for examining places and reviewing proposals from a good design perspective.
• Establish key concepts of design and shared terminology for the built environment.
• Encourage a stronger design culture and active engagement in design.