Access Statements & Strategies

Access Statements and Strategies
The terms Access Statement and Access Strategies are used to describe a variety of documents. Whatever form of Access Statement you are looking for, idacs can deliver it.

The most common uses are:

           • Access statements as part of a Design and Access Statement as part of a planning application.
           • Access strategies (formerly statements) as part of the building control process
           • Visitor information statements
           • Access Statements as a design team tool

If you’re undertaking a construction project, ensuring you have the right information to demonstrate that your design meets planning requirements is a good way of mitigating planning risk and ensuring your project remains on programme.

Access Strategies are the new name for Access Statements as part of the building control process. These documents are required to demonstrate that you have met Part M of the building regulations. It is particularly important to get your Access Strategies right if the project is adopting innovative solutions, or if it is a refurbishment project with constraints which result in less than ideal situations.

In some situations an Access Statement is about giving potential visitors the right information to enable them to make a decision to use the facility before they travel. If you’re accessible this can be a really useful aid and can give customers the confidence to visit you. If you’re not accessible users will be able to decide for themselves before they turn up on your doorstep!

Access Statements as a design tool are linked to Design Advisory services. When you think of a construction project, there is a programme, a budget, environmental objectives . . .  Access Statements as a design tool set out the access and inclusive design objectives for the project and then assist and monitor delivery of those objectives.

At idacs we know what makes a good Access Statements/Strategies. To discuss Access Statements and Access Strategies please contact us.