This can lead to unrealistic expectations and the promotion of schemes which are not viable, introducing delays into the development process. Implementation and monitoring Very few local authorities monitor the performance of their briefs and most review briefs on an ad hoc basis. There is also little evidence of a proactive approach in implementing promotional briefs among local planning authorities. Users of briefs are concerned about the degree to which local authorities adhere to the requirements set out in their briefs. A number of examples were cited of supposedly firm requirements being relaxed during the planning application process.
Briefs vary in the extent to which they prescribe the design of development.
Some include prescriptive advice about issues such as layout and materials while others are flexible, allowing a number of solutions. The research uncovered inconsistency in design guidance. Some briefs stated that they sought to achieve one sort of development, and then provided advice for something quite different. Design guidance tends to focus on issues such as materials or architectural detailing, and often ignores fundamental factors such as road layout, focal buildings and spaces, and the relationship between buildings. The case studies also uncovered a number of situations where design guidance prescribed what the developers would have built anyway.