Well-designed buildings and places have a big impact on our lives because they are where we live, work and spend our leisure time. The design, location and layout of new developments plays a key role in tackling climate change through, for example, the use of heat and light.
Since the impact of Covid-19 and the shift towards people working from home, the importance of well-designed homes and workplaces has become ever more important to people’s quality of life. Throughout the pandemic the public also realised how much we value public spaces as more people started using them.
The Local Plan aims to create safe, inclusive, and attractive environments that meet the needs of residents and incorporate principles of sustainable development such as reusing materials and regenerating existing buildings.
High quality, low carbon, and sustainable design can help respond to a multitude of challenges and opportunities across the borough, including:
- Ensuring that development is climate ready;
- Protecting and enhancing the quality of the natural and built environment;
- Popularity of businesses and new inward investment;
- The promotion of good health and wellbeing through new development; and
- Reinforcing civic pride and a sense of place for new and existing residents.
What is the role of the Local Plan?
The Local Plan sets out design policies that:
- Support development, including residential and commercial proposals, to be well-designed and respect the existing character and appearance of an area, as well as connecting people with places and nature;
- Address the key principles of residential design from large proposals to residential alterations and extensions that developers and residents will need to address when bringing forward planning proposals;
- Supports good design in commercial and industrial developments to help ensure they are sustainable, well connected and minimise their impact on the local area; and
- Ensure new residential, commercial and industrial developments plan for and address how waste will be stored and collected in a way that helps maximise the amount of waste that can be recycled and re-used.
