Local Plan - List of Revisions

A5.6

A5.6/A

Editorial change (colon)

The visual appearance of buildings is a very important planning consideration. However, in the determination of planning applications it is one that has tended to dominate the whole concept of design. There are broader aspects such as landscape design, how a development responds to landscape, and an ecological or environmental view of design and how a site is organised, for example, in terms of traffic, access, and mix of uses. These aspects are included in a much broader and inclusive view of design;: urban design.

A5.20

A5.20/A

686/B58

The design should then reinforce and evolve local characteristics that are of particular value. Appropriate and Innovative design solutions can may be as characterful as 'historical pastiche' more traditional designs, and can make a greater contribution to the ongoing development of our settlements. Local characteristics considered poor in terms of design and which undermine the overall character of an area should not be used as a precedent, for example buildings that back onto roads.

A5.24

A5.24/A

Editorial change

To make new developments that successfully integrate to with their wider context, they need to be visually and physically connected to the place in which they are located. They should therefore be physically knitted into their surrounding environment, with as many safely designed access points as possible.

A5.26

A5.26/A

Editorial change (comma)

A connected environment helps reduce the need to travel by providing for a greater choice of routes, and ensures that local facilities are more easily available to a greater number of people. Additionally, such a layout for development encourages activity throughout an area and contributes to natural surveillance. Whilst highway safety issues are clearly of concern, routes used by vehicles as well as pedestrians and cyclists tend to be more secure environments than segregated routes. They provide a focus of activity with different users.

A5.27

A5.27/A

686/B59

Buildings and the layout of the public realm should be designed first and The need to respect the public realm is paramount in the consideration of all new development proposals: the creation of places and spaces should guide the layout of the built form. This can also influence the flow and density of traffic, whilst creative traffic management schemes, and shorter streets can help to reduce traffic speeds.

A5.39

A5.39/A

2975/B8

In order to reduce the impact of parking on the character of an area, the built form needs to be considered first, with roads and parking fitted into the spaces created. In order to create valued places, a flexible approach to the location of and requirement for car parking provision is necessary. Further information is provided in PPG13 and PPG15.

A5.41

A5.41/A

578/B34

The provision of individual on-plot parking spaces can limit the range of built forms and layouts that can be created, and should only be provided where a satisfactory design solution can be achieved. A mixture of locations for parking, including on-street, allows for far greater flexibility in building form and layout, enabling the creation of attractive places to live, and to pass through. On-street parking can also encourage 'eyes on the street', enhancing the natural surveillance of, and activity on, the public realm. On-street parking should only be encouraged where highway design means that it can be safely accommodated.

A5.46

A5.46/A

Editorial change

Many issues concerning community safety such as achieving natural surveillance and positive relationships in layouts have been addressed in the preceding paragraphs. It is no coincidence that attractive and well designed environments are also places where people feel safe, and the opportunities for crime to occur are reduced. Achieving community safety requires an integrated approach, not one that only seeks a bolt on solution. B&NES Bath & North East Somerset and the Police are committed to reduce the impact of crime by ensuring that all development proposals have satisfactorily sought to design out crime.

D.2

D.2/B

A5.50

A5.50/A

721/B15

The Council's emerging Public Art Strategy is a key initiative to encourage the increased provision of public art throughout the District. Although the provision of public art is voluntary, A a key mechanism for achieving this is through the development process.

A5.59

A5.59/B

683/B11

It is important to ensure that a development responds sensitively to the landscape in which it is placed. The appearance of land, includes its shape, form, ecology, natural and man-made features, colours and the way that these components combine. New planting should conserve and/or enhance the wildlife, landscape, amenity and cultural value of an area, in terms of setting, layout and species selection.

A5.60

5010/B132

Landscape design used creatively and as part of the design process should enhance the quality of schemes. It is inappropriate to use planting to hide development and disguising a building infers it responses poorly to its context. Landscape design also embraces hard material for example for surfacing, structures and walls. Reference to Policy NE.1. Landscaping can also help mitigate increased Co2 emissions caused by an increase in the need to travel.

A5.66

A5.66/A

686/B62

Places and buildings need to be designed to allow for, and to accommodate, change over time. Buildings originally designed for one purpose will undergo pressure to change to other uses, or simply to be adapted to accommodate a growing family. Buildings should therefore be designed with enough flexibility to allow a new use to be satisfactorily accommodated, without complete rebuilding or to enable extensions to be added when required and where appropriate. It is about providing for developments and layouts that can reasonably be adapted to help meet the demands of future generations.

A5.69

A5.69/B

There are many approaches that can be taken, and which can be passionately argued. The general approach to be taken in Bath and North East Somerset should be a contextual approach one, where the visual appearance of new buildings responds appropriately to their context surroundings. The emphasis in most situations should also be towards contemporary design, rather than historical pastiche aim of adopting this approach is to ensure that the valued character of the District is respected, whilst enabling the use of high quality innovative solutions.

A5.71

A5.71/A

Editorial change.

One of the common characteristics throughout the dDistrict is that its many areas are made distinct by the use of similar materials. Bath is a prime example of this where the same type of stone is used throughout most of the city. This contributes so much to the unity of the city's appearance, and to its character, and is very unusual for a settlement of its size. Most villages and towns also exhibit similar characteristics, and it is important that for most buildings, the materials used reflect the context. There will be some circumstances where the building proposed may be unusual, be it in its design or use, and where other materials are more appropriate.

D.4

D.4/C

334/B12, 505/B44, 686/B65, 3266/B6, 2127/B1

A5.73

A5.73/A

578/B35, 686/B66, 3098/B14, 3099/B14

Design statements should accompany all development proposals except those of minimal visual impact. The degree of detail necessary is dependent on the complexity or sensitivity of the application and the site, but it is anticipated that in most cases the Design Statement will be short and succinct. They should always be clear and precise, avoiding unnecessary waffle or ambiguity, and suitably illustrated to explain ideas with greater clarity.

A5.74

A5.74/A

721/B16, 2604/B1, 2968/B4, 3295/B5, 3097/B6, 5010/B244

The Design Statement should set out how the scheme satisfies the urban design objectives and take account of the issues identified in Quick Guide 4A. , and should demonstrate how each of the policy criteria have been met. The provision of a Design Statement, if undertaken appropriately, should aid the decision making process and should enable a wider audience to understand the rationale for adopting a particular design approach.

New Quick Guide on Design Statements

QG4A/A

721/B16, 2604/B1, 2968/B4, 3295/B5, 3097/B6, 5010/B244

D.5

D.5/A

578/B35, 686/B66, 3098/B14, 3099/B14

New heading & para A5.74A

A5.74A/A

A5.74A Careful attention to design in new development will make a significant contribution in moving towards sustainability. Whilst Policy 1 sets out the overarching sustainable development requirements of all new development, a range of more detailed issues also need consideration. Some policies set out particular requirements where they relate to certain types of development e.g. Policy ES.2 on energy conservation, WM.4 on recycling facilities and GDS.1 where it relates to passive solar gain. However, best practice and technology are changing rapidly and the circumstances of different sites will vary and it would be inappropriate for the Local Plan to set out design requirements which may be technologically superseded during the life of the Plan.

New para A5.74B

A5.74B/A

2226/B2, 3257/B12, 3312/B4

New Quick Guide on Design & Sustain-ability

QG4B/A

NB Although best practice may change, these principles will remain applicable to the consideration of new development proposals.