DM10.1 Development should be of high quality reflecting and maintaining the local character of the area including any heritage assets and having regard to:
a. The development pattern, layout and siting;
Croydon Local Plan 2024
Landscape
DM10.8 To ensure a cohesive approach is taken to the design and management of landscape within the borough the Council will require proposals to:
b. Clause deleted.
a. Provide landscaping as part of the overall design that enables the development to respect the character of the existing area and contributes to the integration of the buildings with the surrounding area;
c. The appearance, existing materials and roofscapes, scale, height, massing and density of existing built form.
b. Provide wildlife-friendly landscapes which are visually attractive, easily accessible and safe for all users, and provide a stimulating environment;
d. Landscape character and features of the surrounding area and the Place of Croydon in which it is located.
c. Seek to retain existing landscape features that contribute to the setting and local character of an area;
In the case of development in the grounds of an existing building which is retained, new development shall be subservient to the existing building.
d. Retain existing trees and vegetation including natural habitats ;
The council will take into account cumulative impact.
e. In exceptional circumstances where the loss of mature trees is outweighed by the benefits of a development, those trees lost shall be replaced with new semimature trees of a commensurate species, scale and form; and
DM10.2 - Policy deleted.
DM10.3 - Policy deleted.
DM10.4 - Moved to Homes chapter.
DM10.5 - Moved to Homes chapter.
DM10.6 - Policy deleted.
f. Adherence with Supplementary Planning Guidance 12 Landscape and the Croydon’s Public Realm Design Guide, or equivalent, will be encouraged to aid compliance with the policies contained in the Local Plan.
DM10.9 To ensure a creative, sensitive and sustainable approach is taken to incorporating architectural lighting on the exterior of buildings and public spaces the Council will require proposals to:
DM10.7 Development will be required to:
a. Respect, enhance and strengthen local character;
a. Make an efficient use of land whilst respecting the character of the surrounding area by reinforcing and promoting local distinctiveness;
b. Seek opportunities to enhance and emphasise the key features of heritage assets and local landmark buildings; or seek to encourage the use of public spaces and make them feel safer by incorporating lighting within public spaces; and
b. Ensure that it is designed to avoid unacceptable harm to the amenity of existing neighbours and future occupants, including by way of overlooking and loss of privacy, overbearance, obtrusiveness and overshadowing;
c. In exceptional circumstances where site constraints make it impossible to provide private outdoor space for all dwellings, indoor private amenity space may help to meet policy requirements. The area provided should be equivalent to the private outdoor amenity space requirement and this area added to the minimum Gross Internal Area.
d. Provide adequate daylight and sunlight for future occupants;
e. Use high quality, durable and sustainable materials that respond to the local character of an area;
f. When working with existing buildings, retrofitting will be encouraged to retain original architectural features where possible;
g. Incorporate the principles of designing out crime or equivalent crime prevention standards;
h. Makes adequate provision for access, servicing, communal storage, circulation, turning space and parking taking account of the impact on the character of the area;
c. Ensure lighting schemes do not cause glare and light pollution.
d. Adherence with Croydon’s Public Realm Design Guide, or equivalent, will be encouraged to aid compliance with the policies contained in the Local Plan.
DM10.10 When considering the layout of new development, the council will support proposals that minimise the amount of blank and inactive frontages, increase the amount of natural surveillance and avoid dark and secluded areas.
DM10.11 Policy deleted.
Table 6.2 removed.
Table 6.3 removed.
i. Where appropriate, proposals should restore historic street furniture and provide additional street furniture, trees and public art to enhance the public realm and sense of place; and
j. Explore opportunities to retrofit energy efficiency infrastructure and renewables into existing stock.
Croydon Local Plan 2024
A Place to Belong: Urban Design Heritage and Local Character
Figure 6.3 removed.
Figure 6.4 removed.
How the policy works
Character
6.57 The Council recognises the need to proactively plan for the housing need. The challenge for the Croydon Local Plan is to respect local character and distinctiveness whilst accommodating growth. Croydon’s aspiration is for this to be done in a way that contributes to the improvement of each of Croydon’s 16 places.
Table 6.4 removed.
Urban and Suburban Evolution
Table 6.5 Interventions suitable for each type of local character
6.58 Character in most areas of the borough will evolve over time through the recycling of existing plots with denser forms of development without significant impact on their character. In these locations new residential units can be created through the following interventions.
Local character types
a. Conversion – The conversion or subdivision of large buildings into multiple dwellings without major alterations to the size of the building.
b. Addition – This can include one or more extensions to the side, rear, front or on the roof, and is often combined with conversion of the existing building into flats.
c. In-fill including plot subdivision – Filling in gaps and left over spaces between existing properties. It can also include subdivision of large plots of land into smaller parcels of land with a layout that complements the existing urban pattern.
d. Rear garden development – The construction of new buildings in rear gardens of the existing properties. Houses must be subservient in scale to the main house.
e. Redevelopment – The replacement of the existing buildings (including the replacement of detached or semi-detached houses with flats) with a development that increases the density and massing, within the broad parameters of the existing local character reflected in the form and rhythm of buildings and street scene in particular.
Croydon Local Plan 2024
Conversion
Additions
In-fill and Plot
Subdivision
Rear garden development
Redevelopment
PREDOMINANTLY RESIDENTIAL TYPOLOGIES
Compact Houses On Relatively Small Plots
Detached Houses On Relatively Large Plots
Large Houses On Relatively Small Plots
Local Authority Built Housing With Public Realm
Medium Rise Blocks With Associated Grounds
Planned Estates Of Semi Detached Houses
Scattered Houses On Large Plots
Terraced Houses And Cottages
PREDOMINANTLY MIXED USE CHARACTER TYPES
Large Buildings With Continuous Frontage Line
Large Buildings With Spacing
Suburban Shopping Areas
Tower Buildings
Urban Shopping Areas
Institutions With Associated Grounds
Linear Infrastructure
PREDOMINANTLY NON-RESIDENTIAL CHARACTER TYPES
6.59 The level of growth depends on existing local character. The capacity for natural evolution is dependent upon the local character typology. The new development should not adversely impact on the predominant character. Each character type has capacity for growth. Natural evolution is an ongoing process where development occurs in a way that positively responds to the local context and seeks to reinforce and enhance the existing predominant character.
Green Infrastructure
6.60 Evolution in urban and suburban areas will be accommodated as shown in Table 6.5 which provides guidance as to what development types are likely to be acceptable compared to the predominant character of a local area.
Shopping Centres Precincts & Town Centres
Industrial Estates
Retail Estates & Business & Leisure Parks
Transport Nodes
Croydon Local Plan 2024
A Place to Belong: Urban Design Heritage and Local Character
6.61 In areas where the predominant character is weakly defined or of poor quality, it is important that developments take the opportunity to improve the overall quality of the area.
6.62 Paragraph deleted.
6.63 In line with the London Plan, the local character of the borough’s 16 Places has been mapped. The Borough Character Appraisal, the Opportunity Area Planning Framework and the Council’s masterplans should be considered in conjunction with these policies. Where the development sits within or directly affects the setting of a heritage asset, the significance of this heritage asset should be identified and should inform the design of the proposed development.
6.64 Paragraph deleted.
6.65 Paragraph deleted.
6.66 Paragraph deleted.
Layout
6.67 Streets form an integral part of a place, creating movement networks that serve the built form rather than dominate it. Consideration should be given at a sufficiently early stage of the design process to how the development site links to the local and wider area. Additionally, the creation of routes punctuated by landmark buildings or features, public squares or spaces helps to make a place easy to understand.
6.68 The Council will require detailed design of roads, footpaths and cycleways to be clearly communicated. Early planning of road and site layouts enables applicants to incorporate parking and servicing in locations where their presence will not dictate the urban form and their visual impact can be minimised. When designing parking and road layouts, careful consideration should be given to creating layouts that are safe, secure, accessible, and permeable and balance the needs of all users. Particular attention should be paid to ensure safe and accessible pedestrian routes are accommodated within the development.
6.69 When considering the layout, proposals should demonstrate a clear and logical arrangement of buildings that provides a high quality design solution on the site. Buildings, other than on back land developments, should positively address the street and the public realm and particular care should be taken to address how they enclose private secure spaces, car parks and servicing areas.
6.70 Supplementary Planning Document No. 3 Designing for Community Safety or equivalent should be referred to for aspects of safety in layout, and design.
The provision of sufficient lighting, in line with EU lighting uniformity requirements, will encourage greater pedestrian access, movement and reduce opportunity for undesirable behaviour.
6.71 The Council considers the health and wellbeing of those living and working within the borough to be of the upmost importance. New developments can impact upon the amenity of the occupants of neighbouring properties. Site layouts should be designed to protect or improve conditions for occupants of nearby properties and future occupants. In line with the Housing Supplementary Planning Guidance, when assessing site layouts the Council will consider a development’s impact on visual amenity, overlooking, outlook, and sunlight and daylight.
6.72 Paragraph deleted.
6.73 Moved to homes chapter.
6.74 Moved to homes chapter.
6.75 Moved to homes chapter.
6.76 Paragraph deleted.
6.77 Paragraph deleted.
6.78 Moved to homes chapter.
6.79 Paragraph deleted.
6.80 Paragraph deleted.
6.81 Paragraph deleted.