Policy 26 requires high-quality urban design that respects local character and promotes successful places. It applies to all developments, with strategic schemes subject to Design Review. The council will support well-designed proposals that enhance local areas.
Plain-English summary of the adopted policy text below. The full text is the rule; this is the gist.
The Council will promote high quality design that contributes to the creation of successful places in Havering by supporting development proposals that: i.
Are informed by, respect and complement the distinctive qualities, identity, character and geographical features of the site and local area; ii.
Are of a high architectural quality and design;
iii. Provide creative, site specific design solutions;
iv. Respect, reinforce and complement the local streetscene; v.
Provide active streets, good sight lines and natural surveillance;
vi. Are designed in accordance with the principles of Secured by Design;
vii. Respond to distinctive local building forms and patterns of development and respect the visual integrity and established scale, massing, rhythm of the building, frontages, group of buildings or the building line and height of the surrounding physical context;
viii. Fully integrate with neighbouring developments, existing path and circulation networks and patterns of activity particularly to accommodate active travel;
ix. Provide well-defined public realm with defensible private spaces; x.
Are built of high quality, durable, robust, low maintenance materials that integrate well with surrounding buildings;
xi. Provide a high standard of inclusive access for all members of the public;
xii. Demonstrate adequate on-going maintenance and management arrangements; and
xiii. Make use of design competitions or other creative processes that can improve the design quality.
The council will require development proposals of a strategic nature to be subject to Design Review.
11.1.1
This policy sets out the design criteria that must be incorporated and addressed within developments.
The policy is detailed in order to support the delivery of high quality design in the borough. The Council consider that high quality design and the on-going maintenance and management of development is critical to the delivery of successful places and cohesive communities where people choose to live and settle. Where appropriate, national, regional and local level design guidance and best practice standards should be applied in the design of all development. To this end, the Council will support a culture of continued improvement in quality, design and performance of new development. It will keep under review the need for specific planning policy guidance documents to be prepared to promote and secure its commitment to high quality places.
11.1.2
New development provides the opportunity to enhance the character of an area to create a positive sense of place by reinforcing, repairing and adding to the positive aspects of the built environment.
It should seek to optimise the distinctive character of the existing buildings, landscape and topography, and incorporate the principles of ‘Secured by Design’. Respecting local character does not necessarily mean replicating it. However, great care should be taken when incorporating contemporary design into the existing urban fabric. New and old buildings can coexist without negatively influencing the character of the area.
11.1.3
The design of large strategic schemes must adopt a rigorous design and impact approach involving detailed local area analysis of the site characteristics and the fabric of the surrounding environment and views. Account must also be taken of the adequacy of on-going management and maintenance arrangement. Given that large strategic schemes can be transformative, the Council wants to ensure that they are particularly well designed and focused on optimising the benefits to Havering residents and businesses. The Council understands that big schemes are complex to design, and so wants to work with developers at all stages of the design process to ensure that their brief aligns with the polices of Local Plan. In this regard, applicants are encouraged to engage with the Council as early
Local Plan 2016-2031 Adopted 2021 London Borough of Havering
11 High Quality Places as possible and throughout the design stages to ascertain and confirm the requirements of the Local (11) Plan policies. By agreeing the development brief at an early stage (RIBA Stage 0) the design process can get off to the best start and by working together through subsequent RIBA Stages, the Council's Planning and Regeneration services and the developers will have the best chance of producing a high quality schemes that existing and future generations will enjoy.
11.1.4
Urban Design London has published "The Design Companion For Planning And Placemaking (2017)".
This guidance supplements the NPPF and PPG and developers are encouraged to use this to shape the design process and outcomes.
11.1.5
Some areas may be considered to have poor, mediocre or no distinctive character. In these instances, where it can be robustly evidenced, good planning and urban design may justify a development that departs from its context for particularly high quality innovative proposals.
11.1.6
Applicants will need to explain how the development proposal responds to the character of the site and wider area through a Design and Access Statement, as required by relevant Article 8 of the Development Management Procedure Order. General features to consider include distinctive building styles, established scale, massing, height, materials, layout, access, trees, landscape features, open spaces, landmarks, views and heritage assets at statutory and local level.
11.1.7
The access to and circulation through a development should integrate with and improve the existing movement patterns of the wider area, and wherever possible, also seek to repair fragmented urban form and the pattern of a block or locality. A network of well-connected streets should be provided that offers a choice of routes with easy access to local amenities, open space, the public transport network and established routes.
11.1.8
Streets should be designed as public spaces with the needs of all users considered. Well designed streets with safe, direct, convenient and clear pedestrian and cycle routes helps to maximise the transport choices of residents, and can influence people to use more active modes of travel. Residential layouts designed solely to meet the requirements of vehicular traffic are not acceptable. New routes and connections should provide integrated routes for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicular traffic. When designing new residential and mixed-use developments consideration should be given to how frequent deliveries will be accommodated.
11.1.9
Infill developments should pay particular attention to the way they link together the areas that surround the site to avoid creating isolated enclaves of development. However, the need for permeability should still maintain safety, security and privacy. Routes into and through a development should minimise areas where the private activities of residents are visible to the public, and all access points should be clearly visible and should contribute to mixed, sociable communities and avoid isolation.