Ingatestone & Fryerning Neighbourhood Plan Regulation 16
HOUSING DESIGN
The National Design Guide[8] states that: "creating high quality buildings and places is fundamental to what the planning and development process should achieve. The long-standing fundamental principles for good design are that it is: fit for purpose; durable: and brings delight".
All new development should seek to provide the highest possible design standards. The RIBA House of the Year 2019, a low budget basic house in Northern Ireland and the RIBA Stirling Prize 2019, public housing in Goldsmith Street, Norwich, both demonstrate that good design does not need to be expensive and difficult to achieve.
All that is needed is vision together with a determination to leave a lasting legacy that rises above the mundane and the ordinary. Tor Bryan (Figure 4) in Ingatestone, when created, was different and very contemporary, has stood the test of time and is now a legacy to good design of its time. New development within the parish should seek to undertake a similar approach to design, providing innovative designs and striking aesthetics founded on vernacular principles.
Figure 4: Tor Bryan
The parish council supports the use of innovative design features which will enhance the overall quality of the development. The parish council encourages the use of natural materials, incorporating features such as green roofs, to enhance the design quality of the building and respond effectively to challenges associated with climate change. New development should seek to create sustainable development with a strong sense of identity.
Schemes should ensure that unique attributes assigned to individual properties contribute to an overall sense of coherent identity for the development. In addition, ancillary buildings and screen walls should seek to reflect the style, detail and materials of the main property.
In relation to the use of materials, it is recommended that:
- New development proposals use a limited palette of materials so as to reinforce the identity of the whole.
- Soft red/orange bricks, dark stained timber and render for walls and plain tiles and pantiles for roofs would assist new developments in contributing positively to the character and appearance of the area.
- Patinated or quartz zinc and non-combustible coloured panels such as Rockpanel are suitable modern materials which would contribute positively to the character and appearance of the area.
- The Building Research Establishment (BRE) Green Guide to Specification[9] should inform the selection of materials within new developments to ensure the use of the most sustainable available materials.
New development proposals should demonstrate how buildings have been designed in a sustainable manner which seek to reduce carbon emissions, for example taking into account building orientation, solar gain, insulation and airtightness. In order to achieve this, the parish council encourages developments to incorporate Passivhaus[10] standards which seeks to significantly reduce energy consumption for the heating and cooling of buildings.
Since 2009 a government panel has been considering issues associated with housing for older people, called Housing our Ageing Population: Panel for Innovation (HAPPI). The HAPPI reports have identified 10 recommendations to improve housing quality for older people, which include:
- Generous/flexible space standards.
- Natural light (including circulation spaces).
- Avoidance of internal corridors and single aspect dwellings for light and ventilation.
- 'Care ready' homes to accommodate emerging technologies.
- Circulation that avoids institutionalisation and encourages interaction.
- Lively multi-purpose social spaces that link with the community.
- Engagement with the street.
- Energy efficient 'green' buildings.
- Adequate storage inside and outside the home.
- Shared outside spaces with pedestrian priority.
The parish council supports the approach to the design of older peoples' housing set out in the HAPPI reports and therefore expects these principles to be implemented within new older peoples' housing developments.
The parish council supports the aims of the Essex Design Guide in promoting a high standard of design within new development. The parish council supports the guide where it states that:
"Current solutions to entice the buying public involve the application of 'historic features' provided for their symbolic, rather than visual, qualities. The objective should be to abandon pointless efforts and return to basic good design"[11].
"...there is still room for a range of new inventions that respect the visual and technical limitations of the format while achieving a special new impact. The answer lies partly in rediscovering and exploiting old virtues such as texture and modelling"[12].
"While we tend to look to the towns and villages of the past for inspiration, new circumstances should give rise to new experiences"[13].
POLICY 2: HOUSING DESIGN
- Development proposals should:
- Contribute positively to the existing local historic character and appearance of the area, presenting modern design features which reflect locally distinctive architectural styles.
- Include a high-quality design which will contribute positively to the character and appearance of the surrounding area.
- Reflect, integrate and respond positively to the scale, design, character, density and layout of existing development in
- the surrounding area and not result in significant harm to neighbouring residential amenity.
- Where appropriate, create a strong and positive sense of place and identity.
- Incorporate an appropriate use of materials which enhances the quality of design, defines routes and spaces and preserves and enhances the character of the area.
- Consideration of the layout and orientation of buildings within sites when seeking to achieve energy efficiency, energy
- conservation and efficiency, flood resilience, and sustainable waste and water management.
- Design appropriate SuDS proposals to manage surface water at its source using a variety of SuDS methods such as infiltration, interception, rainwater harvesting, and greywater recycling, which include source control features such as permeable paving, water butts, rain gardens, green roofs, and site control features such as swales, ponds and detention basins.
- Where possible, create interesting views in and out of development through public open spaces.
- Provide an appropriate provision of off-street parking in accordance with the adopted Essex County Council Parking Standards.
- Seek to limit the visual impact of car parking through the use of garages, car ports, off rear parking areas and planting. Any solutions should be in accordance with BBC's parking standards– Parking Standards: Design and Good Practice 2009, which they adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) on 10 March 2011.
- Provide appropriate on-site waste storage facilities.
- Provide street tree planting as recommended within the Essex County Council Street Material Guide: Design and Good Practice 2012[14].
- Preserve views of local landmarks, open space, green infrastructure and the wider rural landscape, which contribute to the rural character and appearance of the area.
- Create an accessible and inclusive design for all age groups and abilities.
- Provide a safe and secure environment, including measures through design and layout which will seek to reduce and prevent crime and enhance personal safety.
- Incorporate sustainable design features which promote energy efficiency, biodiversity gains, innovative low carbon technology, water efficiency, energy conservation and efficiency, flood resilience, sustainable waste and mineral management.
- Design appropriate SuDS proposals to manage surface water at its source.
- New proposals for older people's housing should demonstrate how the HAPPI principles have been incorporated into the design of the development. In new developments of 20 or more, a minimum of 5% of new homes should be built to Building Regulations Part M4 (3) a standard which ensures that at least some new homes will be suitable for occupation by wheelchair users.
- All non-residential development should achieve a minimum of BREEAM 'very good' rating or be supported by a bespoke assessment that demonstrates appropriate environment performance results above current Building Regulation requirements.
[8] National Design Guide, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, 2019, quotes from pages 2 and 3.
[11] Essex Design Guide, 2018, Architectural Details V1, page 22, paragraph 1.62.
[12] Essex Design Guide, 2018, Architectural Details V1, page 22, paragraph 1.64.
[13] Essex Design Guide, 2018, Architectural Details V1, page 22, paragraph 1.67.
[14] Street Materials Guide, Design and Good Practice, ECC, 2012, or any future replacement document.