Draft Kings Hill Masterplan and Design Code Supplementary Planning Document

5 Strategic Codes and Guides Comment

5.1 Regulating Masterplan

5.1.1 Regulating Masterplan

The regulating masterplan provides a spatial framework that translates the masterplan into specific, implementable structuring principles.

The regulating masterplan, figure 31, defines the:

• Location of land uses
• Access and connectivity
• Street hierarchy and layout
• Arrangement and scale of blocks
• Frontages and edge treatments
• Location and integration of open spaces
• Protection of key vistas and focal points

The regulating plan ensures consistency in form and layout across the development, setting out principles that must be adhered to throughout the design and construction process to maintain the overarching objectives of the masterplan.

5.1.2 Purpose of a Regulating Plan

The regulating plan plays a critical role in ensuring that development is delivered in a coordinated and coherent manner, particularly when land is brought forward by multiple owners or developers. By providing a clear spatial framework, it reduces the risk of misalignment between different parcels of land and ensures that the overall objectives of the masterplan are achieved. It ensures that open spaces are designed to be connected and located to serve the broader community, that facilities are positioned appropriately, and that streets are consistent, legible, and well-aligned. It also helps to avoid awkward juxtapositions in the built form, particularly where boundaries of different ownerships meet, ensuring that building plots, frontages, and edges are seamless. By setting out structuring principles for land use, access, and layout, the regulating plan provides certainty for developers, the local authority, and the community, supporting the delivery of a high-quality and connected urban environment.

5.1.3 Relationship to Design Codes

The regulating plan underpins the design codes by establishing the spatial context in which detailed design rules apply. The design codes guide the appearance, scale, and quality of development, covering standards for built form, density, public spaces, materials, frontages, and the treatment of streets and open spaces. By defining where and how these rules should be applied, the regulating plan ensures that the design codes are implemented consistently and effectively.

5.1.4 A Joined-Up Approach

Together, the regulating plan and design codes create a joined-up approach, ensuring that the development is coherent, legible, and fully aligned with the masterplan vision. This integrated framework ensures that all elements of the development, from streets and buildings to open spaces and the public realm, are delivered to a high standard, resulting in a coordinated, high-quality, and sustainable built environment that reflects the intended character, functionality, and long-term objectives of the masterplan.

The regulating masterplan should be read with the active travel network plan (figure 42), movement framework (figure 43), public open space framework (figure 60), green and blue infrastructure plan (figure 86).

5.2 Introduction to the Design Codes

The following sections expand on the themes outlined in the regulatory plans, providing specific coding and supplementary illustrative material. The following themes are set out:

5.3 Identity Design Codes

5.3.1 Identity Design Codes

Identity is clearly defined in the National Design Guide as a key characteristic for a well-designed place. The future development should be complimentary to its surrounding context.

5.3.2 Local Character and Identity

Kenilworth Example of a varied roof line and typologies clustered to create a varied and rich façade, using red brick and traditional architectural details  

Finham Cohesive inter-war terrace characterised by red brick and render facades, tiled pitched roofs, strong eaves line and repeated gables, forming a consistent and legible street frontage to the green  

Kenilworth Tudor house creates corner feature, combining white render and black timber, with gable frontage 

Wayfinding Context-sensitive signage using complementary colours to the surrounding historic townscape

Red Brick boundaries and facades Historic red brick entrance wall and detached homes at King’s Hill Lane form a distinctive rural character along King’s Hill Lane

Complimentary Modern
architectural details complements heritage and nature

Details reflects heritage

Natural Materials Timber fencing complements nature

Textured and permeable surfaces Herringbone and granite sets create texture. Permeable surfaces help surface water run-off.

Indicative colour palette

 

Green Lane dwellings set back behind a front garden, defined by low brick wall, forming a clear boundary. Car parking within drive and set back behind boundary

Kenilworth Urban frontage with consistent setbacks, buildings facing the open space, largely unbounded frontage and a narrow planted margin

Green Lane 1930’S Semi-detached homes set behind low brick walls

Stoneleigh Road Buildings set well back within landscaped plots, with informal, planting-led boundaries creating a soft and green street frontage

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Illustration of building line set backs

Illustration of built form framing key space and park

Illustration showing possible frontage arrangement for higher-density areas, incorporating a contemporary buildings, whilst responding to the established pattern of building lines and setbacks and in-plot parking

5.4 Built Form Design Codes

5.4.1 Built Form Design Codes

Built form refers to the three-dimensional arrangements of buildings, blocks, streets and spaces. Elements related to the built form will play an important role in shaping the look and feel of the urban area across the development.

To allow for flexibility in the delivery of the site, we have not identified neighbourhood character areas. Rather we have identified strategic built form areas, to highlight areas where intensity could be located, such as at key activity destinations, including schools and local centres.

5.4.2 Built Form Areas

The plan opposite (figure 36) identifies the strategic built form areas across the site. These areas have been defined by location, surrounding environmental, landscape features and proposed land uses. The designated built form areas identify zones where a higher level of community activity is required which has influenced the following design codes.

5.4.3 Noise Mitigation

5.4.4 Density

Objective: Density is an indicator of how compact new development will be and how intensively it will be developed. Variation in density across the neighbourhood would create a variety of built form which contributes to characterful and memorable places. Density can support key nodes, legibility, a sense of arrival, terminating vistas, and creates a natural centre to each neighbourhood.

The proposed densities align with the broad densities reflected in the National Model Design Code.

5.4.5 Building Heights

To ensure appropriate building heights across the development, it is anticipated that the majority of homes will be built up to an eave’s height of 2 - 2.5 storeys (room in the roof space and dormer windows), with occasional 3-storey buildings at primary routes and key junctions. Mixed-use local centres could accommodate up to 4 storeys.

There is potential to accommodate increased building heights at key locations, such as at noise constraints (A46 corridor and gateway); however, this is subject to further technical assessment i.e. LVIA).

Areas which are well screened from views and situated within less prominent positions, such as lower ground levels, could accommodate three-storey buildings. Permitted building heights across the scheme are defined below:

5.4.6 Arrival Gateways, Nodes and Landmarks

Arrival gateways, nodes and landmark buildings help contribute to a development’s identity and a users sense of place, and they allow users to navigate more easily through the site. Arrival Gateways, key nodes and landmark buildings are defined on the plan opposite (figure 42). The following principles should be observed through the new development:

5.4.7 Frontages

Objective: To ensure active streets, with natural surveillance and active frontages, key requirements are defined below:

5.4.8 Edge Conditions

As an edge of settlement development, regulating edge conditions will ensure new development best interfaces between the existing urban edge of Coventry, the open countryside to the south (which provides a settlement break between the Coventry urban area and the town of Kenilworth to the south), and the existing ecological corridors (Wainbody Wood and Finham Brook), which we want to preserve and enhance.

5.5 Movement Design Codes

Well-designed places should be accessible and easy to move around. This can be achieved through a connected network of streets, good public transport, the promotion of walking and cycling and well-considered parking and servicing.

5.5.1 Movement Design Codes

Objective

To ensure that all homes are accessible to local facilities, within reach with safe, walkable streets and cycle-friendly routes that make active travel the natural choice.

5.5.2 A Connected Network

At King’s Hill Lane, a well-connected hierarchy of routes for all modes - walking, cycling, public transport, and vehicles, will ensure safe, convenient movement throughout the site. This design approach will make it easy for residents to access key destinations and seamlessly link to wider public transport connections, supporting sustainable travel and an inclusive, well-integrated settlement. In addition, mitigating traffic related air quality impacts will create a healthier place to live.

The nature of the site offers a key opportunity to devise an efficient street network which is dense and permeable, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists. Whilst there are existing constraints which impact the layout, such as utilities easements and at existing junctions, new streets through the site should provide a clear and connected street hierarchy.

Vehicular traffic should be accommodated in a manner that supports, rather than undermines, these priorities. Street design should discourage unnecessary through-traffic, manage vehicle speeds and minimise the visual and environmental impact of cars.

5.5.3 Public Transport

Public transport, along with active travel, will be prioritised as the primary means of movement, supporting healthy lifestyles and reducing reliance on private cars, and helping to reduce traffic and congestion in Coventry and the wider area. Public transport accessibility will be integral to the layout of the development. Bus routes, stops and supporting infrastructure should be conveniently located, well overlooked and integrated into the street network to encourage regular use. Development density and land use should support viable and frequent public transport services.

5.5.4 Active Travel

Active travel will be prioritised as the primary means of movement, supporting healthy lifestyles and reducing reliance on private cars. Streets and spaces should be designed first and foremost for pedestrians and cyclists, with safe, direct and attractive routes that connect homes to local facilities, public transport stops and the wider network. High-quality walking and cycling infrastructure should be continuous, legible and inclusive, accommodating users of all ages and abilities.

5.5.5 Streets

A series of street types will be provided which work as part of a legible and connected network to provide safe, characterful and convenient links between new homes, green spaces and community uses.

Design of streets must balance technical requirements and functionality and make a positive contribution to the envisioned character. The requirements and guidance set out below and on the following pages describes envisioned character of streets:

5.5.6 Street Types

The plan on the opposite page provides an example of the street hierarchy network across the site, in line with County Council categories. There are three overarching street types which will be delivered, with further detail on the composition of each street type defined over the next few pages:

• Secondary streets
• Tertiary streets
• Minor streets

M08 Street Types

The design of all streets is to comply with the principles set out in the table below:

Secondary Streets

Secondary Streets will serve as the main connective spine of the development, linking the site to the existing street network. Designed to accommodate buses, cyclists, pedestrians, and cars, these routes will carry the highest traffic volumes and provide direct connections to surrounding neighbourhoods and tertiary streets.

Street geometry is intentionally designed to moderate vehicle speeds through subtle angled bends that respond to building lines and open spaces, avoiding wide, sweeping curves. Generous planted verges and formal avenue-style street trees on both sides will reinforce the prominence of these streets and frame key views across the site. The adjacent street section diagram illustrates the various elements that define the character and function of these routes.

Tertiary Streets

Tertiary streets extend from secondary routes, providing direct access to development parcels and connecting to lower-order streets. They create loops within and between neighbourhoods, forming a clear and well-connected network.

These streets will primarily serve residential areas while also supporting movement to community facilities and local centres. Their design should reflect the intended character of each neighbourhood, ensuring consistency with the overall vision.

Typically, tertiary streets will be strongly defined by built form on both sides, reinforcing their importance and contributing to an urban character. Avenue planting will frame views along the streets and into adjacent open spaces, enhancing legibility and navigability.

Minor Streets

Minor streets provide access to the outer areas of the site and may feature frontage on both sides of the carriageway or a single frontage facing public open spaces. Building lines along these streets can adopt a more organic and informal arrangement, with varied garden depths.

These streets will prioritise pedestrian and cycle movement, with narrower carriageways designed to slow traffic speeds. Opportunities to introduce alternative surface materials should be explored to emphasise shared use and enhance the sense of place.

Minor streets often serve homes overlooking open spaces and will be characterised by flexible manoeuvring areas that accommodate vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians. The use of shared private drives should be kept to a minimum.

5.5.7 Parking

All spaces and garages must conform to the stated dimensions, unless otherwise agreed with the council. All car parking should be sensitively designed and integrated so that it does not visually dominate the streetscape and detract from the quality of
the public realm. Parking and electric vehicle charging provision will need to be delivered in accordance with the Council’s latest published standards

5.6 Public Space Design Codes

5.6.1 Public Spaces Design Codes

The preparation of the masterplan has been guided by a network of blue and green infrastructure, both existing and proposed.

5.6.2 Open Space Requirements

Open space provision at King’s Hill Lane is informed by the Warwick District Council Public Open Space SPD (2019) and is summarised in the opposite table. While the quantum of open space for the outline application is known and set out in the table, the original masterplan was prepared before the adoption of the SPD and therefore did not assess requirements against current policy. Nevertheless, both the outline masterplan and the additional 1,500-home masterplan individually exceed policy standards and together deliver a comprehensive green infrastructure strategy across the wider 4,000-home site.

Population assumptions are based on an average household size of 2.55 persons, drawn from the Coventry and Warwickshire Joint Strategic Housing Market Assessment (2013), and an indicative housing mix of 5% one-bedroom, 35% two-bedroom, 50% three-bedroom, and 10% four-bedroom dwellings.

Walking distances and access to facilities have been assessed as part of the baseline assessment. Sports pitch provision will accord with the latest Playing Pitch Strategy and sports facilities calculations (see Section 5.6.4: Sports Design Codes).

While the SPD sets out overarching principles, detailed matters such as art trails and play area design will be addressed through Public Open Space plans submitted at the Reserved Matters stage.

On this basis, the additional masterplan generates an open space requirement of 22.53 ha, which is fully accommodated within the emerging design. In total, combined open space provision across both the outline and additional masterplan phases exceeds 100 ha, significantly above the estimated requirement of 60.08 ha, demonstrating compliance with current policy both individually and cumulatively.

Future development should refer to the guidance set out on figure 64 and 65.

5.6.3 Public Spaces Design Codes

Objective

Public spaces need to be functional, high-quality, safe and inclusive, and meet the specific needs of the community, whilst enhancing nature.

Figure 68 sets out the open space framework for the masterplan, which future development should adhere to. The plan should be read with figure 88, green and blue infrastructure plan.

P01 Amenity Green Spaces

Small-scale, informal green spaces provide everyday recreation and visual relief close to homes.

Amenity Green Space should consist of informal landscaped areas within residential neighbourhoods, typically located adjacent to housing, streets or movement routes. These spaces are intended for casual use such as sitting out, informal play, dog walking and social interaction, and contribute positively to the setting of development. They should be well overlooked, easily accessible and designed to be multifunctional, often incorporating seating, trees and grassed areas. Amenity Green Spaces also play an important role in softening-built form, providing visual breaks in development and contributing to local character.

P02 Parks and Gardens

Larger, more formal public open space serve a wider catchment and act as key community destinations.

Parks and Gardens should be strategically located public spaces designed for a range of recreational, social and landscape functions. They should typically include formal paths, planted areas, seating, focal features and areas for relaxation and informal recreation.

These spaces should form a central component of the green infrastructure network, providing opportunities for social interaction, events and active lifestyles. Parks and Gardens should be highly accessible, legible and integrated with pedestrian and cycle routes, and designed to reflect the character and identity of the wider area.

P03 Natural & Semi-Natural Areas

Landscape-led spaces protect, enhance and connect habitats while allowing low-impact public access.

Natural and Semi-Natural Areas should include woodlands, meadows, wetlands, watercourse corridors and other areas managed primarily for biodiversity and landscape value.

These spaces should form the ecological backbone of the development and contribute to wider green corridors and wildlife networks.

Public access could be provided where appropriate through informal paths and board walks, but the primary function of these areas is habitat protection, ecological enhancement and landscape character.

Design should prioritise native planting, natural land form and long-term ecological management.

P04 Allotments and Community Gardens

Productive landscapes support food growing, community interaction and wellbeing.

• Allotments and Community Gardens should provide spaces for residents to grow food, engage in outdoor activity and foster social cohesion.
• These should be conveniently located, accessible on foot and cycle, and designed to be secure, well-drained and functional.
• Provision should include defined plots, water source, storage facilities and communal areas where appropriate
• Community gardens may be more flexible in form, allowing shared growing, education and social uses, particularly where traditional allotment layouts are not suitable.
• Allotments should be screened from main circulation routes.
• Community and school participation should be encouraged for educational purposes.
• Community orchards, fruit bushes, and edible landscaping could be provided.

P05 Children’s and Youth Play

Inclusive, safe and engaging spaces that support play, social development and physical activity for all age groups.

Children and Youth Play Spaces should be:

• Designed to accommodate a range of ages and abilities, from early years through to teenagers, with consideration of ‘Make Space for Girls’ guidance.
• Include a mix of equipped and natural play features, opportunities for informal recreation and spaces for social interaction.
• Well overlooked, safely accessible and located within walking distance of homes.
• Encourage imaginative play, physical activity and social inclusion, while minimising conflict with nearby residential uses through careful siting,
• Designed in accordance with Fields in Trust guidance.
• Include LEAPs, NEAPs, trim trails, outdoor gyms, informal kickabout areas, and MUGAs (1–2).
• Feature safety surfacing, multi-coloured and texturally diverse, rubber mulch could be used, while grass mats should not be used.

5.6.5 Sports

Objective

Sports provision should promote active lifestyles, community wellbeing, and inclusive access, serving both new residents and the wider community.

5.7 Nature Design Codes

5.7.1 Nature Design Codes

Five Key Moves for Nature

Nature runs through every street, connected green corridors bring wildlife, wellbeing, and everyday moments of calm to your doorstep

5.7.2 Ecology and Biodiversity Design Codes

Objective

To protect, enhance, and connect King’s Hill Lane’s ecological assets through a landscape-led Green and Blue Infrastructure (GBI) framework, delivering measurable Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) in accordance with national policy and site specific ecological conditions.

5.7.3 Landscape Design Codes

The codes below should be read alongside the Public Open Space design codes in section 5.6.

5.7.4 Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy

The following pages describe the key landscape principles for each open space typology featured within the masterplan. The name of each open space is referenced on figure 91, Green and blue infrastructure framework and should be read with the framework plan

Wainbody Wood View

• Buffer planting.
• Nature rich planting and meadows.
• Birds Hides.
• Walking paths and boardwalks could be included for amenity and learning opportunities (within the buffer zone of woodland only).
• Education and Forest School.
• Nature Trails and educational signage.
• SuDs.
• Allotments and community growing.
• Low timber fencing to protect ancient woodland.

Finham Neighbourhood Green

• Inclusive play equipment should be designed to encourage movement, jumping, climbing, swinging and balance.
• Buffer from residential dwellings.
• Community/educational growing and sensory gardens.
• Duck ponds.
• Flexible Event space and lawns.
• Seating areas and pedestrian zones.
• Meadow planting.
• Street trees and hedges.
• Play for teenagers (table tennis, giant games such as chess).
• Cycle Storage.

Watermeadow and Stivichall Green

• Tree planting and hedge
• SuDS should complement POS and not dominate it.
• Seating.
• Play-on-the-way, natural material play equipment.
• Meadow planting.
• Linear Trim Trails

King’s Hill Lane Heritage Corridor

• King’s Hill Boulder Part LGS is a large glacial erratic boulder; historically important, it could inform and become a place-making feature within the heritage corridor
• Buffer planting - Low or medium-height shrubs closest to fencing
• Native hedgerows and specimen trees complement existing character.
• Scheduled ancient monument - deserted village, educational and heritage interpretation.
• Enhanced Tree planting
• Privacy distances from existing homes
• Boundaries - low brick walls and hedges

Green Lane/Stoneleigh Pocket Parks

• Inclusive play equipment should be designed to encourage movement, jumping, climbing, swinging and balance.
• Informal seating areas.
• Hedges combined with fencing to ensure a complementary park design
• Hedges and planting to screen from Green Lane.
• Sight lines and overlooking from nearby dwellings for natural surveillance.
• Cycle storage.
• Buffer from nearby residential dwellings.

Waterside Green

• Inclusive play equipment should be designed to encourage movement including, jumping, climbing, swinging and balance.
• Informal seating areas
• Hedges and planting to screening from Green Lane.
• Sight lines and overlooking from nearby dwellings for natural surveillance.
• Cycle storage.
• Pedestrian crossing points should be demarcated using high quality surfaces and materials.

Stoneleigh Common and Orchards

• Orchards.
• Arboretum.
• Allotments and growing gardens.
• Sensory gardens.
• Meadow planting.
• Informal footpaths.
• Seating areas.
• Bird hides.
• New woodland, copse, or pocket parks could be created.

Finham Brook View

• Wetland areas.
• Bird hides.
• Walking paths, boardwalks, or dipping platforms could be included for amenity and learning opportunities.
• Nature reserve areas and planting.
• Low timber fencing to protect nature and wildlife.

King’s Hill Lane Community Park

• LEAP/MUGA
• Teenager Play (interactive games, chess, table tennis)
• Neighbourhood Ponds
• SuDs
• Cycle Storage
• Lighting for safety during evenings, should be sensitive and consider nearby nature within Finham Brook.

Section A 

Section B 

Section C 

 Section D

5.7.5 Public Realm and Landscape Design at Mixed Use Local Centres

• Streets trees proposed within pedestrian areas should be set within tree pits.
• Break up on-street parking with trees, low-level planting and rain gardens
• Enhanced with seating
• Way-finding and signage improves navigation and legibility.
• Surfaces and materials demarcate the pedestrian areas.
• Electric vehicle charging points.
• Cycle storage facilities.
• Bins and allowance for refuse collection.
• Hard surface materials that are complimentary to the context and setting, tarmac and concrete should be avoided.
• Pedestrian crossing points should be demarcated using high quality surfaces and materials.

5.7.6 Sustainable Drainage Systems Design Codes (SuDS)

Objective

To manage surface water sustainably, reduce flood risk, enhance water quality, and deliver multifunctional green infrastructure that supports biodiversity, recreation, and landscape character at King’s Hill Lane.

Figure 106 Precedents images of public realm inspired by heritage

5.8 Uses Design Codes

5.8.1 Uses Design Codes

Objective

Land uses have been distributed across the site to ensure that local facilities are accessible for everyone, encouraging walking and cycling, interaction and social cohesion.

5.8.2 Education facilities

These design codes set out the spatial, land, access, and delivery requirements for education provision to support the planned residential development. They are intended to inform masterplanning, site allocation, and detailed design.

5.9 Homes and Buildings Design Codes

5.9.1 Homes and Buildings Design Codes

Objective

Homes and buildings shape the health and well-being of people's lives and should be adaptable over time. Functional, accessible homes should contribute positively to the environment.

Apartments 

5.10 Resources and Lifespan Design Codes

5.10.1 A Comprehensive and Visionary Approach to Sustainability

In a global context where the impacts of climate change are increasingly evident through extreme weather events, ecological decline and the declaration of Climate Emergencies by national and local authorities, it is essential that new development responds with a comprehensive, proactive and future-focused sustainability agenda.

Delivering this ambition requires more than policy compliance alone; it demands a clear vision and decisive action. As a significant development opportunity, King’s Hill has an important role in supporting the sustainability objectives identified within Warwick District Council policy, including the Net Zero Carbon Supplementary Planning Document, the transition to net zero carbon, biodiversity enhancement, climate resilience and the creation of healthy, inclusive communities. Unpermitted development areas within the site allocation for King’s Hill Lane should address the requirements of these policies and seek not only to meet these objectives but to establish a high-quality precedent for sustainable development.

5.10.2 The United Nations Sustainable

Development Goals (SDGs) provide an internationally recognised framework for addressing environmental, social and economic challenges. The King’s Hill Lane masterplan aligns with the principles of the UN SDGs and Warwick District Council’s sustainability priorities, while adopting a bespoke, site-specific approach that responds to local context, constraints and opportunities. This ensures that global and district-wide ambitions are translated into practical, place-based outcomes tailored specifically to King’s Hill Lane.

5.10.3 King’s Hill Lane Sustainability Goals

Net Zero Carbon

Climate Action - This objective supports Warwick District Council’s net zero ambitions through energy-efficient design, low-carbon construction, and the integration of renewable energy technologies to minimise both operational and embodied carbon.

Enhancing Biodiversity

A Life on Land - This goal responds to local ecological priorities by delivering biodiversity net gain through habitat creation, green infrastructure and long-term landscape management, contributing to nature recovery and ecological resilience.

Social Value

Sustainable Cities and Communities - The development seeks to foster inclusive, accessible and resilient communities, delivering social, cultural and economic benefits that reflect local needs and aspirations.

Sustainable Water Cycle

Clean Water and Sanitation - This objective promotes responsible water management through integrated drainage strategies, water efficiency measures and climate-resilient flood mitigation, protecting local water resources and downstream environments.

Sustainable Development

Responsible Consumption and Production - This goal supports compact, well-connected development, sustainable transport choices and efficient land use in accordance with Warwick District Council policy.

Health and Wellbeing

The masterplan prioritises environments that support physical and mental health through access to green space, active travel routes, high-quality public realm and opportunities for recreation and social interaction.

Aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goals and WDC’s policy Objectives

The King’s Hill Lane sustainability framework aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Warwick District Council’s policy objectives, while delivering a bespoke, place-led strategy that ensures sustainability is embedded throughout the design, delivery and long-term stewardship of the site.

Resources and Lifespan Design Codes