Residential Design Guide

(4) SECTION 1

Introduction

This document has been published in order to provide a design framework for anyone involved in providing residential development within Warwick District.It seeks to promote high quality and innovative design, sensitive to and in keeping with the area in which it is located.

It has been updated to include the adopted (Sept.2017) policies of the Local Plan 2011-2029. The Plan makes provision for 17,139 new homes during the plan period. It is vital that these homes are built to a high standard of design and building materials are of high quality and sympathetic to the areas in which they are located.

Warwick is made up of four principal towns; Royal Leamington Spa, Warwick, Kenilworth and Whitnash. Each town has its own specific characteristics and layout which has been shaped by hundreds of years of development. The wider urban areas are clustered around each of the town centres' historic cores which are protected by conservation area status. The towns are surrounded by more rural areas comprising villages, hamlets and areas of open countryside.

The area is largely affluent with house prices being higher than many of the surrounding districts including Stratford upon Avon and Solihull. It is a popular place to live and housebuilders are therefore keen to develop here. It is important to maintain high standards of design and build quality, whilst encouraging innovative thinking and new design approaches, embracing technological advances in construction and achieving carbon neutrality.

In addition, the Council will support and register interest from anyone wishing to self-build or custom build a property in the district.

The Council has set up a brownfield register which will enable developers to identify land which is suitable for residential development Local planning authorities will be able to trigger a grant of permission in principle for residential development for sites in their registers where they follow the required procedures.

It is considered that the Council can assist in achieving its design aims by:

• Helping to provide effective and innovative responses to local policies and government guidance in achieving high quality housing provision
• Taking an analytical approach to the design of new properties and house extensions
• Seeking to maintain local distinctiveness and encouraging sympathetic but innovative new designs
• Ensuring that the latest design standards are incorporated into any new buildings

This is a review and update of the original document (2008) that was compiled through public consultation which included design professionals, users of the guide, amenity societies, Planning Committee Members, Planning Officers and those local people who are interested in creating good design in the district and is the current consultation document. The Guide seeks to combine the aspirations of these user groups for good design in this district.

The document has been prepared with housebuilders and householders in mind. It is however a generic document which outlines Warwick District Council's design aspirations for all new residential development no matter the size. To add more detail and for specific areas of the district, there are more documents to take into consideration. These are published on the Council's website and you are advised to consult those that relate to the type of development you are carrying out and the area in which your development is located.

This document will be adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document and all residential planning applications, whether for new housing estates or minor household extensions, are expected to conform to the guidance within.