Draft Regulation 18 Sandwell Local Plan
Placemaking – achieving well-designed places
3.55 The environmental and physical transformation of Sandwell is one of the fundamental principles of its regeneration agenda. Placemaking and high-quality urban design are key mechanisms through which this transformation will be achieved, and they will also help to mitigate and adapt to climate change and promote low / zero carbon growth.
3.56 Sandwell's ongoing transformation will be supported by the development of places and buildings providing a range of functions, tenures, facilities, and services, intended to support the needs of its diverse local communities. The design of spaces and buildings will be influenced by their context; development should enhance the unique attributes of Sandwell's character and heritage whilst responding to locally identified community needs, changes in society and cultural diversity.
3.57 The Council's current Residential Design Guide identifies Sandwell as urban or suburban in nature, although some areas around Sandwell Valley and the Green Belt edges would be considered more rural in character. This means that in general, Sandwell is characterised by semi-detached and terraced housing, changing to higher density flatted development in town centres.
Policy SDS4 - Achieving Well-designed Places
- Building designs will be sought that are appropriate to Sandwell and should be of a size, scale and type to integrate into their neighbourhood.
- All development will be required to demonstrate a clear understanding of the local and wider context, character, heritage and local distinctiveness of its location and show how proposals make a positive contribution to place-making and environmental improvement.
- The setting and significance of heritage assets should be conserved and enhanced where it exists and is likely to be impacted by new development (Policy SHE2).
- Development proposals should employ innovative design and sustainable technologies in their schemes to help climate change mitigation and adaptation and the Council will support schemes and projects adopting a climate-sensitive approach (Policies SCC1 – SCC6).
- To facilitate permeability and accessibility, transport proposals of a high design quality and utility will be sought. These should:
- include connections to and between transport hubs;
- promote active travel;
- ensure that transport and travel infrastructure make a positive contribution to place-making; and
- increase connectivity for all modes of travel.
- Development should contribute positively to creating high quality, active, safe and accessible places. Design approaches that will help contribute to healthier communities and reduce health inequalities should be incorporated in developments.
- To support the development of safe neighbourhoods, ensure quality of life and community cohesion are not undermined and minimise the fear of crime, the design of new development should create secure and accessible environments where opportunities for crime and disorder are reduced or designed out.
- An integrated and well-connected multifunctional open space network will be pursued throughout Sandwell (linking to opportunities in the wider Black Country where possible), including through the design and layout of new developments.
- A Design Code will be produced for Sandwell, reflecting local character and design preferences and providing a framework for creating high-quality places.
Justification
3.58 The importance of high-quality design in creating places where people want to live, work and invest with renewed confidence is a fundamental aspect of both national and local policy. Designing high-quality places will result in environmental, economic and social benefits, including community safety, health and well-being, inclusive communities, better public services, environmental sustainability, climate resilience, greater financial value of buildings and lower levels of unemployment.
3.59 The aim of the SLP is to create the best conditions for economic and social growth, which will take place within a safe, attractive and accessible built and natural environment. The SLP also encourages and supports the growth of locations that encourage participation and community engagement. Successful placemaking in Sandwell will foster community stability and incorporate elements that create resilience to adverse economic and environmental impacts and will result in a place that residents can be proud of.
3.60 The use of efficient building design, the choice of low- and zero-carbon materials, and intelligent site layout and building orientation can all help to reduce reliance on carbon-based products, energy and non-renewable resources. The Government has published national design guidance[28] that states planning permission should be refused for poorly designed development, especially where it fails to reflect local policies and government guidance on design. National guidance emphasises that good design and beautiful places should be at the centre of plan-making and decision-making.
3.61 Sandwell enjoys a unique heritage, reflected in its urban structure, which requires a sensitive approach to place-making and an insistence on a high quality of design for proposals that affect the historic environment. Designs should ensure that the significance of local heritage is recognised and reflected in designs and that new development retains and protects that significance to the greatest extent possible.
3.62 Designs and layouts that create and support a higher quality of life in Sandwell will depend on many factors; good design will play an increasingly important role in attracting private sector investment and skilled workers and the success of this will be defined by its outcomes:
- The creation of streets and spaces with their own distinct character that provide the framework for a coherent and interconnected network of places, supporting social interaction and a sense of personal wellbeing, and displaying a clear hierarchy of private, commercial and civic functions.
- A permeable street network that encourages freedom of movement and a choice of sustainable means of transport, including support for the provision and extension of walking, cycling and public transport infrastructure.
- A local hierarchy of centres providing a focus for essential local services and activities with easy access to residential areas.
- Towns and centres that encourage commercial activity, promote prosperity and support the well-being of the area's inhabitants.
- An appropriate intensity of human activity in centres and elsewhere, the creation of natural surveillance and defensible spaces, active frontages and the provision of well-located and accessible infrastructure.
- Properly designed and well-located open spaces that help mitigate flood risk, provide space for wildlife, support biodiversity in the urban area and encourage informal recreation for local people as well as help create a high-quality living environment.
3.63 The importance of high-quality design and place-making is central to the ambitions of other stakeholders in the region. The West Midlands Design Charter, launched by WMCA in 2020, confirms the West Midlands as a place to drive design innovation and creativity. The Charter aims to secure high-quality design in housing, civic architecture, urban spaces, parks and transport infrastructure.