Draft Regulation 18 Sandwell Local Plan
Tall Buildings and Gateway Sites
15.27 Tall buildings can help to accommodate new development as well as communicating ambition, energy and innovation. They make efficient use of land to deliver jobs, homes and mixed communities. Tall buildings in the right locations and of the right design have the potential to enhance the appearance and character of areas and to deliver regeneration. In all cases the design of a tall building should create a high-quality environment both for its users and for surrounding development and the public realm.
15.28 Tall buildings can also give rise to issues related to their height, massing and prominence. Design principles for high density development also apply to tall buildings, including liveability considerations for residential development.
15.29 Gateway sites in Sandwell may be marked by tall buildings but do not have to be: the important feature of gateway sites will be their overall design quality and distinctiveness, as they will act as signals of Sandwell's ambitions for growth.
(3) Policy SDM3 – Tall Buildings and Gateway Sites
Tall buildings
- The proposed heights for buildings should reflect other design and policy requirements, including the need to have regard to the existing or emerging character and context of the area.
- The height and location of tall buildings in relation to other existing and proposed buildings / structures should be clearly identified in masterplans and / or design and access statements, which should also set out a clear rationale for the development of tall buildings.
- Landscape and Visual Impact Assessments will be necessary to enable the visual impact of tall buildings to be assessed from near and distant viewpoints. Accurate visual representations of the submitted scheme should be provided from key viewpoints agreed with Sandwell Council. Information on local microclimate impacts should also be submitted, as a separate assessment or as part of the Design and Access Statement.
- For development proposals that include taller buildings, applicants must submit design appraisals with alternative options to demonstrate whether similar densities can be achieved using more traditional and human- scaled typologies including terraced housing, maisonettes, and courtyard apartments.
- The planning application and its supporting information must demonstrate that:
- there is sufficient access to public transport for occupants / users of the building;
- there is access to local services and facilities, depending on the number and type of residents expected;
- the proposal will not have an unacceptable adverse impact on local character, including heritage assets;
- the design considers topography;
- the proposal will not create unacceptable adverse environmental impacts, including flood risk, creation of a wind tunnel, loss or lack of daylight / sunlight;
- the design is of high architectural quality; and
- the proposal will integrate into its surroundings at all levels, particularly at street level and skyline.
Gateway Sites
- When assessing proposals and applications for planning permission on gateway sites[213] the Council will apply the following principles:
- Key landmark buildings, structures and features will be preserved and improved;
- The topography of the area will be emphasised in the design and location of new buildings or features;
- New development should be of architectural merit and use high-grade materials.
- Proposals should include hard and soft landscaping, including trees, water and public art;
- Where possible and appropriate, redundant street furniture, associated clutter and advertisements should be removed.
Justification
15.30 This policy does not aim to hide tall buildings but to ensure that they are located and designed to create a positive feature in the urban environment from all viewpoints.
15.31 In designing tall buildings, emphasis should be given to the appearance of its roof form, recognising the building's impact on the skyline, and to the relationship of the base section of the building with the surrounding environment. This last consideration is intended to ensure there is enough activity and interest at ground level to counter the potentially dominating impact of the building's greater height. It may also be appropriate to set taller elements of the building back from the street frontage.
15.32 Proposals for tall buildings should be accompanied by sufficient information on which to assess their impact. Tall buildings will not be permitted where the required information has not been provided.
15.33 Gateway sites are prominent development opportunities around the existing strategic town centre of West Bromwich and the other main town centres in Sandwell, as well as similar opportunities that occur along major transportation networks including railways and public transport interchanges. These development sites will, if managed and designed appropriately, assist in welcoming visitors to a centre and signifying its functional importance, as well as acting as signifiers of Sandwell's growth ambitions.
15.34 Gateways may be marked by appropriately designed tall buildings but not always; the expectation of this policy is that gateway sites would be marked by development of exceptionally high quality, which relies for its distinctiveness on design aspects other than just size and height.
[213] Sites and other development opportunities that stand at major road- or rail-linked points of access into Sandwell, or on the outskirts of West Bromwich and other main town centres.
