Caterham, Chaldon and Whyteleafe Neighbourhood Plan
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Caterham, Chaldon and Whyteleafe Neighbourhood Plan Design Guidelines FINAL REPORT November 2018 Caterham, Chaldon and Whyteleafe Neighbourhood Plan Quality information Project role Name Position Action summary Signature Date Qualifying body Various Caterham, Chaldon Review 19.07.2018 and Whyteleafe Neighbourhood Plan Director / QA Ben Castell Technical Director 30.08.2018 Researcher Luis Juarez Urban and Landscape Research, site 30.08.2018 Design visit, drawings Simon Jenkins Graziano Di Gregorio Project Coordinator Mary Kucharska Project Coordinator Review 22.10.2018 This document has been prepared by AECOM Limited (“AECOM”) in accordance with its contract with Locality (the “Client”) and in accordance with generally accepted consultancy principles, the budget for fees and the terms of reference agreed between AECOM and the Client. Any information provided by third parties and referred to herein has not been checked or verified by AECOM, unless otherwise expressly stated in the document. AECOM shall have no liability to any third party that makes use of or relies upon this document. © 2018 AECOM Infrastructure & Environment UK Limited. 2 AECOM Caterham, Chaldon and Whyteleafe Neighbourhood Plan Contents 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 6 1.1. About this document ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 1.2. Link with the Neighbourhood Plan ............................................................................................................................................................ 6 1.3. Link with strategic policy ............................................................................................................................................................................... 7 2. Character assessment ..................................................................................................................................................................10 2.1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................................................................10 2.2. Engagement .....................................................................................................................................................................................................12 2.3. Context ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................12 2.4. Character assessment ................................................................................................................................................................................ 23 3. Design guidelines ......................................................................................................................................................................... 102 3.1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................................................................102 3.2. General design guidelines .......................................................................................................................................................................102 3.3. Design guidelines by Character Area ................................................................................................................................................. 121 3.4. General questions to ask and issues to consider when presented with a development proposal ..........................164 4. Delivery ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 169 3 Introduction 01 Caterham, Chaldon and Whyteleafe Neighbourhood Plan 1. Introduction appraisal, urban design, architecture, heritage and town − Chapter 4 summarises how the Design Guidelines will 1.1. About this planning. be implemented. document The document has been prepared via the following steps: Through the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local − Initial meetings and site visits with the steering group 1.2. Link with the Government (formerly Department for Communities and AECOM; and Local Government), AECOM was commissioned to Neighbourhood Plan provide Design and Design Coding support to the steering − Review of baseline work and previous studies, These Design Guidelines are appended to the Caterham, group preparing the Caterham, Chaldon and Whyteleafe including, but not limited to, outputs of community Chaldon and Whyteleafe Neighbourhood Plan, providing Neighbourhood Plan. engagement exercises, the steering group’s detailed some of the detail behind the policies promoting good analysis work on local character as well as other urban design and conservation. As such, this document The Design Guidelines, which are intended to be topics and site assessments, Harestone Valley appended to the Neighbourhood Plan, have been Design Guidance Supplementary Planning Document produced to ensure that any new development in the area (Tandridge District Council, 2011) and the evidence is carefully designed to contribute to the unique character base documents for Tandridge District Council’s that makes Caterham, Chaldon and Whyteleafe wards emerging Local Plan; special places to live and visit. − Further studies; Working alongside volunteers from the neighbourhood plan steering group, and closely informed by the − Preparation of draft Design Guidelines for comment by community engagement that the Forum has undertaken the steering group; and in preparing the Neighbourhood Plan, this document has been prepared by AECOM specialists in landscape − Preparation of final Design Guidelines. This Design Guidance is divided into four chapters: − Chapter 1 is this introductory text; − Chapter 2 presents the character assessment work that sets the context for new development − Chapter 3 contains the design guidelines, both for the area as a whole and for individual Character Areas; and 6 AECOM Caterham, Chaldon and Whyteleafe Neighbourhood Plan has significant weight in the planning system and planning appropriate innovation or change (such as increased applications will need to demonstrate how they have densities). An understanding of history and heritage is responded to the Design Guidelines. therefore important in developing neighbourhood plans to explain how this should inform future development. Part 16, Conserving and enhancing the historic 1.3. Link with strategic environment, states that “Plans should set out a positive strategy for the conservation and enjoyment policy of the historic environment… (taking) into account: … Nationally, the National Planning Policy Framework the desirability of new development making a positive sets out that a key objective of the planning system contribution to local character and distinctiveness; and is “to contribute to the achievement of sustainable opportunities to draw on the contribution made by the development”, which will be achieved through three historic environment to the character of place”. overarching objectives including “an environmental objective- to contribute to protecting and enhancing Locally, at the time of writing, the Tandridge Borough our natural, built and historic environment…” (Ministry of Council’s Local Plan 2033 is still emerging. The local Housing, Communities and Local Government, 2018). planning context in the meantime is provided by the Tandridge District Core Strategy (2008). Part 12, Achieving well-designed places, states that “Design policies should be developed with local There are a number of Tandridge District Council communities so they reflect local aspirations, and are Supplementary Planning Guidance documents. Of grounded in an understanding and evaluation of each particlar relevance to this area are: area’s defining characteristics. Neighbourhood plans can play an important role in identifying the special qualities − Harestone Character Assessment; of each area and explaining how this should be reflected − Harestone Design Guidance; in development”. Part 12 goes on to state: “policy and decisions should ensure that developments… are visually − Marie Curie Urban Design Concept Statement; and attractive… (and) are sympathetic to local character and history, including the surrounding built environment and − Caterham Masterplan SPD. landscape setting, while not preventing or discouraging This document does not supersede any of the above, which offer more detail, and needs to be read as complementary. 7 Character assessment 02 Caterham, Chaldon and Whyteleafe Neighbourhood Plan 2. Character assessment character and history, and reflects the identity of local − Using Historic Landscape Characterisation (Historic 2.1. Introduction surroundings and materials, while not preventing or England 2004). This chapter presents a summary of the history and discouraging appropriate innovation. Historic England, previously English Heritage, has issued character of Caterham, Chaldon and Whyteleafe a number of guidance