What is a Village Design Statement?
A Village Design Statement (VDS) is a description of a village (which is not necessarily the same area as a parish) at a point in time, highlighting the qualities that its residents value, and setting out the residents’ wishes for the design of development in the village.
It is intended to help to manage the process of change, whether that change stems from large developments or small-scale additions and alterations. It is not to be used to determine whether development should take place; that is the purpose of the Local Development Framework (LDF) produced by the District Council. It sets out guidelines as to how planned development should be carried out and is designed to be complementary to the Local Development Framework.
Who is it for?
The Statement is designed to assist everyone concerned with the physical form within which the daily activity of the village takes place. For:
- residents, it provides guidance for keeping any alterations and extensions in sympathy with the character of the village, the main part of which is designated as a conservation area.
- developers, their architects, and designers, it explains what the village community would like to see in new and altered buildings, and in changes to the village’s landscape setting.
- local authorities, it sets out material considerations to be taken into account in arriving at judgements on planning.
What is ‘Design’ in the Village Context?
The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) publication ‘Urban Design in the Planning System’ outlines principles of good design; principles which are as relevant to Woodhall Spa as they are to a city centre. Villagers, no doubt, can cite instances of relatively small developments which have changed the character of the area in which they live. Good design should play a vital role in ensuring that all development is socially, economically and environmentally sustainable, and that it provides high-quality housing to meet the requirements of a mixed community. The document highlights the “striking fact that many of the small developments which can cumulatively change a place dramatically are designed by people with little or no formal design training”.
Building use, local materials and the way they are used, the appearance, scale and form of buildings, the pattern of development, street furniture, surfacing, the space between buildings, trees, open space and traffic impact are all factors that influence the appearance, quality and character of the village. To be successful, good design objectives strive to create places with:
- Character (a place with its own identity) by responding to and reinforcing locally distinctive patterns of development, landscape and culture.
- Continuity and enclosure consider the relationship between buildings and their surrounds; both public and private areas i.e. building lines, property boundaries.
- Quality in the public realm by promoting public spaces and routes that are attractive, safe, uncluttered and work effectively for all in society, including disabled and elderly people.
- Ease of movement by making places that connect with each other and are easy to move through, putting people before traffic and integrating land uses and transport.
- Legibility through development that provides recognisable routes, intersections and landmarks to help people find their way around.
- Adaptability through development that can respond to changing social, technological and economic conditions.
- Diversity and choice through a mix of compatible developments and uses that work together to create viable places that respond to local needs.
How will Woodhall Spa’s Design Statement work?The VDS is a direct outcome of the Woodhall Spa Parish Plan; produced by a team of volunteers and published in 2005. Once adopted by East Lindsey District Council (ELDC), it will become “Supplementary Planning Guidance” (SPG) to the ELDC Local Development Framework (LDF) . The LDF differs from its predecessor (ELDC Local Plan) in that it adopts a ‘spatial’ rather than ‘land-use’ approach to planning. The LDF looks at the roles of, and interaction between, places and spaces and the communities that use them. It highlights opportunities for ELDC and other organisations to promote and manage change throughout the District in a co-ordinated way and takes account of community aspirations for places expressed in documents such as Parish Plans and Village Design Statements .
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Local Development Framework |
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Local Development Scheme |
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Statement of Community Involvement |
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Annual Monitoring Report |
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Supplementary Planning Documents |
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Village Design Statements |
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The Woodhall Spa VDS will adopt the good design objectives outlined in the previous paragraph and build on the success of the Parish Plan. To this end, the VDS sets out to describe how the village has developed, principally over the past two centuries, and what is important in terms of its character and ambience. The village remains, in the words of its original planner Richard Adolphus Came, “an elegant and spacious community in a woodland setting”. It then outlines how all future development can preserve, enhance and complement this character and ambience, if designs are carefully considered and take into account the unique nature of the landscape, vistas, wildlife, trees, open spaces and its architecture.When viewed in conjunction with the LDF, the VDS will provide the level of detail required by ELDC and Woodhall Spa Parish Council (WSPC) planners to make informed decisions about the future development of our village. It will also be a point of reference for developers, which includes not just commercial developers from outside the village but you the villagers yourselves. In this context, “development” has a very wide meaning and includes anything for which you need planning consent. You may want to extend or restore your property, or build on your land. In all instances you will need to have close regard to both the LDF and the guidance contained in the Woodhall Spa VDS. So, whether you are a potential developer or a resident who is concerned that Woodhall Spa retains its village character and ambience, the VDS is important; enabling change, but guiding it in ways that are compatible with public and local policies. The document you are about to view has yet to be approved by WSPC and adopted by ELDC, but at the moment it is only an early draft, designed primarily to invite critical comment. WSPC wants you to be involved in its development, so all constructive comments are welcome. The format, text, maps and photographs can all be changed, so do not hold back, make your views known! At this stage we would particularly like to know whether the draft accurately reflects Woodhall Spa's character. All comments should be forwarded to Councillor Neil Storey, webmaster@woodhallspa.org by 30 Jul 2010. The Parish Council VDS Steering Group will evaluate these comments and consider how the VDS should be developed in the light of them. The aim is to have the VDS completed and approved by ELDC as SPG by 30 Sep 2010.The consultation draft chapters are attached below.
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VDS References |
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