Chapter 16
Design & Environmental Quality

DQ1	Design
DQ2	Renewable Energy in Development
DQ3	Trees and Development
DQ4	Public Greenspace and Development
DQ5	Sustainable Drainage Systems

Introduction

16.1 There will be no prospect of achieving sustainable development in Sefton unless there is a commitment to high standards of design in development. Good design is also a key factor in ensuring that regeneration schemes are successful.

 

16.2 The Council has in any case a statutory duty to:

 

• provide for improvements to the physical environment of Sefton;

   

• preserve and enhance the natural beauty and amenity of Sefton;

   

• ensure that existing trees are protected and that new planting is provided when development takes place.

   

16.3 All development should make a positive contribution to Sefton's environment and to quality of life for those living or working in, or visiting, Sefton. This may involve the provision of new or improved public open space in connection with development and new tree planting, in addition to well-designed buildings and landscapes on development sites.

 

16.4 Enhancement of the quality of Sefton's built and natural environment is particularly important:

 

• for infill sites and for development at high densities or in areas already densely developed;

   

• for sensitive and high-profile sites, areas and corridors;

   

• to improve areas of lesser quality and poor environment (e.g. Urban Priority Areas, areas with little tree cover); and

   

• to enhance the strengths of areas in Sefton which are already quality environments (e.g. urban greenspace, Conservation Areas), to which other Plan policies also apply./p>

   

Explanation

16.5 Good quality design covers buildings, the site as a whole and the site within the context of its surroundings and wider area. The main aspects are how the development looks and how it works. Places and buildings should also have their own identity, fulfil their purpose well, be robust and adapt easily to changing requirements.

 

16.6 Proposals should respond positively to the character and form of their surroundings, in terms of density, size, layout, architecture, design and landscape. Context may mean any of this, from the architectural detail of buildings to the general character of the area. The purpose of the policy is to ensure that good design is achieved in all developments.

 

16.7 In areas of lesser quality in Sefton, development should enhance the area rather than reproduce an existing poor environment. For many constrained sites, developers should take the opportunity to create design solutions which are bold, inspiring and long-lasting.

 

16.8 Sites, streets and other places must be designed to ensure safe and easy movement into, through and out of them for all potential users, including those of limited mobility, for pedestrians, cyclists, public transport users, cars users, and for servicing, deliveries and collection. The priority given to different types of transport should be in line with that set out in Policy AD2, 'Ensuring Choice of Travel' and paragraph 15.14. Special consideration should be given to pedestrians and people with disabilities, the elderly, the temporarily infirm and parents with young children. The layout must be appropriate to the use and the context.

 

16.9 Safety and security can be promoted through careful design of buildings and spaces, for example through promoting natural surveillance. Natural surveillance can take place in a variety of ways, e.g. overlooking from windows and from people passing by on roads, open spaces and paths.

 

16.10 The term 'outdoor area' includes gardens, amenity space, car parking areas, and other public spaces. A high quality of detailing and materials is required.

 

16.11 Section 1(c) iv of the policy does not apply to changes of use or other similar proposals that do not create outdoor space. Section 2 of the policy does not apply to house extensions.

 

16.12 Buildings and structures should make a positive contribution to the overall design of a development. Structures include outbuildings such as garages, garden sheds, glasshouses, boundary walls, fences and gate piers, and swimming pools and any swimming pool enclosures. The design of buildings and structures can have a major impact on the amenity of adjacent properties, the street scene and the character of the area.

 

16.13 The EcoHomes Environmental Ratings for Homes scheme, run by the Building Research Establishment, is a widely accepted national standard for sustainable housing design. It is recommended, and increasingly required, by the government and other agencies. EcoHomes assesses development proposals against issues under 7 themes:

 

• Energy

   

• Water

   

• Pollution

   

• Materials

   

• Transport

   

• Ecology and Land Use

   

• Health and well being.

   

Within the scheme developers have flexibility to focus on the most appropriate of these issues and areas for their particular development, subject to reaching an acceptable overall standard. The Council will encourage all housing developments to achieve a rating of Good, Very Good or Excellent when assessed in accordance with the EcoHomes scheme. Energy and water efficiency, with their long-term benefit of lower running costs for residents, are important in Sefton, especially given the amount of housing development expected in the Pathfinder Areas during the Plan period.

 

16.14 Sustainable development principles include reducing the use of energy and resources in the construction and operation of a building. Examples include using building orientation to maximise solar gain, using massing to minimise heat loss, reducing water usage through recycling 'grey' water, using reclaimed materials in construction and so on. More guidance on sustainable development is set out in the Design SPG and paragraph 16.13 on the EcoHomes standard.

 

16.15 Publicly accessible buildings include, but are not limited to, shops, restaurants, community buildings, health and leisure facilities. Further guidance on access for people with limited mobility is set out in the 'Design' and 'Shopfronts, Security and Signage' SPGs.

 

16.16 A Design Statement is required so that the developer can show that design issues have been properly taken into account. Design Statements must set out the principles for the urban, landscape and architectural design aspects of the development.

 

16.17 In major developments consideration should be given to enhancing biodiversity through the structural landscape framework. An example of this would be wetland created as part of a sustainable drainage system.

 

16.18 The design policy and the Supplementary Planning Guidance Note 'Design' have been shaped by a number of recent studies in Sefton which have defined areas of distinctiveness, character and density.

 

Implementation

16.19 This policy will be implemented through the development control process. The Supplementary Planning Guidance Notes 'Design', and 'New Residential Development' set out in detail how this will be achieved.

 

Sustainability Appraisal

Safety and security added into policy. Energy efficiency picked up in CS3 'Development Principles' and Supplementary Planning Guidance Notes.

 

Policy Links

EMW1 Prudent Use of Resources
DQ3 Trees and Development,
DQ4 Public Greenspace and Development.

 

Background documents

Residential Character Areas Study, Chesterton / Llewellyn Davies, 1998; Urban Character Study, Austin-Smith:Lord, 2000; 'By Design', CABE, 2000; By Design - Better Places to Live : A Companion Guide to PPG3, CABE/DTLR, 2001, 'EcoHomes 'The Environmental Rating for Homes' information note, Building Research Establishment web-site, 2003.

 

Explanation

16.20 The policy seeks to secure use of renewable energy from on-site sources in major non-residential development schemes. The technologies for small-scale generation of renewable energy make it possible for major developments to incorporate the production of renewable energy. This will contribute to achieving national and regional targets for energy, as set out in the introduction to Chapter 9 'Energy, Minerals and Waste'.

 

16.21 The Building Research Establishment can advise on the typical energy consumption of different types and sizes of development. Developers will be encouraged to make schemes as energy efficient as possible. This will reduce the total energy used and thus the total amount of energy required from renewable sources.

 

16.22 Major non-residential development is defined as having a gross floorspace of 1,000sq metres or more, and includes both new buildings and conversions.

 

16.23 For the purpose of this policy renewable energy technologies are set out in the Renewable Energy Information Note and include photovoltaic energy (PV cells), solar-powered and geo-thermal water heating, energy crops and biomass, small-scale wind generation and hydro-power. Energy production from domestic or industrial waste is not included. Grants are likely to be available that will cover a proportion of the cost of any renewable energy scheme.

 

16.24 Renewable energy production equipment covered by this policy will not be expected to meet the requirements of Policy EMW2 'Renewable Energy Infrastructure', unless they are large scale infrastructure schemes in their own right.

 

16.25 There may be some cases where the achievement of 10% of energy from on-site renewable sources would make unviable a development proposal which would otherwise meet the aims, objectives and strategy of the Plan 'for example due to exceptional site circumstances' especially in Urban Priority Areas. In such cases, a lesser percentage of energy from on-site renewable sources may be acceptable. However, the developer must demonstrate that:

 

• a variety of renewable energy sources and generation methods have been assessed and costed; and

   

• the achievement of 10% of energy from on-site renewable sources would make the proposal unviable; and

   

• the need for the development proposal and its contribution to the aims, objectives and other policies of the Plan outweighs the lesser use of on-site renewable energy;

   

The Council would usually expect some percentage of on-going energy use to be from on-site renewable sources.

 

16.26 The Renewable Energy Information Note sets out more information about renewable energy, total energy use and the achievement of this policy, including any exemptions as set out in paragraph 16.25 above.

 

Implementation

16.27 This policy will be implemented through the development control process.

 

Sustainability Appraisal

No changes needed.

 

Policy links

UP1 Urban Priority Areas
EMW1 Prudent Use of Resources

 

Background documents

Energy White Paper, Department of Trade and Industry, February 2003; From Power to Prosperity, Sustainability Northwest, 2001.

 

Explanation

16.28 The aim of the policy is to protect existing trees and woodlands and to increase the number of trees in Sefton. Some parts of urban Sefton have very few trees. In these areas it is particularly important to retain existing trees and plant new ones. Tree planting and retention throughout Sefton also contributes to the Mersey Forest Plan and its objectives.

 

16.29 Trees have a visual appeal, and contribute to design and environmental quality and a sense of well-being for all. They have wildlife value and their role as the 'green lungs' of the urban areas improves air quality. New trees in development schemes link proposals into the existing urban fabric. Trees are important to Sefton's environment especially in urban areas.

 

16.30 The policy sets out the principles against which development will be assessed with respect to new and existing trees.

 

16.31 Tree surveys must be able to show that there is no unacceptable loss of, or damage to, existing woodlands or trees during or as a result of development. Surveys must be provided for all proposals where there are trees within the development site, or where trees on adjacent sites are likely to be affected.

 

16.32 This policy applies to new-build residential development and to conversions to residential use. For conversions, the number of new trees required should be based on the overall gain of units within the site. For non-residential development the policy applies only to new-build development including extensions. The requirement for additional new tree planting is in addition to any planting required as compensation for loss of existing trees or greenspace.

 

16.33 Usually trees should be planted within development sites. Where sites have insufficient space for all trees, or where the resulting development would be inappropriate in terms of the character or density of surrounding areas, tree planting should take place at suitable locations, outside the site. This is explained in the Supplementary Planning Guidance Note 'Trees and Development'.

 

16.34 Where it can be demonstrated that the application of this requirement would make it difficult to secure regeneration, a flexible approach may be taken. This will be assessed case by case. Further guidance on the circumstances where this applies will be set out in the Supplementary Planning Guidance Note 'Trees and Development'.

 

16.35 Park and Ride facilities which are part of an approved Council transport strategy aim to reduce the length and number of journeys by private car. As such they make an important contribution towards improving air quality and environmental quality and to meeting the aims and objectives of other strategies to which the Council are committed, such as the Air Quality Strategy and Community Strategy. The Council may therefore be more flexible in its requirements for trees in connection with park and ride facilities. However, it is important that the agreed number of trees provide and form part of a good quality structural landscape in recognition of the potential visual and environmental impact of such facilities.

 

16.36 Tree Preservation Orders may be made where this is the best way of protecting trees, including those on development sites.

 

Implementation

16.37 The Supplementary Planning Guidance Note 'Trees and Development' provides detailed guidance on how this policy will be put into action.

 

Sustainability Appraisal

Policy not changed, as nature conservation and Mersey Forest issues are matters of detail dealt with in other Plan policies and Supplementary Planning Guidance Notes.

 

Policy Links

DQ1 Design.

 

Background documents

Planning Policy Guidance Note 12 'Development Plans', 1999; Circular 36/78 'Trees and Forestry', 1978; Urban Tree Strategy, SMBC, 1999; Survey of Tree Poor Areas, SMBC, unpublished, 1999; Mersey Forest Plan, Mersey Forest Partnership, 2001.

 

Explanation

16.38 Over the Plan period all development will take place within the urban area. This will put considerable pressure on the Borough's existing recreational facilities.

 

16.39 This is the case both for the needs generated by new dwellings, and for major commercial and industrial developments whose employees and visitors also have public greenspace needs.

 

16.40 New public greenspace should be a positive element in the landscape and it should provide for the recreational needs of those who are intended to use the space. This may be formal recreational open space, such as playing pitches, or informal recreational open space, such as children's playspace or nature space.

 

16.41 Providing nature space will contribute to meeting the targets for 'accessible nature space'¹ as recommended by English Nature, and to meeting the wider objectives of the North Merseyside Biodiversity Action Plan and the Mersey Forest Plan.

 

16.42 In the absence of an up to date open space and recreation study, developers may carry out an assessment of whether the public greenspace needs of future occupiers or users of a development would be met by existing facilities in the area in terms of quality, quantity and accessibility.

 

16.43 Where new urban greenspace is provided it will be afforded the same protection as greenspace defined under Policy G1 'Protection of Urban Greenspace'.

 

16.44 The Council will use 'planning obligations'² to secure greenspace off-site. The guiding principles are set out in Circular 1/97; that is, planning obligations should be:

 

• necessary;

   

• relevant to planning;

   

• directly related to the proposed development;

   

• fairly and reasonably related in scale and kind to the development; and

   

• reasonable in all other respects.

   

16.45 As with policy DQ3, where it can be demonstrated that the application of this requirement would make it difficult to secure regeneration, a flexible approach may be taken. This will be assessed case by case. Further guidance on the circumstances where this applies will be set out in the Supplementary Planning Guidance Note 'Public Greenspace and Development'.

 

16.46 A contribution will usually be sought from developers towards the costs of establishing and maintaining greenspace, whether within or beyond the site.

 

16.47 The redevelopment of older urban areas will also provide opportunities to create new urban greenspace.

 

Residential development

 

16.48 The Plan's housing strategy is that the Borough's needs for new homes can be met within the built-up area. As few sites are allocated for housing, the majority of development is likely to be on relatively small sites.

 

16.49 Developers of five or more dwellings shall contribute to the provision of public urban greenspace. This includes new dwellings, and conversions. The standard of 55m² per dwelling is based on an average household size of 2.2 people. It is derived from the Sefton standards set out in Table 13.3 in chapter 13 and covers both provision for formal outdoor sports and informal recreation, including children's playspace. Supplementary Planning Guidance Note 'Public Greenspace and Development' explains this in more detail.

 

16.50 New urban greenspaces should preferably be provided at a suitable location within the development site. However it would not be practicable to provide public greenspace (particularly children's playspace) of less than 0.1ha within a development. (This is the area of greenspace which would be required for a development of 20 dwellings). In smaller developments, therefore, a financial contribution will be accepted towards new or improved greenspace in the locality.

 

16.51 The Supplementary Planning Guidance Note 'Public Greenspace and Development' sets out the level of contributions from developers, usually through commuted sums, and provides guidance on how the money will be spent. The key principles are that provision outside the site must be in the same locality as the development, and that it should be guided by the Council's approved priorities for sport, recreation and greenspace.

 

Commercial, Industrial and Leisure Development

 

16.52 Planning Policy Guidance Note 17 'Planning for Open Space, Sport and Recreation' stresses the importance of ensuring that through the planning system proper provision is made to meet the recreational requirements of those people working in and visiting an area, as well as those living there.

 

16.53 The policy will apply to major commercial, industrial and leisure development proposals. These may provide scope to secure new greenspace in the middle of densely built-up areas where access by the public to greenspace is most constrained. Such developments will only be asked to contribute to public greenspace provision where a clear shortage of greenspace has been identified in the locality of the development within a Council-approved Greenspace Strategy.
Implementation

 

16.54 The Supplementary Planning Guidance Note 'Public Greenspace and Development' and development briefs will provide further detailed guidance on how this policy will be put into practice.

 

Sustainability Appraisal

No changes made, as wider recreation/ green network, Mersey Forest and Biodiversity Action Plan issues will be mentioned in the Supplementary Planning Guidance Note ‘Public Greenspace and Development’.

 

Policy Links

G1 Protection of Urban Greenspace.

 

Background documents

Planning Policy Guidance Note 17 ‘Planning for Open Space, Sport and Recreation’ July 2002; The Six Acre Standard: Minimum Standards for Outdoor Playing Space, National Playing Fields Association, 1993; Circular 1/97 ‘Planning Obligations’; Sefton MBC Playing Pitch Demand Assessment, Sefton MBC, 2003; Mersey Forest Plan, Mersey Forest Partnership, 2001; North Merseyside Biodiversity Action Plan, North Merseyside Biodiversity Group, 2001.

 

Explanation

16.55 Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) are designed to manage surface water run-off in a more sustainable way than traditional piped drainage methods. Development tends to extend the area of impermeable ground which increases surface water run-off. This can cause flooding, pollution and disrupt the water cycle to the detriment of water resources and the natural environment.

 

16.56 This policy aims to complement Part H of the Building Regulations 2000 by ensuring that SuDS are incorporated into the overall design of the development. This will include paved areas that provide access to the principal entrance of the building, a place for bin storage, yards or other forms of access used in common by more than one building. The policy will apply to developments comprising one dwelling or more and also to applications for new retail and industrial premises.

 

16.57 A number of different types of SuDS are available, for example, soakaways, porous pavings, swales and basins, ponds and wetlands, and filter drains. The type of technique that is used, however, will depend on a number of factors, such as:

 

• existing land-use;

   

• proposed and existing topography;

   

• past rainfall data;

   

• site hydrology, soil type and infiltration potential;

   

• type of development proposed;

   

• health and safety considerations.

   

16.58 SuDS may be inappropriate in areas which comprise soils with low infiltration rates or where there may be an increased risk of polluting land or water. For example, SuDS may not be suitable for use on contaminated sites or where industrial development is proposed that uses or stores hazardous materials. It will be the responsibility of the applicant to demonstrate why it may be inappropriate to incorporate SuDS into the overall design of their scheme.

 

16.59 Further information on the use of SuDS is provided in Supplementary Planning Guidance ‘Sustainable Drainage Systems’ prepared by the Merseyside Authorities.

 

Implementation

16.60 Through the development control process and the Supplementary Planning Guidance Note mentioned in paragraph 16.59 above.

 

Sustainability Appraisal

No changes needed.

 

Policy Links

EP2 ‘Pollution’
EP8 ‘Flood Risk’

 

Background Documents

None

 

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¹ English Nature recommend that all homes should be within 300m of an accessible nature space, to allow people contact with nature

 

² These are a form of legal agreement

 

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