Supplementary Planning Document: Residential Design …

1 Supplementary Planning Document: Residential Design Guidance October 2016 Local Plan SPD Residential Design Guidance Barnet s Local Plan October 2016 Page 2 SPD Residential Design Guidance Barnet s Local Plan October 2016 Page 3 Contents 1. Introduction .. 5 Background .. 6 Purpose of the SPD .. 6 Report structure .. 7 Monitoring .. 8 PART 1 Background to Residential Design in Barnet .. 9 2. Planning policy context .. 10 National policy .. 10 London Plan policies .. 10 Local Plan policies.

2 11 3. Barnet s Residential character .. 11 4. Principles of good Design .. 16 PART 2 Design Aspects for New Residential Development in Barnet .. 20 5. Housing density and building form .. 21 Achieving appropriate density .. 21 Design at different densities .. 21 6. Enhancing local character .. 22 Local character .. 22 Pattern of development .. 22 Building line and setbacks .. 23 Scale, massing and height .. 23 Materials, colour and architectural detailing .. 24 Boundaries .. 24 Gardens .. 25 Landscaping .. 25 7. Safeguarding Residential amenity.

3 27 Privacy and outlook .. 27 Sunlight, daylight and adequate ventilation .. 28 Safety and security .. 28 Lighting schemes .. 29 Reducing the visual impact of additions to building exteriors .. 29 8. Outdoor spaces .. 30 Outdoor amenity space .. 30 Design of outdoor amenity spaces .. 31 Front gardens .. 32 Balconies and roof gardens .. 32 Children s play space .. 33 9. Structure and layout .. 34 Site layout .. 34 Internal space 34 Stacking of rooms and internal storage .. 34 Entrances and windows .. 35 Active frontages .. 35 36 Movement .. 36 Legibility.

4 37 Consider all users .. 37 11. Car parking, cycle storage and waste 37 Parking .. 38 Cycle storage .. 38 Waste and recycling 39 12. Design of basements .. 39 13. Residential development within town centres .. 40 SPD Residential Design Guidance Barnet s Local Plan October 2016 Page 4 PART 3 Design Guidance for Existing Residential Development in Barnet .. 43 14. Extensions to houses .. 43 Amenity .. 44 44 Materials and details .. 45 Fitting into the street .. 46 Side extensions .. 46 Rear extensions .. 48 Front extensions .. 49 Dormer roof extensions.

5 50 Large roof extensions .. 52 Roof lights .. 53 Detached ancillary buildings in front and back gardens .. 53 Front garden buildings .. 53 Back garden buildings .. 54 Basement extensions .. 54 Annexes to dwellings .. 55 Extent of extensions in Green Belt/ Metropolitan Open 55 Porches and canopies .. 56 conversion of garages to habitable accommodation .. 57 15. Conversions .. 59 Houses in Multiple Occupation .. 60 Principles of Good Design .. 60 1. External appearance .. 60 2. Internal layout .. 61 3. Access to a garden .. 62 4. Car parking .. 63 5.

6 Bin storage .. 63 6. Gas & electricity meter boxes .. 63 7. Security & crime prevention .. 63 16. Hardstandings and vehicular crossovers .. 64 Hardstandings .. 65 a. Preserving local character and retaining existing planting .. 65 b. Providing level access, ensuring safety and crime reduction .. 66 Vehicular crossovers .. 67 17. Planning permission and other issues .. 68 Planning permission .. 68 Design process and Planning submission requirements .. 68 Other issues to consider .. 69 Conservation areas .. 69 Listed buildings .. 69 Green Belt and Metropolitan Open Land.

7 70 Considering existing 70 Avoiding disputes with neighbours .. 71 Certificate of lawful development .. 71 Making a decision .. 71 Enforcement .. 72 PART 4 Appendices .. 73 Appendix 1: Building for Life 12 .. 75 Appendix 2: Tables .. 75 Glossary .. 79 Further guidance .. 81 Other useful publications and websites .. 82 Useful contacts .. 83 SPD Residential Design Guidance Barnet s Local Plan October 2016 Page 5 Executive summary Following adoption of the Core Strategy and Development Management Policies documents in September 2012 Barnet has one of the most up to date Local Plans in the country.

8 With the support of a robust Planning framework with clearly set out priorities of protection, enhancement and consolidated growth the council is in a strong position to produce more detailed local guidance. Barnet s Residential Design Guidance Supplementary Planning Document (RDG SPD) provides a clear and consistent message on how we manage change within Barnet s suburbs. The SPD consolidates and updates the existing framework for Residential Design which mainly focused on improvements to the existing housing stock ( Design Guidance Notes on Extensions, Conversions, Porches, and Hardstandings and Vehicular Crossovers).

9 This SPD provides more detailed Residential Design guidance issues relevant to Barnet such as local character, density, built form, car parking and amenity space standards connected with new build development. Through these changes the SPD sets out the local priorities for protecting and enhancing Barnet s character. It provides a local reference point to the suite of national guidance on good Design . SPD Residential Design Guidance Barnet s Local Plan October 2016 Page 6 1. Introduction Housing developments should be of the highest quality internally, externally and in relation to their context and to the wider environment, taking account of strategic policies in the London Plan to protect and enhance London s Residential environment and attractiveness as a place to live.

10 (London Plan, Policy Quality and Design of Housing Developments) Background Barnet is an attractive borough which is largely suburban in character and contains a variety of density levels, buildings and townscape typologies which reflect its historical development. Its suburban character is mainly made up from a mix of detached, semi-detached and terraced housing and contains many good examples of historic Residential developments for example in Hampstead Garden Suburb, Totteridge, Cricklewood Railway Terraces and Monken Hadley. Following adoption of the Core Strategy and Development Management Policies documents in September 2012 Barnet has one of the most up to date Local Plans in the country.