Policy information sourced from the The Dartford Plan
Policy M1: Good Design for Dartford
Development must demonstrate that it is designed in line with the National Design Guide and the National Model Design Code, considers the principles of Kent Design, and satisfies all of the following locally specific criteria for good design in the Borough:
- Responding to, reinforcing and enhancing positive aspects of the locality. Opportunities to create appropriately distinctive high quality and beautiful places should be taken, particularly using and enhancing prominent physical attributes which include the Borough’s distinctive riverside environments, extensive open spaces, biodiversity assets, landscape and tree coverage;
- Ensuring appropriate regard is had to heritage assets in line with policies M5 and M6 and national policy, and that the character of historic towns and villages and Areas of Special Character are respected. Development within Areas of Special Character on the Policies Map should have regard to the accompanying Appraisals;
- Facilitating a sense of place with social interaction, a physical environment encouraging health and wellbeing, attractive active environments and travel options, and secure, inclusive and integrated neighbourhoods through a mix of uses and careful design and layout that ensures that commercial and public facilities are well integrated within the site and the wider locality;
- Providing permeability for the site to sufficiently connect to its surrounds and for the public to traverse the site, through clear pedestrian and cycle linkages and, where appropriate, active frontages, open streets, and a fine grain mix of buildings and spaces;
- Reinforcing and enhancing good design by integrating new development with the public realm/ open space, and providing biodiversity gain and natural features including rivers and lakes/ ponds; and
- Meeting the requirements set out in any supplementary local design guidelines which will be produced after public consultation consistent with these principles and national requirements, to be adopted as formal Supplementary Planning Documents or Design Codes.
Development must be shown to be suitable in terms of its height, mass, form, scale, orientation, siting, access, overlooking, overshadowing, articulation, detailing, roof form, and landscaping relative to neighbouring buildings and the wider locality. Materials must support a sense of place and relate well to the local character. Outstanding or innovative design which helps raise design standards in the wider area will be supported on appropriate sites.
Design-led Development Density/ Intensity
The appropriate scale and density of development at a site should be the outcome of securing high quality development through a design-led process and demonstrated by agreed masterplans on large sites, having proper regard to:
- the current built environment context including heritage assets;
- the location of the site in the Borough and its characteristics:
- Assessment of development potential using locally specific design or conservation guidance documents, and fulfilling applicable Plan objectives for the area;
- Outside the urban area, design should, in particular, be sympathetic to local landscape and townscape character;
- providing spacious, green and good quality developments including clearly meeting or exceeding nationally described space standards for new homes, and fulfilling policy for amenity space and green infrastructure provision; and
- the principle of securing a mix of uses and residential types, achieving efficient re-use of land where appropriate, and delivering regeneration at urban locations well-served by public transport and services.
Public Spaces, and Signage/ Adverts
Public spaces in and outside buildings and all accommodation must be designed to be inclusive, safe and accessible for all Dartford’s communities, including young, elderly, disabled and less mobile people. The design of buildings, open space and the private and public realm must be in accordance with active design principles and reduce the fear of, and opportunities for crime.
Signage and advertisements must be of a scale and design that is sympathetic to the building and locality, particularly in the designated Area of Special Advertisement Control, and must not have a negative impact on visual amenity, public safety or the safe and convenient movement of pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles.
Policy information sourced from the The Dartford Plan