Policy information sourced from Enfield Development Managament Document (DMD)

DMD 39 The Design of Business Premises

All new business premises must make efficient use of land and maximise their contribution to the urban environment. Having regard to viability and the operational requirements of the proposed use, development must meet the following criteria and will only be permitted if it:

  • Facilitates movement through the provision of suitably located, safe, naturally lit and publicly accessible routes;
  • Positively addresses the public realm. Publicly accessible and more active areas should front the public realm and be located close to the site entrance. Building entrances should be prominently located and clearly indicated through the architecture and/or massing of the building. The amount and location of fenestration, landscaping, means of enclosure, architectural detailing and lighting should all help to create a pleasant and safe environment for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles at all times of the day;
  • Clearly differentiates between public and private areas and respects any appropriate, existing building lines. In the absence of such a feature, the development should establish one;
  • Provides inclusive access arrangements and encourages commuting via cycle and foot, and where possible provides supporting facilities such as showers and lockers;
  • Wherever possible, locates servicing, parking and refuse to the rear, sensitively locating and screening these where visible from the public realm;
  • Is flexibly designed so as to be suitable for a number of different businesses and to facilitate conversion to alternative uses, subdivision and/or amalgamation of units;
  • Through layout, landscaping and other site features, helps to mitigate the potential for negative impacts on surrounding uses, including consideration of access arrangements for different uses within the site and wider area;
  • Ensures that the massing and façades of buildings are made visually interesting through architectural detailing, height variation and fenestration. Consideration will need to be given to how the development will appear when viewed from the surroundings and in long views;
  • Respects the grain and character of the surrounding area, for example by wrapping larger buildings in smaller units to maintain activity, character and visual interest;
  • Uses materials that are high quality and considers how, through the use of local materials and those used in surrounding buildings, a distinct character and area identity can be created, enhanced or preserved.

This policy should be read in conjunction with Core Strategy Policy 30.

For more information please see the Development Managament Document (DMD)