Guildford - D7: Public Realm

D7: Public Realm

All public realm is required to be designed as an integral part of new development and its future care and maintenance secured.

High quality new or improved public realm proposals are required to demonstrate that:

they are informed by their context, including the landscape, townscape, important views and historic character;
the design responds to the character, location and function of the spaces and surrounding buildings, and creates a sense of identity;
it contains and reveals focal points and landmarks to enable ease of movement and legibility
it creates attractive, safe and, where appropriate, lively streets with visual interest at pedestrian level;
it maximises opportunities for activity and enjoyment, and encourages social interaction and community cohesion;
it maximises opportunities to incorporate soft landscaping including trees, hedges and other planting, appropriate to both the scale of buildings and the space available;
all new streets are tree-lined unless there are clear, justifiable and compelling reasons why this would be inappropriate, and their long-term maintenance is secured;
the materials are sustainable, durable and long-lasting, and help create and reinforce local distinctiveness; and
it takes a coordinated approach with adjacent sites/phases in terms of the palette of materials, and the design and siting of street furniture, boundary treatments, lighting and signage.

Proposals for public spaces are expected to consider the opportunity to provide:

flexible, multi-use and adaptable community spaces;
a mobility hub on its fringes, facilitating access to low carbon and shared modes of transport; and
public art that responds appropriately to local context and history, contributes to community engagement and ownership, has been considered and assessed against the Council’s Art Strategy and where its future care and maintenance is secured.

For more information please see the Local Plan