Policy information sourced from the Guildford Local Plan: Develpment Managment Policies

D8: Residential Infill Development Proposals

Residential infill development proposals are required to:

  • integrate well with surrounding development and the environment;
  • respond positively to the existing character and identity of the local area;
  • avoid unacceptable impacts on the amenity of neighbouring residents; and
  • incorporate landscaping measures and ensure that sufficient amenity space, parking, bin storage and cycle parking is available and that they relate well to the buildings within the site.

Piecemeal development proposals will be resisted. Where the Council considers that land has come forward which has been artificially subdivided, it will require appropriate infrastructure contributions commensurate with what would have been required on the larger site. Contributions will be based on a level of development across the comprehensive area which the Council considers appropriate.

Infilling: frontage development proposals

Proposals for frontage development are required to have regard to the existing:

  • urban grain, plot sizes, building patterns, rhythms and lines;
  • form and scale of buildings and spaces - height, bulk, massing, proportions and roofscapes;
  • appearance; and
  • landscape and boundary treatments.

Infilling: backland development proposals

Proposals for backland development are required to:

  • create a positive ‘street’ entrance, provide safe pedestrian and cycling access and suitable access for emergency and refuse vehicles, and avoid long, narrow and isolated access points. Access routes must be designed to avoid having an unacceptable impact in terms of noise or light on the existing dwellings; and
  • demonstrate that relationships with both existing neighbouring development and buildings/gardens within the site are acceptable, taking into account back to back or back to front distances. The privacy of existing and proposed residential properties should be respected by any new layout.

Infill development proposals in villages

Additionally, proposals for infill development within villages are required to:

  • reflect development forms which respect the character and context of the village and avoid layouts that are overly formalised where surrounding village patterns have grown organically;
  • ensure that the transitional character of edge of village/settlement areas is not lost and that hard urban forms are not introduced in semi-rural environments; and
  • maximise the provision of high quality, safe and direct walking and cycling routes and links to key village facilities.

For more information please see the Local Plan