Policy information sourced from the Hertsmere Elstree Way Corridor Area Action Plan

EWC6: Public Realm and Townscape

All new development will be required to make a positive contribution to the quality of the public realm. Development must:

  • Promote active building frontages that contribute to the public realm visually and functionally including ground floor uses that face onto the public realm and new or improved building frontages;
  • Emphasise the points of arrival into the town centre through innovative surface redesign and improved pedestrian crossings;
  • Respect public open spaces and streets by ensuring that building forms are appropriately scaled to their context and do not provide excessive overshadowing;
  • Help reinforce a clear street hierarchy by implementing a cohesive approach to streetscape design with larger buildings with active frontages along principal routes. Development along secondary routes should be consistent with the existing residential form;
  • Utilise the most suitable, durable and high quality materials available within the public realm, with special attention to detail and future maintenance requirements; and
  • Specify management and maintenance regimes for areas of the public realm.

Further guidance as to how to make successful planning applications to which this policy applies is provided in Part D of the Council’s adopted Planning and Design Guide SPD and its Streetscape Manual.

For more information please see the Hertsmere Area Action Plan