Policy information sourced from the Lewisham Local Plan

QD1 Delivering high quality design in Lewisham

Strategic Objectives:

A An open Lewisham as part of an open London,

D A greener borough,

F Celebrating our local identity,

G Healthy and safe communities.

Using the design-led approach

A Development proposals must follow a design-led approach that considers supporting guidance provided by the National Design Guide to contribute to delivering high quality, inclusive, safe, healthy, liveable and sustainable neighbourhoods in Lewisham and support the delivery of the spatial strategy for the Borough.

Distinctive and valued places

B Development proposals must demonstrate an understanding of the site context and respond positively to Lewisham’s local distinctiveness by providing for buildings, spaces and places that reinforce and enhance local character. This includes the special and distinctive visual, historical, environmental, social and functional qualities of places that contribute to local character, identity, sense of community and belonging.

C To successfully respond to local distinctiveness development proposals must be designed to address:

  • Natural features including trees, landscape, ecology, biodiversity topography, open spaces, waterways, drainage and flood risk;
  • The prevailing or emerging form of development (including urban grain, building typology, morphology and the hierarchy of streets, routes and other spaces);
  • The proportion of development (including height, scale, mass and bulk) within the site, its immediate vicinity and the surrounding area;
  • Building lines along with the orientation of and spacing between buildings;
  • Strategic and local views, views in and out of a site and landmarks;
  • Townscape features;
  • The significance of heritage assets and their setting;
  • Architectural styles, detailing and materials that contribute to local character;
  • Microclimate and noise, air and water quality; and
  • Uses including community facilities, cultural assets and local facilities.

Places for people

D Development proposals must put people at the centre of the design-led approach, ensuring buildings and spaces are welcoming, inclusive, safe and accessible to people of all backgrounds, ages and abilities. Development should be designed and built to a human scale by responding to the ways in which people move through, engage with and experience their surroundings.

E Development proposals must be designed to facilitate good physical and mental health, support the wellbeing of the population and foster community cohesion by providing:

  • Buildings and spaces that are inclusive, intuitive to use, comfortable, safe and secure;
  • A high quality public realm that maintains and wherever possible enhances access to green and open spaces;
  • Positive and active frontages that generate visual interest and which have a positive relationship with the public realm, particularly at the street-level;
  • Well-integrated, dedicated space and equipment for relaxation, social interaction and physical activity, including where appropriate space for play and informal recreation; and
  • A high standard of amenity

Well-functioning and resilient places

F Development proposals must be well-integrated within their neighbourhood. They must provide a positive and coherent relationship with all land uses and spaces within the site and its surroundings having regard to:

  • The compatibility of land-uses and activities within and surrounding the development;
  • The need to ensure that neighbourhoods are well-connected both by encouraging and enabling movement by walking, cycling and the use of public transport; and
  • The efficient servicing and effective management of buildings and the public realm, including for delivery and servicing vehicles.

G Development must be appropriately supported by infrastructure. Development proposals will be expected to consider, and be linked to, the provision of future planned levels of infrastructure along with the timing of the delivery of this infrastructure. Where there is insufficient capacity of existing infrastructure to support a development proposal, applicants will be required to work with infrastructure providers to ensure sufficient capacity will exist at the appropriate time, including through the phasing of development.

H Development proposals must be designed to mitigate climate change and integrate adaptation measures to make neighbourhoods and properties more resilient to its impacts, including by maximising opportunities for urban greening, with reference to other Local Plan policies.

Delivering high quality development

I Development proposals must include a Design and Access Statement to demonstrate how the design-led approach has been applied to deliver high quality development

J Development proposals will be expected to have regard to and address:

  • Supplementary Planning Documents and Guidance published by the Council and the Mayor of London respectively, along with other good practice guidance; and
  • Any feedback received from the Council including through its Pre-application Advice Service and where appropriate, Lewisham’s independent Design Review Panel.

K Applicants should work closely with local communities and others likely to be affected by new development to understand the local and distinctive context of the site, as well as to consider design options that respond positively to this context. Public engagement with the local community and other key stakeholders should occur early on and at key stages in the design process for a scheme and be proactive and inclusive.

For more information and policy context please see the Lewisham Local Plan