Policy information sourced from the Lewisham Local Plan

QD8 High quality housing design

Strategic Objectives:

Housing tailored to the community with genuinely affordable homes,

F Celebrating our local identity,

G Healthy and safe communities.

A High quality design is integral to ensuring housing that meets the diverse and changing needs of Lewisham residents over their lifetimes. All development proposals for housing must ensure provision for adequately-sized rooms and living spaces, comfortable and functional layouts and well-integrated amenities. This includes development proposals for new-build housing, changes of use, alterations and extensions.

B Development proposals for housing must meet, and wherever possible seek to exceed, the housing standards set out in the London Plan, including the minimum space standards for:

  • Private internal space, having regard to:
    1. Internal floor area and built-in storage area;
    2. Bedroom size;
    3. Ceiling height
  • Private outside space, having regard to:
    1. Outside space adequate for the intended number of occupants;
    2. Minimum depth and width of balconies or other private outdoor spaces;
  • Communal amenity space; and
  • Children’s play space, having regard to Policy CI 3 (Play and informal recreation).

C Development proposals for housing should address the qualitative design aspects set out in the London Plan Policy D6 (Housing quality and standards) and corresponding Table 3.2 within the London Plan, covering the detailed considerations for:

  • Layout, orientation and form;
  • Outside amenity space; and
  • Usability and ongoing maintenance.

D Development proposals for housing should be designed to be inclusive, accessible and safe to all, with reference to Policy QD2 (Inclusive and safe design).

E Development proposals for housing must be designed to protect and enhance amenity of building occupants, as well as that of adjoining site users and uses, in line with Policy QD7 (Amenity and agent of change). They must ensure adequate provision of natural light with reference to the latest Building Research Establishment (BRE) good practice guidance, currently BR209: Site layout planning for daylight and sunlight, or suitable equivalent.

F Development proposals for housing must be designed to be ‘tenure blind’ and ‘tenure neutral’ to ensure that houses across all tenures are indistinguishable from one another in terms of quality of design and materials, space standards, access and amenity provision. Further details on ‘tenure neutral design are set out in Policy QD2 (Inclusive and safe design).

G Development proposals for housing should maximise the provision of dual aspect dwellings and seek to minimise the provision of single aspect dwellings, in particular north-facing dwellings. Proposals for single aspect dwellings should have particular regard to:

  • Site or building size, layout and orientation;
  • Outlook for occupiers;
  • Microclimate management including for heating, cooling and ventilation; and
  • Amenity including adequate privacy and protection against exposure to odour, noise, light and air pollution.

H The Small Sites SPD provides guidance on delivering housing on sites of 0.25 hectares or less and how to respond to common site constraints for infill sites within existing residential areas.

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