Policy information sourced from the Merton Sites and Policies Plan

DM D1 Urban design and the public realm

Links to Core Planning Strategy Policies CS 1 Colliers Wood and South Wimbledon sub-area; CS 2 Mitcham sub-area; CS 3 Morden sub-area; CS 4 Raynes Park sub-area; CS 5 Wandle Valley sub -area; CS 6 Wimbledon sub-area; CS 7 Centres and CS 14 Design.

Policy aim

To ensure high quality design of buildings and places in the borough.

Policy

Development proposals must impact positively on the character and quality of the public realm. Proposals for all development and works to the public realm must be of the highest standard and adhere to the most appropriate policy guidance and best practice. In order to ensure this, all proposals must accord, where relevant, with the following principles of good urban design:

  • The creation of urban layouts based on a permeable and easily navigable network of recognisable streets and spaces that link in seamlessly with surrounding development and facilitate walking, cycling and use of public transport.
  • The creation of urban environments which are easy to understand and navigate through, by provision of legible routes, spaces and landmarks and clearly defined buildings and spaces.
  • The creation of buildings and spaces which are economically and socially sustainable, by offering variety and choice, and by being able to adapt to changing social, technological and economic conditions without the need for future remedial intervention.
  • The maintenance and enhancement of identified important local views, panoramas and prospects and their settings and where appropriate, create new views.
  • New development should provide and reinforce a clearly identifiable network of public streets and spaces that constitute the public realm, based on the creation of ‘defensible space’, and a clear distinction and appropriate gradation between public and private space.
  • Proposals for changes to and enhancement of the highway shall be designed according to best practice and, depending on their scale and impact, may be subject to a design review process. Proposals should include tree planting where possible and appropriate.
  • Development in town centres and other retail and mixed use areas must provide a mix of compatible uses appropriate to their location that together create high quality neighbourhoods, respect local character (see Borough Character Studies) and promote vitality and vibrancy across the borough whilst supporting regeneration initiatives. Proposals must also interact positively with the public realm by the creation of active and attractive frontages that promote natural surveillance and not create dead frontage through lack of windows or provision of advertising.
  • Opportunities for enhancing biodiversity in all amenity space should be taken for all development proposals where appropriate, to strengthen the green infrastructure of the borough.
  • Proposals for the conversion of front gardens for vehicle parking should not be detrimental to the character of the street or highway safety or undermine biodiversity, prevent sustainable drainage or reduce highway safety. (Further references on this are included in Merton’s borough character study. Also Policy DM T3 refers to parking bay dimensions).
  • As part of larger developments and enhancements, the council will seek to achieve innovative and interesting provision of public art in the public realm.

For more information see the Merton Sites and Policies Plan