Policy information sourced from Newham Local Plan 2018

SP3 Quality Urban Design Within Places

Proposals which address the following strategic principles and spatial strategy and technical criteria will be supported:

  • Strategic principles and spatial strategy
    • The expectation that all development realises a high quality of urban design in the new buildings and spaces created, helping to engender safe, sociable and inclusive mixed and balanced communities and places that people feel proud of;
    • The importance of contributing to the creation of, and continued support for, genuinely mixed use areas with an integrated range of high quality accommodation for living, community facilities and work places, ensuring easy and inclusive access to these and associated walking, cycling and public transport links;
    • The need to avoid problems related to ‘bad neighbour’ uses, (including hot food takeaways) vacant premises and inactive frontage, flood risk and cumulative impact;
    • The importance of minimising environmental impact, with sustainability features incorporated into buildings, spaces and neighbourhoods at an early stage of the design process in line with Policies SC1-5;
    • The importance of an analysis of local character and the specific attributes of the site, seeking to reinforce or create positive local distinctiveness, whilst securing integration and coherence with the local context including character assets in line with Policy SP5;
    • Respect for sensitivity to – and capacity for – innovation in different parts of the Borough, and the need for appropriate stakeholder and community engagement to help direct responsive design;
    • The desirability of making the public realm attractive as a social meeting place to be enjoyed by the whole community, and of creating a sense of safety and security and helping to prevent crime and antisocial behaviour inside and outside buildings and in public spaces; and
    • The importance of providing legible, connected networks of streets, spaces and parks conducive to travel on foot or by bike.
  • Design and technical criteria
  • Any new development, town centres, public spaces, transport hubs and streets should incorporate the principles of and achieve Secured By Design (SBD) accreditation; and
  • Designs should be accompanied by sufficient technical and financial detail to demonstrate that a satisfactory design quality will be realised and sustained, including provision for continuity of the project architect to completion stage, and details of proposed public realm and open space management and maintenance.

For more information please see the Local Plan 2018