Policy information sourced from Wandsworth Core Strategy

IS 3 Good quality design and townscape

The Council will protect and reinforce the existing varied character and heritage of the borough.

The layout, form and design of new buildings and the spaces around them should contribute positively to the local environment, creating places, streets and spaces which meet the needs of people, are visually attractive, safe, accessible to all, sustainable, functional, adaptable, durable, inclusive, and while having their own distinctive identity maintain and reinforce local character. Designs and layouts which make efficient and effective use of land, including innovative approaches that help deliver high quality outcomes will be promoted.

Throughout the borough, with the exception of the major development sites within Nine Elms, the scale and density of development should make the most effective use of land and buildings, paying regard to the site’s accessibility and existing and proposed infrastructure and the London Plan 2015 density matrix, without harming the character of the surrounding area. Within the Opportunity Area, subject to the provision of necessary infrastructure and paying regard to the London Plan 2015 density matrix, there is scope to create a new community in a high quality urban setting. An indication of appropriate density setting for individual sites is included in the Site Specific Allocations Document. In new housing development appropriate provision must be made for amenity space and, for family housing, playspace.

Tall buildings, that is those which are substantially taller than the prevailing height of neighbouring buildings and/or which significantly change the skyline, may be appropriate in the borough’s town centres, Nine Elms near Vauxhall or Putney Wharf, Wandsworth Riverside Quarter, Wandle Delta, Ransomes Dock, Battersea Power Station and Lombard Road/York Road Riverside focal points of activity (as illustrated on Map 17). Some locations within these areas will be sensitive to, or inappropriate for, tall buildings. Applications for tall buildings will need to justify themselves in terms of the benefits they may bring for regeneration, townscape and public realm and be of high architectural quality, respect local context and the historic environment. Tall buildings are likely to be inappropriate in other areas. Detailed criteria for the assessment of tall buildings is set out in DMPD Policy DMS4, consideration of the appropriateness of tall buildings on individual sites, and the heights at which buildings will be considered ‘tall’ on individual sites is set out in the individual site allocations and in Appendix 1 of the Site Specific Allocations Document.

Views of the Westminster World Heritage Site will be protected in accordance with the London Plan 2015 and the London View Management Framework.

The Council’s position on the protection of Important Local Views is set out in the Local Views Supplementary Planning Document.

For more information please see the Wandsworth Core Strategy