Policy information sourced from The Woking Local Development Document - Core Strategy

CS21: Design

Proposals for new development should meet the criteria below:

  • Create buildings and places that are attractive with their own distinct identity; they should respect and make a positive contribution to the street scene and the character of the area in which they are situated, paying due regard to the scale, height, proportions, building lines, layout, materials and other characteristics of adjoining buildings and land. Tall Buildings could be supported in Woking Town Centre, if well designed and can be justified within the context. The impacts of any proposal will be fully assessed and an Area Action Plan will be prepared to set out details of how it will be managed.
  • Achieve a satisfactory relationship to adjoining properties avoiding significant harmful impact in terms of loss of privacy, daylight or sunlight, or an overbearing effect due to bulk, proximity or outlook.
  • Be designed in an inclusive way to be accessible to all members of the community, regardless of any disability and to encourage sustainable means of travel.
  • Incorporate landscaping to enhance the setting of the development, including the retention of any trees of amenity value, and other significant landscape features of merit, and provide for suitable boundary treatment/s.
  • Protect and where possible enhance biodiversity within new developments (as set out in policy CS7 Biodiversity and Nature Conservation). The Council encourages the incorporation of built-in measures in new construction design. Examples of such measures may include green walls, brown roofs and the installation of bird and bat boxes.
  • Ensure provision of well designed Suitable Accessible Natural Greenspace, (SANG) where necessary.
  • Ensure schemes provide appropriate levels of private and public amenity space.
  • Create a safe and secure environment, where the opportunities for crime are minimised.
  • Incorporate measures to minimise energy consumption, conserve water resources, use the principles of sustainable construction and provide for renewable energy generation in accordance with policy CS22 Sustainable Construction and CS23 Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Generation.
  • Incorporate provision for the storage of waste and recyclable materials, and make provision for sustainable drainage systems.
  • Ensure the building is adaptable to allow scope for changes to be made to meet the needs of the occupier (life time homes and modern business needs).
  • Be designed to avoid significant harm to the environment and general amenity, resulting from noise, dust, vibrations, light or other releases.

For more information please see the Core Strategy