187kbOur tools and techniques for positive planning
Assessment and sustainability appraisal tools:
Landscape Character Assessment – making sense of place
People can welcome development if it is well designed and contributes to quality of life. Policy makers and practitioners need ways of achieving this, and Landscape Character Assessment is one of the key techniques. Landscape Character Assessment tells you what makes a place distinctive. It is a broad landscape planning tool that can be used across a spectrum of disciplines from informing planning policies and strategies, land management decisions and guiding agri-environment schemes.
Quality of Life Assessment – what matters and why?
Quality of Life Assessment is a technique for undertaking sustainability appraisals and for identifying ‘what matters and why’ in decisions on development and change. It considers social, economic and environmental aspects of quality of life, including less tangible factors which relate to people’s own values.
Planning and local development tools:
Concept Statements – the right development in the right place:
Concept statements are a tool to achieve high quality sustainable development that is supported by the local community. Concept statements specify the principles a developer must follow when submitting proposals for any given site. Local authorities can use their Local Development Documents (these are replacing Local Plans and will form part of the Local Development Framework) to introduce a concept statement which gives a clear indication of what is expected from the development of a site. They require developers to make the most of the intrinsic qualities of the site and to use those assets advantage in their scheme.
Community planning tools:
Village Design Statements – Making local character count in new development (CCP501):
Village Design Statements set out design guidance for new development based on distinctive local character. They are drawn up by local communities and demonstrate a commitment to good design and development. They can be adopted as supplementary guidance to the local planning authorities Local Development Framework. They can be stand alone or part of a broader Parish Plan.
Town Design Statements (CA134):
We have piloted the feasibility of adapting village design statements approach to larger settlements. Three towns, Selby in North Yorkshire, Stratford upon Avon in Warwickshire and Maldon in Essex. Guidance is available on how to prepare a Town Design Statement, either as freestanding or as an action arising from a Market Town Healthcheck.
