Encouraging better design
Good design Salford City Council is committed to securing high quality design in all new developments across the city. Poor design is a valid reason for the refusal of planning permission.
New developments must therefore be well built using quality materials and construction methods. They must suit their purpose and be attractive additions to the area in which they are situated.
Promoting design quality is emphasised in national, regional and local planning guidance. The Salford City Council’s Unitary Development Plan (UDP) forms the basis of the local design policy context, and is supported by a number of Supplementary Planning Documents.
It is therefore essential that design is considered at the earliest possible stage in the development process.
Additional requirements In addition to the location plan, scaled plans and elevations required to be submitted with planning applications, applicants for all developments, excluding house extensions, are also required to provide four copies of a design statement and supporting visual information.
Design statements
Design statements give applicants the opportunity to demonstrate that their proposed development is of a high quality and will have a positive impact on its surroundings.
Design statements describe the principles of the proposed development in words and pictures. The nature and scale of the proposal will determine how much detail is required. All applicants for buildings and public space (including landscaping, alterations and extensions) must provide a statement setting out the following:
- Design principles of the development;
- How the design of the development relates to its site and the surrounding area, particularly:
- How the scale, massing, orientation and materials relate to the site;
- How the development relates to neighbouring public space, building lines, highways and landscape features;
- How the development impacts on the character of the area, views and vistas in the area and street patterns; and
- How the amenity of users and the amenity of neighbouring developments has been protected.
- Features which ensure access for all, as well as the safe circulation and movement in and around the site;
- Features which are intended to discourage crime and the fear of crime (such as lighting, landscaping features, safe entrances, orientation of windows); and
- Elements which will protect the environment in a sustainable manner.
Supporting visual material
A number of drawings will also be required to identify the development site and illustrate the proposals. Additional visual material should be provided, where necessary, to illustrate and support the design statement.
As a minimum, coloured drawings will be required, showing all new building elevations in context with the surrounding area. Further visualisations in one or more of the following formats would be advantageous:
- Photomontage (showing design in context)
- Model
- 3-D visualisation/fl y through
- Materials board
- Sketches/perspectives/axonometrics
The assessment of planning applications
All planning applications will be assessed by a planning case officer who will be responsible for ensuring that adequate details have been submitted to enable a proper assessment of the application to be made. The case officer will also arrange the process by which the design of the scheme will be assessed.
The case officer will be able to seek advice from a variety of design consultants, both within the city council and externally, including landscape architects, architects and design specialists.
In the case of major proposals or where there is a high profile design issue to be addressed, the case officer may refer the matter to a formal ‘design and review process’. This may involve a design review panel convened by the city council or the 'Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment' (CABE).
The design review panel will be convened as required to receive presentations on design matters and declare the city council’s assessment of the design issues. The composition of the panel will vary over time and according to the issues but will involve
- Case officer
- Head of Building and Development Control (or appointee)
- Design consultants
- Lead member for Development Services
- Community representatives as appropriate
Officers’ reports to the 'Planning and Transportation Regulatory Panel' will, where appropriate, include a specific section in respect of design issues
Further advice
For further advice and information regarding the level of detail required to accompany a planning application please contact Regulatory Services.
Who to contact
- Name
- Regulatory Services
- Address
- Urban Vision
Regulatory Services
Emerson House
Albert Street
Eccles
Salford
M30 0TE - Telephone
- 0161 909 6545
- planning.contact@salford.gov.uk
This page was last updated on 05 November 2008
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