10.15 Car Parking: What Works Where, 2006

NL with limited footpaths, no cycle paths and narrow roads; is dependent on a primary school in Stratford DCs; no shops, medical centre does not have the infrastructure to support30-80 new houses.
Increased traffic from 1/2 cars per new home will increase carbon emissions significantly
There is no rail station and extremely limited bus services

P010 Protect historical environments. Norton Lindsey is an historical hill top setting with adjacent medieval ridge and therefore should be protected. No facilities or amenities. The school is full. Carbon emissions would be increased, we only have 4 buses a week.

The Vehicle Parking Standards SPD lists student accommodation Sui generis under C2 Residential Institutions with no definitive parking standard (each case to be considered on its own merits). This is inappropriate since students requires 'residential parking' not 'destination parking' as for Old Peoples Homes, Hospitals, etc. In addition accommodation for more than a small number of students is considered by WDC as a House in Multiple Occupation (see e-mail dated 4 May 2012 to Clare Tattersall, HMO Technical Officer related to A C Lloyd application), which is listed under 'residential parking' with a definitive parking standard.

Support this objective although the proposed intensity of housing in the District undermines this

I am concerned that the strong emphasis placed on the District Councils prospectus for Garden Towns, villages and suburbs is too restrictive. There are many ways in which high quality design can be introduced to an environment and one of the keys is to have carefully assembled variety of design sets. This helps to give a sense of place.

The Garden Town concept is excellent when appropriately used but it will not be appropriate for all developments and other design concepts will give as good or better results. The use of this document within the option almost requires it to be followed to the letter including sketch layouts as to what a Neighbourhood should look like. In addition it suggests a maximum density of 30 households per ha which is low when land resources are restricted. Farther to walk between houses and therefore will lead to greater car use.

NPPF (para 59). Local planning authorities should consider using design codes where they could help deliver high quality outcomes. However, design policies should avoid unnecessary prescription or detail and should concentrate on guiding the overall scale, density, massing, height, landscape, layout, materials and access of new development in relation to neighbouring buildings and the local area more generally.

And - (para 60). Planning policies and decisions should not attempt to impose architectural styles or particular tastes and they should not stifle innovation, originality or initiative through unsubstantiated requirements to conform to certain development forms or styles. It is, however, proper to seek to promote or reinforce local distinctiveness.
Although visual appearance and the architecture of individual buildings are very important factors, securing high quality and inclusive design goes beyond aesthetic considerations. Therefore, planning policies and decisions should address the connections between people and places and the integration of new development into the natural, built and historic environment.