The Design Guide for the Local Plan 2040 should incorporate the following items.
Place making should reflect the local area and every urban area should have a Place Identifier for house types, historical buildings, churches, schools and retail/industrial areas. Open space with footpaths and cycle ways linked to community facilities and 20% net environment gains on sites close by should also be included. Green landscaping, play areas and biodiversity should be identified and local residents involved as in Neighbourhood Plans.
All new dwellings should have solar panels or heat pumps and be fully insulated. Bin, cycle and water storage should be specified. A mix of house types using lifetime homes principles and including space for home working should be included. Space around dwellings would need to meet national minimum standards and hard standing would need to be of a permeable nature.
Sustainable transport should be encouraged with new developments having access to frequent bus services, (every 15/20 minutes) and footpaths and cycle routes to retail areas, schools, community centres and churches. Parks and open spaces should include play areas for all age groups and there should be soft integration at the edges of sites adjacent to open countryside. Footpaths and cycle ways should link to footpaths/bridleways in the area.
Sites of 10 or more dwellings should include 20% green open space including hedges. Net environmental gain of 20% should be incorporated into the Guide for all development. Species should be identified, and green corridors included. If appropriate the green corridors should be extended to access the countryside.
Neighbourhood Plans have already identified what is special about their settlement and all new development should include place making either by the Borough Council or through a Neighbourhood Plan.