Design Guide SPD - Built Form - Chapter 6

Play streets are a great idea and I am glad to see there is provision for electric vehicles. I am satisfied that security is taken into account with the provision of cul de sacs whcih do make streets more quiet and secure.
I feel there should be a range of dimensions of houses to cater for the range in dimensions of people and at least some houses need disabled access (but I don't think all.)

(1) The document overly focuses on urban and suburban areas without sufficient allowance or provision for rural and small village locations. This is likely to lead to inappropriate standards and guidelines being applied in rural and small village locations, which could ultimately lead to the urbanisation of these areas.
(2) Greater provision needs to be included for taking account of other local (e.g. town and parish) design guidance, such as that included in neighbourhood plans, local design codes, etc.
(3) Where the existing variation and mix of the existing built form is an attractive and valued feature of the local area (e.g. in a small hamlet or village), then provision needs to be included to ensure that new development sensitively enhances this varation, e.g. through using similar levels of variation to the existing street scene and buildings, taking the opportunity to include elements of existing detailing features and also sensitively adding new detailing features.

6 Provision needs to be included to accomodate the equipment required for sustainable forms of heating. Ground sourced heat pumps can be more efficient and create less noise than air-sourced heat pumps, but can be costly and difficult to retrofit, so should be considered as part of any initial design. Provision needs to ensure that the noise generated by air sourced heat pumps does not cause disturbance or nuisance, especially in rural and small village locations, and especially as the equipment ages. I would strongly recommend the inclusion of a specific subsection in section 6 that deals with good design around sustainable energy sources and clean heating systems.

6.24 The provisions around solar (photovoltaic or PV) power are inadequate. Where possible and sensitive to do so, roofs should be designed and orientated so as to be suitable to easily accomodate clean energy schemes, even where these are not fitted at the initial build phase.

Dear Central Bedfordshire Council,

I have reviewed your draft Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) that is currently out for consultation.

I have made a number of specific comments through the online tool, however, whilst the document has a great deal of good work in it, I have two important and general points that I believe apply to all or most of the document:

(1) The whole document seems to have a very urban and suburban focus to it. There are very few specific provisions suitable for rural areas and small villages, and quite a few of the provisions, if they were applied in rural areas and small villages, would have the effect of urbanising these areas. As a couple of examples: (i) the document proposes 'mandatory' provision of lighting for cycleways and bridleways (this is likely to be inappropriate in rural areas and small villages, especially those areas with Dark Night Skies); (ii) boundary treatments seem to focus on walls, railings and fences (though it does include hedges, but does not point out that walls, railings and fences may be inappropriate in rural areas and small villages).

(2) The document does not give enough weight and support to existing (and current) town/parish/neighbourhood design codes, design guides, etc. such as the Sutton Design Code and/or those included in Neighbourhood Plans.

As you would expect, I have provided feedback through the consultation, both in general terms and also to some of the specific points I have identified, but my feeling is that the document doesn't just need a few tweaks, but that it needs a thorough review (or even a separate, similar document) with the focus upon provision in rural areas and small villages, otherwise, as it stands, I believe this Design Guide is likely to lead to the urbanisation of our rural areas and small villages.

Densities:
Development approval in Green Belt has introduced higher densities in sensitive areas (ironic that to justify building in GB, the allocation has to significantly help to meet housing targets, so numbers are high). The problem is compounded by the need to have the softer green edge abutting the remaining GB. The result is that designs then put the densest housing, often the affordable or social rent terraces, backing directly on to the existing residents. They therefore get the very worst of the impact from this development.

Infills and Backland Development:
Infill hasn't worked well for Toddington. We have lost a lot of informal parking spaces which have exacerbated parking pressure in the village centre.
Also seen swept path analysis has not taken account of where people traditionally park in the evenings - so that egress from new estates, especially for service vehicles, has become challenging and resulted in requests for double yellow lines in areas which have for a long time been allocated, without issues, for resident parking.
Infill is very contentious, it increases density, overlooking issues and privacy and puts more parking pressure on surrounding roads.

Building Height:
I am concerned about the potential for 3 storey becoming the norm in traditional villages. In Toddington Ward, we have had several applications where 3 storey housing has been in the designs. It doesn't help that one application was permitted (albeit via revisions following initial approval) along the back of the railway line in Harlington. This has subsequently been referenced as precedent but the setting was completely different to the site being considered. So far, we have managed to reduce heights reduced to 2.5 storey maxi but this could be a slippery slope, completely changing the character of rural villages.

Window Design:
Should there be reference to triple glazing Ref: noise/energy implications?

Parking Courts:
As discussed at Suscoms, there shouldn't be resistance to these. There are great design examples where these create a great sense of place and car-free communal areas. Marmalade Lane is a great example.

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We have reviewed the draft Design Guide SPD document and have a few comments and observation to make.
1) The photo on the front of the document is from a development in Bedford Borough Council Area. If you are trying to push for good design do you not think a CBC example should be used?
2) We feel the general tenure of the document looks too much historically backwards and only reuses examples from previous versions.
3) There are new dwelling types and configuration that have not been included within the documentation I.e. Extra care at Dunstable & Houghton Regis, single storey courtyard dwellings and higher density back to back dwellings with first floor amenity spaces.
4) Can you include within the document useful Architectural examples of recent award winning designs or links where further information could be cross referenced. To assist we have collated residential design example document with examples for your consideration.

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Why do you lead an image of parked cars with a building in the background? Given the council’s aims to encourage active travel and EV charging, why not provide a headline message that includes them.

This section includes acceptance of external details relating to low energy designs, such as PV installations and ventilation, and related
detail such as living roofs. There is also coverage of south facing housing (but not high street buildings) using shutters and shading to
control solar gain. This is very necessary, but the tone generally hints at a preference for hiding such things. The section should indicate that all new buildings need to be low energy. The whole section already covers anything that might arise. All that is needed in the initial reinforcement.

6.24.7 "opportunities should be sought to install photovoltaic (PV) panels on south facing roof pitches", but the need to hide the panels may discourage their use. My comment on the whole chapter suggests that low energy building should have priority and yet this paragraph has a negative feel.

There needs to be active support for solar roofs over car parks and public open spaces and for insulation and energy efficiency especially in town centres. There needs to be a palatte of materials for solid wall insulation in historic and conservation area. There needs to be far more thought for communal insiade and outside space and also space for artists studios in historic town centres as they play such a role in regeneration and quality of life. Health facilities and other services should be key considerations for town centres.

My response to this publication.
7.0 Movement.
7.18 verges.
7.20 drains
7.21 street lighting.
Fine words, but reality has not and continues to fail to match CBC .Officers response

ACCESSABILITY. COMPACT FORM OF DEVELOPMENT.
Laudable ideals, but once again fails to be evident in any development since the Planets Estate.
Sandhills Estate and the vast estates to the East of Leighton Buzzard are a bleak wasteland of houses, built so close together they lack green space, landscape or amenities.

The proposed sports centre seems to require the Tiddenfoot to be demolished, therefore forcing residents near the Town Centre and Linslade to travel by car towards the A5, in order to access the new replacement.
Are there plans in the pipeline to use Tiddenfoot Site to make improvements to Cedars School , or will it too become just another housing estate.

Community Facilities.
Access roads
Open landscape.

Once again laudable suggestions, BUT CBC HISTORY OF APATHY FOR ALL THINGS LEIGHTON -LINSLADE DOES NOT SUPPORT THE TEXT IN THIS DOCUMENT.

7.25 PEDESTRIAN GUARD RAILS.

THESE DO HAVE ADVANTAGES. examples:- at pedestrian crossings, preventing people jay walking diagonally across Pelican Crossings,,.and could provide protection on pathways through villages( eg. Great Billington where the only path is so narrow, the wing mirrors of large lorries overhang the footpath forcing residents into the hedgerow.

8.01Nature. No planning for green spaces east and south of LEIGHTON - LINSLADE . ANY POSSIBLE SPACE becomes yet another building site or even an extension to a quarry.

8.3 INTEGRATION OF DEVELOPMENT WITH THE LANDSCAPE. Once again this is yet another laudable ambition, however there is a lack of evidence that CBC place any weight to this in planning.

Since we are now surrounded by dozens of new developments, it is somewhat late in the day to begin yet again discussiion @ design and types of housing.
The hundreds of houses which circle and engulf the east and south of Leighton -Linslade demonstrate little interest or understanding of any of the statements in this latest Guideline.
CBC are gradually turning a "TOWN WITH MORE HISTORIC BUILDINGS THAN ANY OTHER IN BEDFORDSHIRE" into yet another wilderness of with row upon row of unimaginative houses and even damaging these still further by adding industrial units to complete the picture.
Even a child in primary school would not be expected to add industrial units to where they live,, but rather add trees and green spaces where they could run and play.
A once delightful market town has deteriorated in parts to an ugly unpleasant mess; with traffic chaos caused by the need to continually cross from one side of the town to the other. This chaos would be compounded still further if residents then had to drive across to to reach the planned new sports facility.
MOST WOULD NOT WISH TO NAVIGATE THE INADEQUATE BADLY DESIGNED BY - PASS WHICH WAS OUT OF DATE WHEN CONSTRUCTED. A BY PASS WITH TWO DESIGNATED LANES BETWEEN THE A5 AND THE A 505. WHERE IT MEETS A ROUNDBOUT. THIS ROUNDABOUT IS TOO SMALL FOR TWO LANE TRAFFIC, IS SITED ON A BEND WHICH LIMITS DRIVERS ABILITY TO SEE APPROACING VEHICLES.
To add to the by - pass misery and danger are the new exits from haphazard small developments ( with more soon to be added) from the by - pass to Chartmoor Road..

Frank Muir wrote a book about a dog , The title is " What a Mess!" This best describes reality v fiction!
Helen Thompson.
Chair of Billington Parish Council.

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As a member I would like the following comments to be considered:

New properties should be in the style specified by Neighbourhood Plan not just meeting the quality of the worst previous local developments.
Public transport within 100m.
Cycle routes within 100m
Garden size at least as big as the footprint of the house.
Extensions which overlook not to be built within 15 metres of the applicant's boundary.
Preserve a 5m gap between properties.
Custom build should mean it not just 'pick one from a list of 3 ugly houses the developer offers'
All developments have to be adopted.
Keep all established trees/hedges and add to them
Not more planning by condition. Make sure the design guide covers off all that has been conditioned in recent years.
minimum of 2 off street parking spaces and 1 parking space per bedroom.
Materials to match those used in the long-established local area not just modern brick. See the Cotswolds.
Better drainage
Broad streets with traffic able to pass other vehicles if traffic is parked down one side.
Front gardens for all houses. No doors opening onto the pavement.
Social housing not to built more cheaply than the rest of the development.
Reduce density - 12/hectare (p.40)
Variation of design - not just one of 3 designs
Let people walk before paths are constructed. See where people go.
Bat/swift boxes for all houses.
Ability for all houses to have EV points.
Annual review of the plan
Bin storage off the pavement. No shadows cast over windows from adjacent properties.