Peterborough Residential Design Guide | Introduction | Site Appraisal | Community Consultation | Design Principles | Movement for All | Built Environment | Landscape and Ecology | Energy Conservation | Appendices
4.0 Design Principlesfigure 4.a

“Well designed urban districts and neighbourhoods succeed because they
recognise the primary importance of the public realm – the network of spaces
between buildings that determine the layout, form and connectivity of the city.
The shape of the public spaces and the way they link together are essential to
the cohesion of urban neighbourhoods and communities. When the framework
is well designed and integrated – as in the traditional compact city - it plays a
fundamental role in linking people and places together.”

Urban Task Force Report

Each building site presents a unique opportunity to design a scheme,
which makes positive use of the site characteristics and the local
context. Developers are encouraged to seek design solutions
appropriate to each site taking into account the location, type, size and
density of development proposed.

The key objective in designing new housing is the creation of
developments that are sustainable, attractive, safe and
convenient to live in
. To achieve this, careful consideration must be
given to all the constituent elements making up the whole residential
environment including the:
Figure 4.0A is a typical example of a development framework. It is the
final output of the design process based on the principles summarised
in the following sections.

4.1 Responsive to Local Context and Character
4.2 Landscape Character
4.3 Ecological Habitats
4.4 Public Amenity Space
4.5 Creation of Neighbourhoods
4.6 Primary Street Network
4.7 Permeable Layouts
4.8 Legible Layouts
4.8.1 Hierarchy of Streets and Places
4.8.2 Active Street Frontages
4.8.3 Placemaking
4.8.4 Views and Landmarks
4.8.5 Gateways and Nodes
4.9 Microclimate
4.10 Sunlight and Daylight
4.11 Privacy
4.11.1 Front Privacy
4.11.2 Rear Privacy
4.12 Security
4.13 Noise Mitigation
4.14 Illustrative Development Frameworks

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4.1 images
4.1 Responsive to Local Context and Character


The form and pattern of the new development will have a fundamental
influence on the character of the surrounding area. The layout of new
development requires careful consideration if it is to reflect and
successfully integrate into the local context.

Most new development will be an extension of an existing settlement
and therefore it is the character of the existing built form, roads, public
spaces and landscape that provides the visual clues for the design
concept.

New developments should ensure they relate to the existing conditions
around the site. Proposals should:











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4.2 images
4.2 Landscape Character

The location, character and function of the landscape and open spaces
should be planned from the outset and be imaginatively and sensitively
designed as an integral part of the development.

The overall objective for the landscape strategy is to provide a
structural landscape framework in which the built development is
positioned, with the aim to link together existing landscape elements
with proposed planting (Figure 4.2C).

In general, the landscape and open space strategy should:




figure 4.2 d and e





































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4.3 b
4.3 Ecological Habitats

In addition to their value for human recreation, open spaces and their
associated boundaries are also important as habitats for wildlife.
Their main function is as refuges and green corridors that link in with
the surrounding areas and maintain the migration routes and vitality of
animal communities. Developments should:

For further guidance refer to Chapter 7 Landscape and Ecology.

4.3 a

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figure 4.4 a to c
4.4 Public Amenity Space


Amenity spaces are central to the life of new communities not only for
active recreation but also for passive recreation – sitting and relaxing in
quiet and attractive surroundings. The provision of public amenity
space and other facilities as part of the public realm will vary from site
to site. Designers should discuss the overall provision with
Peterborough City Council.

The Urban Task Force Report states that open space design is a key
factor in the successful creation of new communities and the following
principles should be used:







figure 4.4 dAmenity spaces should form part of a hierarchy of external spaces in
the locality of the site (Figure 4.4D). Their location is a fundamental
consideration at the early design stage. Responsibilities for
maintenance and access must also be considered, so that these
spaces will remain used and frequented.









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4.5 Creation of Neighbourhoods


The overall scale of the development site relative to its surrounding
context should be taken into consideration in generating the
development strategy.
figure 45c
Proposals should:

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figure 46
4.6 Primary Street Network

Roads have a critical influence on the character and quality of a place
and how well it is integrated with the existing context. Whilst access
requirements are dictated by the amount of development served,
roads should not dominate the layout and quality of development.


The development framework should take into account the surrounding
land uses and location of facilities that new residents will require direct
access to (e.g. local shops, public transport nodes, schools and
recreational areas etc).

The development framework will determine how the primary streets
within the site will connect to existing routes. Key considerations
include:











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figure 4.7
4.7 Permeable Layouts

Development should be highly permeable offering the user a choice
of alternative routes to all destinations within the site and beyond in
such a way as to encourage walking, cycling and the use of public
transport.

In simple terms, the smaller the development blocks, the greater the
level of permeability through the site. (Figure 4.7A) It is important to
emphasise, however, that development blocks must be planned to be
practicable and that the advantages offered by permeability should
not be offset by a reduction in safety and security
. (See Chapter
4.12 Security)

Routes should ensure people feel safe using them. Providing a choice
of routes alone is not sufficient to creating a successful and permeable
layout, the routes must ensure that there is a presence of other people
– introducing activity and vitality into the area.

Key aspects to consider include:









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figure 48 a to d
4.8 Legible Layouts


Layouts should be “legible”, (i.e. clearly understood) to enablepeople
to move easily through an area. The legibility of a layout is dependent
on creating perceptual differences between the various elements
making up the residential environment. Development should be
structured so that the principal features (paths, corners, nodes,
landmarks and character areas) are distinct from one another yet can
be easily grouped into an overall pattern. Legibility is reinforced
through the detailed design of the urban fabric, by ensuring that the
design features are visually appropriate.

4.8.1 Hierarchy of Streets and Places

New developments should:


4.8.2 Active Street Frontages

Developments should encourage the use of public spaces and routes
through the design of active frontages and encouraging on-street
activity to create the maximum opportunities for social interaction by
ensuring that:

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figure 4.8 e
4.8.3 Placemaking

Developments should aim to establish a distinct identity. The character
of each place should be accentuated by introducing diversity into built
forms and treatment of streetscape and public open spaces.

Proposals should:









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figure 4.8.4 a
4.8.4 Views and Landmarks

The design of the development may integrate with or reinforce existing
features and form new features to improve an area’s identity and
legibility by helping people easily find their way around.

New developments should ensure that:
Landmarks are buildings, spaces or public art that provide an important
visual reference point for the organisation of the streetscape.
Landmarks by definition are unconventional and distinctive, reinforcing
the structure of the development. Their careful placement to signal
features in the layout should be used to create surprise, delight and
character within the development.












figure 4.8.4 b to dViews out from the site are as important as those within, and are
invaluable ways to anchor a development to its setting. 'Borrowed
landscape' design is a particularly useful device in achieving this goal.
Chosen aspects of areas outside the site appear as if they are part of
the residential development with no intervening site boundary.

A quite different strategy is the smaller scale device of framing a
particular outside view with buildings and/ or landscape measures.
Here, the boundary between inside and outside remains distinct
(Figure 4.8.4D).
































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figure 4.8.5
4.8.5 Gateways and Nodes

The design and scale of new buildings and features can be used to
create a “gateway”, providing a strong visual clue at key locations or
thresholds to development. Gateways help people orientate
themselves within a development and can also reinforce the distinction
between public and private space.

A gateway can be achieved through a variety of ways:

Nodal points are urban spaces formed at the junction of through
routes. These can be emphasised by key buildings.






















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figure 4.9
4.9 Microclimate

Protecting against inclement weather is one of the first considerations
in structuring development. Reducing exposure to wind chill and
driving rain are the first priorities, using trees, hedges, dwellings and
solid or perforated screens. The microclimate created by the
juxtaposition of new buildings and the associated landscape is an
important element in the environmental make-up of a proposed
scheme.
The spacing of dwellings, structures, trees and hedges
relative to one another can positively improve a site’s microclimate.
Footpaths, cycleways and the spaces that they link together when
protected in this way will therefore retain their usefulness for longer
periods in all weather conditions throughout the year.
Fundamental orientation and element placement can effect the
prescient and actual environment. Key considerations include:



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figure 4.10
4.10 Sunlight and Daylight

Layouts should be designed to maximise daylight and sunlight to
dwellings as far as possible.
It is important to note that while
housing layouts should be designed to maximise daylight and sunlight
to dwellings this should not be to the exclusion of other considerations,
such as privacy or the achievement of an attractive streetscape.

Building type, form and location should ensure that potential
overshadowing is limited.
Key principles to be considered include:



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figure 4.11 a to d
4.11 Privacy

The development of the layout should aim to balance the need for
internal privacy of the home from overlooking and the need to retain
good natural surveillance of the public realm. Privacy becomes a more
flexible aspect of design when elements other than the buildings are
considered. Freestanding structures such as garages and garden
walls can help define and screen private space between dwellings and
curtilages.

4.11.1 Front Privacy

Internal privacy at the front of the house can be achieved through the
use of one or a combination of the following:










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figure 4.11.2
4.11.2 Rear Privacy

All houses must provide private rear gardens. Loss of privacy can be
minimised through a combination of minimum back-to-back distances
between buildings and appropriate design. It is important to
emphasise that back-to-back distances should be interpreted flexibly,
subject to orientation, plan layout and form profile.

The following should be considered:

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figure 4.12 a
4.12 Security

Crime prevention is a material consideration in determining planning
applications. Access ways, parking areas, public spaces and all
elements of the external environment should be designed and lit to
create a safe and secure environment and to minimise opportunities for
crime. Design and layouts should build in a high degree of “self
policing” of buildings and outside spaces by encouraging a sense of
belonging for residents. It is important that pre-application discussions
with the local authority and the architectural liaison officer are held at
an early stage. The following criteria should be considered:
figure 4.12 c

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figure 4.13
4.13 Noise Mitigation

Activities around the site may generate noise that may be a constant or
intermittent source of intrusion. Noise may originate from a number of
sources such as road or rail networks, children’s play or sports areas
and industrial developments.

The location of uses and the orientation of buildings can be used to
reduce or avoid disturbance from noise-generating sources.
Consideration should include:
Care must be taken to ensure that the use of noise attenuation
measures outlined above, does not result in a development layout
which is in direct conflict with good urban design principles. Residential
development turning its back on the surrounding road network,
enclosed by walls and fences creating an isolated development with
poor quality public realm is unacceptable, and frequently increases the
risk of crime and disorder.






4.14 Illustrative Development Frameworks

The following section builds on the illustrative examples of the site
appraisal as set out in Chapter 2. The same hypothetical examples of
sites are used to show the general approach and principles involved in
generating the development framework. Once again it must be
emphasised that these are not prescriptive and that the framework will
evolve in response to each site’s specific characteristics.

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Example 1 Urban Infill: Development Framework (1)
example 1 urban infill map
Responding to Local Character
Pedestrian Friendly and Walkable
example 1 urban infill map key
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Example 1 Urban Infill: Illustrative Built Form (2)
built form (2) map
Development Character
built form (2) map key



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Example 1 Urban Infill: Illustrative Public Realm (3)
illustrative public realm (3)
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Example 2 Urban Extension: Development Framework
development framework

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Example 3 Village Extension: Illustrative Development Framework (1)
example 3
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Example 3 Village Extension: Illustrative Built Form (2)
example 3 (2)

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Example 3 Village Extension: Illustrative Public Realm (3)
example 3 (3)
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Example 3 Village Infill: Development Framework
example 3 village infill

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