Designing a Better Walsall: An introduction

Jon Lord

Principal Regeneration Officer

A document that will:

• Improve the quality of Walsall’s urban environment and encourage a high standard of design for new developments

• Provide advice for developers and planners on design of all types of new developments in Walsall

• Provides framework for making decisions on planning applications

A document that:

• Applies national and regional design policy at the local level

• Recognises the Walsall Community Plan’s and WRC’s aspiration to improve Walsall’s image, including raising design standards

• Develops existing commitments to achieving good design in the adopted Walsall Unitary Development Plan (UDP)

• Will be adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)

The Statutory Planning Context

• Walsall UDP adopted in March 2005.• The Walsall Local Development

Framework (LDF) will replace the Unitary Development Plan.

• The LDF will be prepared in a phased programme over a number of years.

• The LDF is a folder of local development documents that outlines the spatial planning strategy for the local area.

COMPONENTS OF THE LDF

Walsall LDF: 2006-07 Programme

•Core Strategy – Produced jointly with Wolverhampton, Dudley & Sandwell.

•SPDs - Waterfront Development at consultation stage- Design guide – informal consultation stage; formal consultation during January 2007, anticipated adoption early 2007- Health & Education Provision – work started; anticipated adoption early 2007

•Annual Monitoring Report

Why is Design Important?

• Image – design influences quality of environment and whether or not people choose to live, work and invest in the area

• Sense of Place – well-designed developments respect and celebrate local identity and are a source of pride for local communities

• Quality of Life – good design can have a positive effect on well-being of local people, can help deter crime/ anti-social behaviour and can help secure/ improve access to key facilities

Why is Design Important?

• 85% of people agreed with the statement ‘better quality buildings and public spaces improve the quality of people’s lives’ (CABE/MORI, 2004)

• Volume house builders who invested in higher quality design could expect to yield a residential value per hectare of 15% more than conventional design (FDP Savills, 2002)

• Higher quality design offices result in higher rental levels, lower maintenance costs and increases public support (ODPM, 2001)

What is Good/Poor Design?

Here are some examples…

Is this a well designed pedestrian walkway?

More recent developments don’t always get it right either…

A good example of a mixed use development?

A good example of town centre scheme?

Recent proposals: Raising our game

Recent proposals: Raising our game

What we require from you

• Identify good and poor design-What issues matter to you and your clients

• Consider the principles of ‘Good Design’; which will form the basis of the Design Guide.

• Suggestions for raising the profile of the Design Guide and how it can be implemented and monitored

How we can help

• We can offer advice and pre-application discussions through the Council’s Development Team

• We can ensure that policies and guidance is easily accessible, concise and produced in partnership with stakeholders, in line with the adopted Statement of Community Involvement (SCI)

Next Steps

• Informal consultation (August to October 2006)

• Draft ‘Designing a better Walsall’ document produced for formal consultation (January 2007)

• Revised document adopted by Council (March-April 2007)

• Implementation and monitoring