Agenda item

REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR – PLACE

We are preparing a Design Code Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) to provide additional detail and clarity to Local Plan Policy SP9 (Design and Sustainability) and other relevant policies in the Plan.

RESOLVED: That Cabinet:

(1) Endorsed the scope, structure and detailed codes drafted to date for the draft Design Code SPD, attached as Appendix A for the purpose of the consultation only.

(2) Approved the draft Design Code SPD for a period of public consultation in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.

(3) Delegated authority was granted to the Director: Place in consultation with the Executive Member for Place to finalise the consultation draft, including the approval of any outstanding technical, illustrative or presentational elements, provided that no changes are made which would materially alter the policy intent, scope or effect of the draft SPD endorsed by Cabinet.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS:

(1) To allow the draft Design Code SPD to be progressed to public consultation so that it may be developed and eventually adopted to support the Local Plan and decisions on planning applications.

(2) To support a common standard for design quality across North Herts.

(3) To reinforce and deliver the Council’s pledges and ambitions as set out in the Climate and Ecological Emergency declarations through design.

(4) To ensure the best prospects of the Design Code SPD being finalised and approved before the Government’s recently announced ‘cut off’ date of 30 June 2026 for planning documents of this nature to be adopted.

Audio recording – 36 minutes 37 seconds

Councillor Donna Wright, as Executive Member for Place, presented the report entitled ‘Design Code Supplementary Planning Document – Approval for Public Consultation’ and advised that:

· This report presented a new district wide draft Design Code Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) to provide additional information and clarity to Local Plan Policies SP9 and D1 along with other relevant policies in the Plan.

· The Urban Design Team had been working for two years on this design code.

· The purpose of the SPD was to provide information on the design expectations and requirements for development in North Hertfordshire.

· This SPD would offer good policy advice to decisions-makers when determining planning applications.

· The SPD adopted seven place objectives for design across the district, which should all be clear, practical and measurable expectations.

· The working draft Design Code SPD was set out in Appendix A.

· Part 1 of the draft was set around the vision objectives of the Design Code.

· Part 2 contained details of the 42 codes arranged into five chapters.

· The Council was required to adopt the SPD by 30 June 2026 and if not done, it would result in the existing design code which was fifteen years out of date being the fall-back policy.

· Subject to approval by Cabinet, the draft SPD would be made available for public consultation for a four-week period commencing early March 2026.

· Any comments would be included in the final version of the SPD to be adopted which would then be re-presented to Cabinet ahead of the 30 June deadline.

· This SPD stated that the number of detached houses must be kept to under 30% of the total number of dwellings in town and urban locations and 50% in rural locations, as set out in SS02.01 on page 25 of Appendix A.

The following Members took part in the debate:

· Councillor Daniel Allen

· Councillor Val Bryant

· Councillor Sean Nolan

Points raised during the debate included:

· This was an excellent piece of work which would help to protect the towns and villages in the district ahead of the Local Government Reorganisation.

· Thanks to the Principal Urban Design Planning Officer and the rest of the design team for producing this SPD.

· That there had been good interaction with residents at meetings which had help with understanding of the needs of the district.

· This was an exciting and interesting process which would create environments that people wanted to live in.

Councillor Donna Wright proposed and Councillor Daniel Allen seconded and, following a vote, it was: