Introduction

Please answer the following questions with reference to the Draft Breckland Design Guide.

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* 1. During the stakeholder workshops, a number of design issues were identified, and these were organised into six themes which form the Draft Design Guide and informed the Vision for the Design of New Development for Breckland.

 Vision and Objectives 

"In Breckland, new development creates attractive, thriving and engaging places to live that contribute to local communities’ quality of life by expecting high standards of design that complement and enhance its context, follows inclusive processes of engagement, helps deliver better integration with nature, encourages active travel and mitigates the impact of vehicles, creates beautiful places with distinctive local identity and embeds climate responsive design.”

Do you agree with the above vision and objectives for the design of new development in Breckland?

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* 2. Please comment on your response to Question 1.

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* 3. There are six themes within the Draft Design Guide, which are based on design issues which are considered the most important to address with the design of development in Breckland.

Theme 1: Complementing and Enhancing the Context (Pages 16-20)
This is design guidance on understanding the local context of a new development and for applicants to demonstrate how their development positively responds to it with reference to The Breckland Landscape and Settlement Character Assessment.

“Development must relate positively and be well-integrated into its local context, drawing on positive examples from the surrounding area not poor quality ones. And it should be future proofed so that new places and buildings will contribute to the distinctive identity of places in the future as well as today.”

Do you agree with the guidance provided within this section?

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* 4. Please comment on your answer to Question 3. 

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* 5. Theme 2: Inclusive Engagement Processes (Pages 21-26)

This section provides design guidance around pre-application advice, engaging with local communities early in the design process, a masterplan check list for large development and guidance on preparing neighbourhood design guides and design and access statements.

“Collaborative and open engagement helps to achieve good outcomes for everyone. It includes housebuilders, developers, design teams, communities, the Council and other agencies cooperating to deliver the vision for design quality. Developers should engage with the local community at an early stage of proposals. Early pre-application discussions with the Council are another key ingredient for successful development.”

Do you agree with the guidance provided within this section?

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* 6. Please comment on your answer to Question 5.

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* 7. Theme 3: Integration with Nature. (Pages 27 -37)
This section provides design guidance on retaining and enhancing existing landscape features, maintaining green ‘gaps’, ‘backdrops’ and ‘edges’, designing open spaces, creating attractive networks of green infrastructure, encouraging biodiversity and planting species.

“New development must integrate sensitively into the landscape, incorporating and celebrating existing mature landscape features. It must enhance wellbeing by providing better access to nature and lead to better outcomes for nature.”

Do you agree with the guidance provided within this section?

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* 8. Please comment on your answer to Question 7.

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* 9. Theme 4: Encouraging Active Travel and Mitigating the Impacts of Vehicles (Pages 38-44)

Design guidance on improving local walking and cycling links, connecting to key local destinations and facilities, mitigating traffic through calming measures, street design and parking design.

“Movement strategies should be influenced by the context, so that new development creates and maintains links to existing places. Even small developments can play a role in improving connectivity within, and to, nearby settlements. Walking and cycling should be prioritised, whilst enabling the safe movement of vehicles.”

Do you agree with the guidance provided within this section?

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* 10. Please comment on your answer to Question 9.

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* 11. Theme 5: Distinctive Local Identity (Pages 45-67)

This section provides design guidance on how development should respond and contribute to local character, through the design of street hierarchy and frontages, complimentary built forms, building elevations, materials and details.

Responding appropriately to local identity and contributing to creating local character are key to raising design standards and creating attractive additions to places that look and feel part of Breckland. The design of development should be inspired by the distinctive qualities of the place where it is situated.

A different design response may be appropriate depending upon the qualities and sensitivities of each location – the aim may be to reflect, evolve or innovate local identity.

In all cases, new built development must be well-designed and built so that it functions well and is attractive in the long-term and becomes a valued part of the district’s heritage in future.

Do you agree with the guidance provided within this section?

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* 12. Please comment on your answer to Question 11.

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* 13. Theme 6: Climate Responsive Design (Pages 68-75)

This section provides design guidance on flexibility and adaptability of buildings, energy and water management, selection of materials and products.

Breckland District Council declared a climate emergency in September 2019 and has committed to use its powers as a planning authority to ensure that development in the district adopts more sustainable building practices. This has brought into sharp focus the need to rapidly reduce carbon emissions associated with the construction industry and the energy required to operate buildings.

Climate-responsive design includes locating development in more sustainable locations, sustainable design of the built form and associated landscapes, and encouraging behavioural change in occupants.

Do you agree with the guidance provided within this section?

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* 14. Please comment on your answer to Question 13.

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* 15. Do you agree that the design guidance provided under the 6 themes addresses the key design issues in these areas?

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* 16. Is there any additional design guidance you would like to see?

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* 17. Do you find the Design Guide easy to navigate?

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* 18. Applicant Advice

Throughout the Design Guide within each chapter there is an applicant check list and further advice. These are within the shaded righthand columns on each page.

Is there any additional information that could be provided to assist applicants? Please explain.

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* 19. Neighbourhood Design Guides and Codes

The Design Guide provides advice for Neighbourhood Planning Groups to develop their own Design Guides and Codes on pages 3 to 15 (orange righthand columns) and page 25.

Is there any further design guidance which would be helpful in developing neighbourhood design guides/codes? Please explain.

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* 20. Do you have any further comments about the draft Breckland Design Guide?

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* 21. What is your interest in the Breckland Design Guide? E.g. Professional- builder/ architect etc

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* 22. Please provide the name of your parish, village or town?

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* 23. What is your relationship to your parish, village or town? E.g. resident, councillor etc

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* 24. Do you represent a local group? E.g. Neighbourhood Planning Group, Business etc

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* 25. What is your age range?

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