Committee: Borough Plan Advisory Committee
Date: 14 April 2016
Wards: all
Subject:
Lead officer: Director of Environment and Regeneration, Chris Lee
Lead member: Cabinet Member for Environmental Sustainability and Regeneration, Councillor Andrew Judge
Contact officer: Future Merton Programme Manager, Tara Butler
Recommendations:
That the Borough Plan Advisory Committee
A.Considers and advises officers on their views of two early chapters of Merton’s Draft Design Supplementary Planning Document:
- chapter 4: residential development
- chapter 8: basements
B.Delegates approval of the amended chapters to the chair and vice chair of the Panel, to recommend six weeks of public consultation on these chapters , which would take place later in summer 2016.
1Purpose of report and executive summary
1.1.How a neighbourhood looks and feels - urban design - is the key issue in many planning proposals. Design considerations are a key factor in almost all planning applications and the subject of greatest interest for respondents. This is reflected in officer’s reports and in councillors’ discussions and considerations at Planning Applications Committee.
1.2.However most of Merton’s planning guidance on urban design, residential alterations and extensions is out of date, some elements dating from 1999.
1.3.Officers are recommending that all Merton’s supplementary planning guidance on design matters is contained into one document with different chapters that can be updated and used independently.
1.4.Officers have drafted two chapters which are included as Appendix B to this report. These chapter are:
-residential development
-basements
1.5.At this early stage, officers are seeking feedback on the drafts from councillors on the Borough Plan Advisory Committee.
1.6.It is also recommended that, once these two chapters have been updated BPAC resolve that the Chair and Vice Chair (Cllrs Ian Munn and John Bowcott) be delegated to recommend the redrafted chapters to Cabinet for public consultation for six weeks. Consultation would take place later in 2016.
2Details
2.1.As well as the London Housing Design Guide and other London-wide matters, Merton’s supplementary planning guidance on design matters is currently:
(i)Design (adopted 2004)
(ii)New Residential Development (1999)
(iii)Residential extensions, alterations and conversions (2001)
(iv)Shop front design (2006)
(v)Borough Character Study (ongoing)
2.2.Aside from the Borough Character Study, design guidance pre-dates Merton’s adopted statutory development plan (Merton’s Core Planning Strategy 201,1 Merton’s Sites and Policies Plan 2014 and the London Plan 2015) and the National Planning Policy Framework 2012.
2.3.In addition, the existing design guidance does not cover issues that have arisen more in the past 15 years, such as basement developments. It also doesn’t consider elements that have been removed from the planning system in recent years, and therefore should no longer be covered by planning guidance, such as Lifetime Homes.
New approach to design guidance
2.4.It is recommended that:
Existing guidance be updated into one “Design Supplementary Planning Document”, with separate chapters that can be consulted on and updated when necessary
The proposed chapters within the document are set out in Appendix A
The initial drafted chapters of Chapter 4: Residential Development and Chapter 8: Basements are set out in Appendix B
Request for early feedback from councillors
2.5.As design is such a high priority for most planning proposals and the focus of most discussion at Planning Applications Committee, officers would welcome councillors early feedback on these two chapters.
2.6.Officers would then consider feedback from councillors and amend the chapters.
2.7.It is recommended that the amended chapters could be circulated to all BPAC councillors and that the chair and vice chair, councillors Ian Munn and John Bowcott, be delegated to recommend that Cabinet approve six weeks of public consultation on the redrafted chapters.
2.8.This consultation would take place later in 2016, when resources allow and to avoid clashes with other projects
2.9.It is recommended that the Borough Plan Advisory Committee considers these chapters and recommends that six weeks of public consultation take place on the drafts.
Borough Character Study
2.10.Merton’s local distinctiveness is a valuable asset. In order to deliver quality change through the development process that safeguards the best of the borough’s character and secures positive improvements elsewhere, we need an initial clear understanding of the borough’s existing character. This is set out in Merton’s Borough Character Study
2.11.Merton’s Borough Character Study divides the borough into 36 distinct neighbourhoods, according to their character. Character studies have been prepared for 22 of the 36 neighbourhoods and several of the remaining neighbourhoods, such as Wimbledon Village and Common, are already covered by conservation area character appraisals and masterplans
2.12.Information on the Borough Character Study, including all of the 22 pre-consultation drafts, is available via Merton’s website:
2.13.At this time it is not recommended to undertake public consultation on the 17 neighbourhoods that have been drafted but not consulted on; however officers will keep councillors informed of the progress on this.
3Alternative options
3.1.The main alternative option is not to consult on the draft design guidance. This approach is not recommended as Merton’s existing design guidance is so out of date.
3.2.Another alternative is to continue to prepare guidance as separate documents. This approach is not recommended as it makes it more difficult for users to understand how design matters interlink.
3.3.A third alternative is to prepare the whole of the proposed Design SPD before consulting on it. This approach is not recommended as it will take too long to prepare the whole document and the breadth of issues covered by all of the chapters will be difficult for people to respond to at consultation.
4Consultation undertaken or proposed
4.1.In line with regulations, officers recommend that six weeks of public consultation takes place on the drafted chapters.
4.2.In order to accommodate this work alongside other projects, it is proposed that public consultation take place during for six weeks, starting sometime between May and October 2016.
4.3.It is proposed that, as well as seeking borough-wide feedback from residents groups and other interested parties, members of groups such as Merton’s Design Review Panel are asked for their input.
5Timetable
5.1.In order to accommodate this work alongside other projects, it is proposed that public consultation take place during for six weeks, starting sometime between May and October 2016.
6Financial, resource and property implications
6.1.None for the purposes of this report. Resources for this work have been met within the existing FutureMerton budget.
7Legal and statutory implications
7.1This supplementary planning document is being prepared under the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning)(England) Regulations 2012. A sustainability appraisal scoping report will be published should the draft chapters be consulted on.
8Human rights, equalities and community cohesion implications
8.1.None for the purposes of this report
9Crime and Disorder implications
9.1.None for the purposes of this report
10Risk management and health and safety implications
10.1.None for the purposes of this report
11Appendices – the following documents are to be published with this report and form part of the report
Appendix A – early draft Chapter 4: residential development
Appendix B – early draft Chapter 8: basements
12Background papers
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