BLACKHEATH, SHAMLEY GREEN AND WONERSH VILLAGE DESIGN STATEMENT : Executive on 09/01/2007

Waverley Borough Council Committee System - Committee Document

Meeting of the Executive held on 09/01/2007
BLACKHEATH, SHAMLEY GREEN AND WONERSH VILLAGE DESIGN STATEMENT

Summary & Purpose

The villages of Wonersh, Blackheath and Shamley Green have produced a Village Design Statement (VDS) and have requested that it be adopted by the Borough Council as a Supplementary Planning Document. This report sets out the contents of the VDS, the Sustainability Appraisal and the consultation process that the villages have undertaken.

APPENDIX G

Waverley Borough Council

EXECUTIVE - 9TH jANUARY 2007

Title:

BLACKHEATH, SHAMLEY GREEN AND WONERSH VILLAGE DESIGN STATEMENT

[Wards Affected: Shamley Green, Blackheath and Wonersh]

Summary and purpose:

The villages of Wonersh, Blackheath and Shamley Green have produced a Village Design Statement (VDS) and have requested that it be adopted by the Borough Council as a Supplementary Planning Document. This report sets out the contents of the VDS, the Sustainability Appraisal and the consultation process that the villages have undertaken.

Environmental implications:

The VDS includes an assessment of aspects such as open spaces and woodland and guidelines on the commons, open land outside the commons, woodland trees and hedgerows. The implications for the environment are that the VDS would help to safeguard the open spaces and woodland.

Social / community implications:

The VDS includes a section on building design which affects the heritage of the villages. The implications for the community are that the VDS will be desirable to ensure that new developments fit in with the existing character of the surroundings.

E-Government implications:

The document has been published on the Council’s website.

Resource and legal implications:

There are no implications because the project will be carried out within existing staffing and financial resources.

The Supplementary Planning Document Procedure

1. A Supplementary Planning Document amplifies a policy in a Local Plan or Local Development Framework, looking at it in more detail. In the case of the VDS, the policy to be amplified is Policy D4 Design and Layout in the Waverley Borough Local Plan 2002, Annexe 1 refers.

2. The procedure for the Supplementary Planning Document has been carried out in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Local Development)(England) Regulations 2004. A Sustainability Appraisal has to be prepared, which tests the VDS against sustainability objectives. The document has to be subjected to public consultation. The document is then submitted to the Council, for formal adoption.

The Blackheath, Shamley Green, Wonersh Village Design Statement

3. The Civil Parish of Wonersh comprises the three villages of Blackheath, Shamley Green and Wonersh. The VDS was devised by the Village Design Statement Committee, which was made up of residents from the three villages. Surveys were carried out and the document was written by the Committee. Whilst the document covers the parish comprehensively, it recognises that the three villages have distinctive characters of their own. A copy of the document is attached at Annexe 2.

4. The purpose of the document is to give guidance to residents, architects and builders on extensions and alterations. It is also intended to assist the Parish Council on commenting on planning applications and the Borough Council on determining applications. There is also guidance on caring for the setting of the village and for the trees, open spaces, commons and hedges.

5. The structure of the document is :

· Introduction;

· Development;

· Village setting and structure;

· Building design;

· Open spaces and woodland.

6. Each of the main chapters has a section on detailed guidelines. These are very specific and give a good indication of how the objectives should be met. The document is very well presented.

The Sustainability Appraisal (SA)

7. It was agreed with the Government Office for the South East (GOSE) that the Sustainability Appraisal (SA) could be a scaled down version of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister format for SAs. This simple version, attached at Annexe 3, focuses on testing the proposals in the document against the sustainability objectives. The outcome of the SA was that there were no conflicts between the proposals and the sustainability objectives.

The Consultation Process

8. The Village Design Statement Committee carried out a consultation exercise in the villages in July 2002 and questionnaires were distributed. 92 responses were received. Overall, the community was in favour of the VDS.

9. In order to carry out the required consultation for the Supplementary Planning Document a further process was put in place by the Borough Council. SEERA was consulted and notices were put in the local newspapers that the document was available for comment. Copies of the document were placed in the nearby libraries, and it was put on the website. This was done to comply with the 2004 Regulations and the procedure was agreed with GOSE.

Conclusion

10. The VDS is an authoritative document and is very well produced. It will be a useful guide to design in the villages and will help to preserve and enhance their character.
Recommendation

It is recommended to the Council that the Blackheath, Shamley Green and Wonersh Village Design Statement be adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document.

Background Papers (DPD)

There are no background papers (as defined by Section 100D(5) of the Local Government Act 1972) relating to this report.

CONTACT OFFICER:

Name: Geraldine Molony Telephone: 01483 523296
E-mail: gmolony@waverley.gov.uk

Comms/exec/2006-07/264