Village Design Statements

WILTSHIRE COUNCIL

VILLAGE DESIGN STATEMENT GUIDANCE

November 2012

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VILLAGE DESIGN STATEMENT GUIDANCE

CONTENTS

1.0 INTRODUCTION

2.0 WHAT A VILLAGE DESIGN STATEMENT IS

3.0 OBJECTIVES AND BENEFITS OF A VILLAGE DESIGN STATEMENT

4.0 GETTING STARTED IN PREPARING A VILLAGE DESIGN

STATEMENT

5.0 SUPPORT FROM THE COUNCIL

6.0 PREPARING A VILLAGE DESIGN STATEMENT

7.0 APPROVAL OF THE VILLAGE DESIGN STATEMENT

8.0 CONTACTS AND FURTHER INFORMATION

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 This guidance is published by Wiltshire Council (“the council”) to assist

communities that are interested in preparing a Village Design

Statement (“VDS”).

1.2 While the ethos of a VDS is to reflect local character and

distinctiveness, this document seeks to provide guidance to

communities as to what the council would expect to happen in order for

a VDS to be approved as a material consideration to be taken into

account when making planning decisions.

1.3 It is hoped this guidance will enable communities to be fully aware of

the expectations the council would have of a VDS and the implications,

and commitment required, for its preparation.

1.4 This guidance is intended to provide an overview of the VDS process

and explain the role of the council. It should be read in conjunction

with the advisory booklet, Village Design, published by the Countryside

Commission, available from the council.

2.0 WHAT A VILLAGE DESIGN STATEMENT IS

2.1 The concept of the VDS was proposed by the Countryside Commission

(whose functions are effectively now undertaken by Natural England) in

its 1996 publication Design In The Countryside, which focused on the

themes of regional diversity, local distinctiveness, and the harmony

between buildings, settlements and the wider landscape setting.

2.2 VDSs influence the way the statutory planning system operates locally,

through their approval as a material consideration in the planning

system. They provide a context for new development, based on

identification and analysis of local character. The purpose of a VDS is

to manage change, whether that change occurs through major new

development or cumulative, small-scale additions and alterations.

2.3 However, a VDS is not concerned whether or not development should

take place. That role lies with the development plan. The VDS provides

more detailed guidance as to how development should be carried out,

so that it complements the character of its site and surroundings, and

conserves and - where possible - enhances the local environment.

2.4 Many people feel unable to contribute to the planning policy system

because they have no formal training or experience. However, good

design stems from principles and standards that can be described in

terms of size, shape, scale and materials. Anyone can agree on how

those principles should apply to their own village and how new

development should protect and enhance its local identity.

2.5 Local communities have a unique appreciation and understanding of

their own place: a VDS is based on this knowledge. It describes the

qualities and characteristics that people value in their settlement and its

surroundings and sets out clear and simple guidance for the design of

all development in the village based on that quality and character.

2.6 The VDS is an advisory document produced by the community - not by

the council. It cannot prevent or authorise development, but it will help

to influence how new development is carried out.

3.0 OBJECTIVES AND BENEFITS OF A VILLAGE DESIGN

STATEMENT

3.1 The objectives of a VDS are to:

• Describe the distinctive character of the village and surrounding

countryside;

• Show how character can be identified at three levels:

o The landscape setting of the village;

o The shape of the settlement;

o The nature of the buildings themselves.

• Draw up design principles based on the distinctive local character;

• Work in partnership with the council, in the context of existing local

planning policy, and to influence future policies.

3.2 An approved VDS is important to local people because it:

• Sets out the character of the village in a way that will encourage

locally distinctive design;

• Gives the community a recognised voice in the planning processes

that affect the visual quality of the village;

• Supports and strengthens the role of the Parish Council when

consulted over planning applications;

• Is a representative view of local people of the character of the

village;

• Demonstrates local commitment to high quality design and

appropriate development that will improve the quality of life of the

village;

• Contributes to securing a thriving and viable future for the village;

• Enables local priorities to be considered in the development

process;

• Enables local people to be able to respond in an informed and

professional manner to planning and development proposals in the

village; and

• Is applicable to all villages and settlements, not just conservation or

specially designated areas.

3.3 An approved VDS is important to the council because it:

• Is undertaken by, and represents the views of, the community;

• Complements the existing planning system and strengthens the

council’s position when advising or negotiating on design and at

appeal;

• Provides a structured, flexible approach to assessing village

character;

• Is applicable to all areas not just conservation or other designated

areas;

• Enables local people to make a positive contribution to the

development debate, rather than having to rely on objections to

proposals to make their views heard;

• Provides support for elected members’ decisions;

• Can be used as guidance in design and development briefing;

• Enables informed dialogue to take place with the community; and

• Can be used as material evidence when used at appeals.

3.4 An approved VDS is important to designers and developers because it:

• Describes the visual qualities and character of the villages as an

inspiration for design;

• Describes the character of the village as perceived by local people;

• Can shorten the process of planning negotiation and application by

reducing conflict and objections;

• Encourages villagers to take a positive view of development.

4.0 GETTING STARTED IN PREPARING A VILLAGE DESIGN

STATEMENT

4.1 Dependent on the size of the village and the resources that can be

committed to the project, the production of a VDS should take between

six and 18 months. It is advised that a VDS Group is set up to take

forward the project.

4.2 The VDS Group should be representative of the community, although it

would of course assist if Members’ skills covered areas that would help

in the VDS process, including matters such as finance and project

management as well as design related.

4.3 VDSs are often initiated by Parish Councils but can come forward

through other community groups. If not obtained already, an initial

approach should be made to the Parish Council to seek their support,

in principle, for the VDS project. An open public meeting should then

be arranged to hear the views of the wider community and ascertain if

they are supportive. This meeting should be widely publicised by

means of posters and leaflets, and specific invitations should be given

to any persons representing existing groups in the community. At this

meeting, invitations for volunteers for the VDS Group should be

elicited, and a date set for the initial meeting of the Group.

4.4 At the initial group meeting there should be an election of officers

comprising at least a Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer, but

perhaps also including individuals responsible for managing matters

such as publicity and document design.

4.5 The project plan for the VDS should also be scoped out at this initial

meeting. The aim should be to produce a well researched and

supported VDS, which is appropriate for approval by the council. There

is no statutory process involved in achieving this, as each group should

determine what works best for its own village.

4.6 However, a number of steps towards producing a VDS are suggested

in Section 6.0. This is not intended to be comprehensive and the group

should consider whether all of these steps are necessary, or indeed

whether any additional steps might be appropriate in their case.

4.7 The formulation of the timetable for these steps should be carefully

considered to ensure it is realistic. Subsequent group meetings should

also be built in. Allowance should also be made for the timings of

Christmas and other holidays.

4.8 At this stage it is worth reviewing approved VDSs and contacting those

involved in their preparation, in order to get a feel for what exactly is

involved. Links to those VDSs already adopted and approved in

Wiltshire are provided in Section 8.0.

5.0 SUPPORT FROM THE COUNCIL

5.1 It is important to ensure the council does not influence a VDS to the

extent that it does not accurately represent the views of the community.

Conversely, it would be unrealistic to expect the council to approve a

VDS as a material consideration that, for instance, would conflict with

its own planning policies.

5.2 The level of support required from the council is likely to vary from

group to group. Some groups may feel they have the technical abilities

and confidence to progress with very little direct involvement from

council officers, while others might prefer a higher degree of

interaction.

5.3 For this reason, the council is not making specific suggestions as to the

degree of involvement officers will have in every VDS project. Groups

should also appreciate that there will be occasions when priority will

have to be given to competing pressures, including other VDS and

community based projects (there are 253 Town and Parish Councils

within Wiltshire).

5.4 It is suggested that in terms of preparing the VDS, officers of the

council can help with:

• Attending the initial open public meeting.

• Attending the initial public event.

• Commenting on the output of the initial public event (attending a

group meeting if necessary).

• Providing copies or extracts of relevant national and local planning

policy and relevant policy studies that have already been published.

• Providing access to other relevant material already held by the

council, such as statistical and mapping information.

• Providing advice as to the levels and methodologies of consultation

that would satisfy the council’s Statement of Community

Involvement

• Commenting on all iterations of the VDS (attending group meetings

where necessary).

6.0 PREPARING A VILLAGE DESIGN STATEMENT

6.1 There is no set format for preparing a VDS. A number of steps are

suggested below, but this is not intended to be a comprehensive list

and the group should consider whether any additional steps might be

appropriate in their case.

• Initial research

• Planning and publicising public event

• Holding public event

• Presenting results of public event

• Producing village survey

• Presenting and publicising village survey

• Producing a VDS

• Presenting and publicising the VDS

• Finalising the VDS

6.2 The advisory booklet, Village Design (published by the Countryside

Commission), provides comprehensive advice on these stages of the

process and can be obtained from the council (see Section 8.0 for

contact details).

7.0 APPROVAL OF THE VILLAGE DESIGN STATEMENT

7.1 Provided the council has been appropriately involved in the VDS

process as suggested in Section 5.0, Officers should be in a position to

recommend that the finalised VDS be approved as a material

consideration in the planning decision making process.

7.2 This stage of the process will be kept simple: a report will be taken as

soon as is reasonably possible to the relevant area planning committee

seeking a resolution that the VDS be approved by the council.

7.3 Approving VDSs as material planning considerations is a fast and

simple way forward. Their approval by committee, following an Officer

appraisal of the VDS including an assessment of the robustness of the

consultation undertaken to inform its preparation, gives the documents

weight in decision making. The council in approving VDSs as a

material consideration will ensure that these are taken into account in

determining planning applications.

8.0 CONTACTS AND FURTHER INFORMATION

8.1 For further assistance on the process, please contact the Council using

the following email or telephone number:

neighbourhood.planning@wiltshire.gov.uk

Tel: 01225 713223

8.2 An electronic copy of the Countryside Commission Guidance can be

obtained - from the Council.