|
Village Design Statements give people a say about development in their community.
A VDS is an advisory planning document produced by the village community, rather than by the planning authority. Local communities have a unique appreciation and understanding of their own place and a Village Design Statement is based on this knowledge, describing the qualities that residents value in their village and surroundings.
Around 200 English communities have completed Design Statements to date.
Why does Whiteparish need a Village Design Statement?
The Village Design Statement will give residents an opportunity to influence the nature of any future development. Once formally adopted, the Village Design Statement becomes a ‘material planning consideration’ that MUST, by law, be considered by the local planning authority when determining planning applications.
The Village Design Statement will help describe the distinctive character of the village and its surrounding countryside, on three levels:
- The landscape setting of the village
- The shape of the settlement
- The nature of the buildings themselves
An effective Village Design Statement for Whiteparish could include:
- How any future development will be shaped
- What features should be retained or preserved
- How local character can be protected and enhanced
Other key planning documents: the Local Development Framework and the Core Strategy, which will determine levels of local development and housing growth until the year 2026, are currently under discussion. Many residents have expressed forcefully their views on future development in and around Whiteparish, and this effort must continue alongside the work on the VDS. It is important to remember that the Village Design Statement is NOT about the number of houses to be built, but it WILL influence the look and character of any future development which may happen.
The Village Design Statement will help represent and give voice to the views of residents in Whiteparish.
|
