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Regional Development Strategy 2035 - Housing Quality and Character
2.1.1Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
The Regional Development Strategy (RDS) provides regional guidance (RG) under the three sustainable development themes of Economy, Society and Environment. RG8 recognises the importance of developing
dwellingaccessaccessibilitysite-planningSPPS - Environmental and Amenity Considerations
2.1.3Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
The SPPS also acknowledges that there are a wide range of environment and amenity considerations which should be taken into account by planning authorities when proposing policies or managing developm
dwellingsite-planningSPPS - Good Design and Place Making
2.1.4Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
An additional core principle seeks to support good design and positive place making, and in respect of 'Housing in Settlements', the SPPS acknowledges that good design contributes to the creation of p
dwellingaccessibilitysite-planningLocal Policies Plan and Key Site Requirements
2.2.3Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
The Local Policies Plan (LPP) will set out Key Site Requirements (KSRs) for certain zoned housing sites, which in some cases may include specific guidance in relation to housing design alongside other
dwellingsite-planningConservation Area Guides
2.2.4Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
A series of Conservation Area design guides are available for reference when developing proposals for development within a conservation area. The guides generally provide information on the planning c
conservationsite-planningSite Context and Local Character Analysis
3.1.1-3.1.2Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
Established residential areas often display a clear spatial structure. Building forms, plot sizes and shapes are sometimes similar with a well-defined pattern of local development. Properties may exhi
dwellingsite-planningInfill and Redevelopment in Established Areas
3.1.3Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
Analysis of context is particularly important for infill housing, backland development or demolition and redevelopment schemes in established residential areas. While such development can usefully con
dwellingsite-planningconservationAssessment of Housing Proposals - Character and Amenity Protection
3.1.4Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
In assessing housing proposals in established residential areas the Council will therefore need to be satisfied that unacceptable harm will not be caused to the local character, environmental quality
dwellingsite-planningPolicy RD1: New Residential Developments - Character Conformity
RD1Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
Will not create conflict with adjacent land uses, remaining in conformity with the character of any established residential areas
dwellingsite-planningSite characteristics for new residential development
3.1.5Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
Proposals for new residential development must respect the individual characteristics and features of the site itself. These include topography, existing buildings, features of the archaeological or b
dwellingsite-planningexternal-spaceconservationLayout design on sloping sites
3.1.6Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
Particular care will be necessary in preparing layout proposals on sloping sites in order to minimise the impact of differences in level between adjoining properties, existing or proposed. The use of
dwellingsite-planningLayout considerations and public open space integration
3.1.7Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
The design of house types and other buildings, the relationship between them, their relationship to streets and the spaces created around them will all strongly influence the character of the overall
dwellingsite-planningexternal-spaceopen-spaceLayout and design quality - avoiding road-dominated schemes
3.1.8, 3.1.9Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
Poor quality residential developments have often been designed with little appreciation for local character or a sense of place and have tended to be dominated by road considerations. They also fail t
dwellingsite-planningexternal-spaceTreatment of corner sites and landmark opportunities
3.1.10Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
In the interests of residential amenity, particular care will be required in the treatment of corner sites within layouts. Corner sites should contain specifically designed buildings and high-quality
dwellingsite-planningexternal-spaceSpace around buildings in residential development
3.1.11Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
The space around buildings often has multiple functions and it is imperative that the layout and function of space is addressed, at the outset, as part of the design and layout of new residential deve
dwellingsite-planningexternal-spaceSustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS)
3Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
sustainable drainage systems (SuDS)6 and more environmentally sound methods of disposing of effluent.
dwellingdrainagesite-planningDensity - Site Characteristics and Development Requirements
3.1.18Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
Site characteristics, the need to preserve existing site features and vegetation, space requirements for the provision of open spaces and specific needs within social housing will all influence develo
dwellingexternal-spacesite-planningProtection of local character and amenity in residential development
3.1.19Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
Great care must be taken to ensure that development or redevelopment proposals do not unacceptably harm the local character, environmental quality or amenity of established residential areas. In all c
dwellingsite-planningexternal-spaceInfill housing in established residential areas
3.1.20Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
Infill housing in established residential areas will not always be appropriate, particularly in many older residential areas with distinctive townscapes often dating from the Victorian or Edwardian pe
dwellingsite-planningconservationexternal-spaceBackland development requirements
3.1.21Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
In appropriate circumstances backland areas offer the potential to integrate new residential development that is capable of producing a high-quality environment. To be successful, proposals for backla
dwellingsite-planningexternal-spaceBackland development plot coverage
3Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
areas should not exceed that of the existing dwellings fronting the surrounding streets.
dwellingsite-planningCoherent and legible form in backland development
3Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
achieve a coherent and legible form – a coherent form is important for all new development, however, it will be different for backland schemes with through access and those without. A through access w
dwellingsite-planningIntegration of existing landscape features in backland development
3Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
integrate existing landscape features – where trees or landscape features form part of a backland plot, the design should seek to retain these and integrate them into the new development. Replacement
dwellingsite-planningexternal-spaceResidential aspect and street frontage
3.vBelfast·SPG003 Residential Design
provide a residential aspect onto the new road – new residential development should seek to reinforce the existing organisation of the fronts and backs of the dwellings. It should also seek to organis
dwellingsite-planningexternal-spaceIntegration of existing and new landscapes and streets
3.viBelfast·SPG003 Residential Design
take care over the integration of the existing and new landscapes and streets – the threshold between the new development and surrounding streets requires careful attention. The aim must be to achieve
dwellingsite-planningexternal-spaceServicing arrangements for residential development
3.viiBelfast·SPG003 Residential Design
facilitate adequate servicing arrangements – access roads should allow for the collection of waste and access for emergency vehicles. Access roads exclusively servicing 5 dwellings or more must be to
dwellingsite-planningexternal-spaceTandem Development - Policy and Acceptability
3.1.22Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
Tandem development is a form of backland development where one new house is placed directly behind another either sharing the same, or an additional driveway/access. This form of development is genera
dwellingsite-planningresidentialDemolition and redevelopment - character and integrity considerations
3.1.23Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
Demolition and redevelopment of existing houses presents the greatest challenge in terms of retaining the character and integrity of the established street scene. Without great care and attention to d
dwellingsite-planningDemolition and redevelopment - design approach and road access
3.1.24Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
An imaginative approach is needed which considers the whole character of place including enclosure, landscape treatment and the sequence of spaces within the development. Particular attention needs to
dwellingsite-planningRedevelopment acceptability criteria
3.1.25Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
Redevelopment is generally the least attractive option for residential intensification. The reuse, renovation and/or retrofit of existing buildings, where feasible, is preferable to redevelopment in t
dwellingsite-planningNew residential development
3Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
New residential development
dwellingsite-planningDemolition and Presumption for Intensive Development
3.1.29Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
In all cases (whether within or outside designated areas) developers should note that the demolition of existing property will not create a presumption that permission for more intensive and high-dens
dwellingsite-planningOvershadowing and loss of light - planning consideration
3.1.39Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
The protection of neighbouring properties from unreasonable loss of light is a well-established planning consideration. It is important that layouts and dwellings are planned to avoid overshadowing of
dwellingsite-planningexternal-spaceAvoiding overshadowing in new residential development
3.1.40Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
Where aspects of new residential development are poorly sited or badly designed, shadows may reduce daylight to neighbouring residential property(s) and adversely affect residential amenity to an unac
dwellingsite-planningexternal-spaceDaylighting assessment for neighbouring properties
3.1.41Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
In terms of daylighting, the effect on all rooms, apart from halls, landings, bathrooms and utility rooms will be considered. New residential development should be kept as far as possible from neighbo
dwellingsite-planningexternal-spaceDaylight provision using angle rules
3.1.42Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
To ensure that adequate daylight is provided to all dwellings, dwellings that are adjacent to one another should be sited using the 45 degree rule and dwellings that are opposite each other should be
dwellingresidentialdaylightsite-planningexternal-space45 Degree Rule for Daylight Assessment
Figure 3.16Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
To apply the 45 degree rule, a 45 degree line is projected from the centre point of the main habitable room (i.e. bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms or kitchens) window that is closest to the propos
dwellingaccesssite-planning45 Degree Rule and Other Material Planning Considerations
Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
A proposal which satisfies the 45 degree rule in terms of the impact on light will still need to satisfy all other relevant material planning considerations, including the impact on privacy of existin
dwellingsite-planning25 degree rule for dwelling siting
3.1.42Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
In terms of the 25 degree rule, new dwellings should be sited so as not to result in a 'subtended angle' of more than 25 degrees of a line projected from the centre point of the lowest main habitable
dwellingexternal-spacesite-planningBRE guidelines for daylight and sunlight assessment
3.1.43Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
In further assessing overshadowing/loss of light, the Council will generally apply guidance targets within the latest edition of the Building Research Establishment (BRE) guidelines "Site Layout Plann
dwellingexternal-spacesite-planningNoise and disturbance minimisation in residential design
3.1.44Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
The design and layout of new residential development should minimise the potential for noise disturbance. Acoustic design considerations should therefore receive attention at an early stage in the ove
dwellingflatssoundsite-planningKey aspects of acoustic design
3.1.45Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
Aspects of good acoustic design which should be considered relate, but are not limited, to: i. site planning and layout – the layout of buildings within the site and their orientation including the us
dwellingsoundsite-planningexternal-spaceAccessibility and Movement - Site Analysis and Connections
3.1.47Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
The Council will expect that consideration is given to a much wider area than the proposed site, and for layouts to have greater regard to sustainable movement patterns. An analysis is needed of the o
dwellingaccessactive-travelsite-planningAccessibility and Movement - Active Travel and Route Design
3.1.48Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
Proposals should seek to reduce reliance on the private car, foster active travel movement, such as walking or cycling, respect existing public rights of way and provide convenient access to public tr
dwellingaccessactive-travelsite-planningPolicy RD1: New Residential Developments - Public Transport and Active Travel
Policy RD1 - CBelfast·SPG003 Residential Design
Makes provision for, or is, accessible and convenient to public transport and walking and cycling infrastructure
dwellingaccessactive-travelsite-planningRoad design quality and sustainable movement in residential development
3.1.49Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
Roads are public space and are therefore an important element in the design of a development. Road layouts which meet all technical requirements but which do not pay due regard to the quality of the r
dwellingsite-planningresidentialPrivate streets adoption standards and Private Streets Determination
3.1.49 (footnote 10)Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
Where the Department for Infrastructure (DfI Roads) are required to adopt new footways, cycle tracks, footpaths, visibility splays and verges, a Private Streets Determination is required. To be suitab
dwellingsite-planningresidentialPermeable Layout and Traffic Calming Measures
3.1.49Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
a permeable layout – achieved via a network of interconnected carriageways and, where appropriate, a number of access points to the development; and ii. the incorporation of traffic calming measures –
dwellingresidentialsite-planningAccess Road Speed Design
3.1.50Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
The Council will generally wish to see all access roads within a development designed to a 20mph maximum speed. On minor access roads favourable consideration will be given to the use of sub 10mph 'Ho
dwellingresidentialsite-planningSafeguarding Access to Adjoining Lands
3.1.51Belfast·SPG003 Residential Design
The Council will also assess the need for the design of layouts to safeguard access to adjoining lands to ensure that the comprehensive development of a site or future development potential is not pre
dwellingresidentialsite-planning