This chapter is concerned with guiding the design quality of Ealing's urban form. Good urban design is fundamental to the provision of an attractive, safe, accessible and sustainable Ealing, in which people want to live, work and spend leisure time. It is also a fundamental principle of urban renaissance, which aims to create well-designed cities that are more compact and connected.

There is an increasing awareness of the importance of good urban design. Creating well-designed buildings and land use patterns encourages feelings of well being and safety, whilst minimising impacts upon natural resources. The planning system has a key role to play in facilitating this process.

However these policies do not just relate to the individual site and buildings, they aim to relate to the overall form of a development, including the layout, integration of the building with public space, landscaping, accessibility and feelings of safety.

This chapter also guides development that will be influencing the preservation of our built heritage and its settings. Within the Borough there are many buildings, groups of buildings, structures and areas, which are particularly attractive or historically interesting.

Finally, this chapter deals with the minimisation of those environmental impacts that are most commonly associated with the design of the Built Environment, namely Noise, Vibration and Light.

Policies for Urban Design

New development affects the character and quality of the Borough as a whole. The 10 principles in point one above are explored in more detail in table 4A, and there is further amplification on high buildings in table 4B. Design creates the new context for future development, and if well designed can be an attractive environment enjoyed by passers-by and users of the development. The appearance of buildings as well as their relationship to their surroundings is therefore very important.

High standards of urban design are expected in all development, ensuring that schemes reflect the best elements of the character of the surrounding area, or have sufficient and distinctive merit that adds to the character and appearance of the area. Developments should be easy to understand and provide recognisable routes and landmarks, for example the incorporation of public art within proposals. However new development should also take into consideration and minimise any impacts on neighbouring land uses, and any development which may significantly restrict the development potential of surrounding land will not be permitted.

The Council will expect all proposals to allow sufficient daylight and sunlight into buildings and land, giving consideration to the potential effects on visual privacy, and safeguard the outlook from premises. The Council will apply the standards recommended in the Building Research Establishment report: 'Site Layout Planning for Daylight and Sunlight - A Guide to Good Practice 1991)', which gives advice on sunlight and daylight (see also Chapter 5: Housing).

Account should be taken of the impact of the building or structure on public utilities, drainage and water supply, communication and transport links, industrial plant and chimneys, and protection of local and strategic views. Consideration should also be given to changing circumstances. Successful and adaptable places avoid the need for large scale rebuilding caused by changing social, technological and economic conditions.

A successful and sustainable community is a product of the distances people have to walk to access daily facilities, the presence of a sufficient range of such facilities to support their needs, and places and spaces where a variety of activities take place.

THE BENEFITS OF A MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT

Urban Design Compendium

• More convenient access to facilities;
• Travel-to-work congestion is minimised;
• Greater opportunities for social interaction;
• Socially diverse communities;
• Visual stimulation and delight of different buildings within close proximity;
• A greater feeling of safety, with 'eyes on streets';
• Greater energy efficiency and more efficient use of space and buildings;
• More consumer choice of lifestyle, location and building type;
• Urban vitality and street life;
• Increased viability of urban facilities and support for small business (such as corner shops).

Within town centres mixed-uses are particularly encouraged, and here they can help to increase the vitality and viability and improve public safety by increasing the level of activity, particularly during the evenings. They are also seen as a sustainable form of development, particularly where the uses are likely to generate a large number of trips, as the town centres are generally well served by public transport.

Whilst the major opportunities for securing mixed-use development are within town centres, in areas with good access to public transport, mixed-use schemes can provide an opportunity to increase densities. There may also be opportunities to encourage mixed-use developments in other circumstances, such as live/work schemes.

However such mixing requires the provision of a certain balance, and as such the issue of the design, layout and arrangement of uses is particularly important. Similarly the Council will need to be sure that the relationship between the constituent uses, adjoining properties and the surrounding areas are compatible.

Well-designed streets and buildings should be inclusive and therefore accessible by all. This includes those people in wheelchairs, the elderly, with children, with guide dogs and people with other disabilities. Such consideration has been a statutory requirement on Local Planning Authorities since the Chronically Sick and Disabled Person's Act, 1970, with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 requiring that all providers of goods, facilities and services are to take reasonable measures to ensure that they are not discriminating against disabled people. Within the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, later incorporated into planning legislation, there is a requirement that buildings to which the general public are admitted, including places of employment and education, are accessible to disabled people and have suitable parking and toilet facilities.

The Council therefore seeks to ensure that all facilities and developments within Ealing, including parks and recreational areas as well as features such as public toilets, cash points etc. are accessible to all, and where appropriate will seek to negotiate with applicants to achieve the standards set out in supplementary guidance 'Accessible Ealing'. To ensure that access is considered at the earliest possible stage in the development process, applicants are expected to submit an Access Statement with their planning application. The Access Statement should set out details of how the development will contribute to achieving inclusive design. The Access Statement can either be incorporated into the Urban Design Statement, or produced as a separate document. Guidance on preparing an Access Statement is contained within supplementary planning guidance SPG 7 'Accessible Ealing'.

Any development can affect the quality and feel of an area and therefore safety and people's perception of safety. It is important therefore that all developments, building modifications and public spaces should be designed to create a safe and secure environment. Designing for safety need not reduce the amount of development, but should influence both necessary safety measures and their management.

Successfully 'designing out crime' depends on a wide range of measures, including the actual building design, layout of buildings, car parking, public spaces, pedestrian ways, lighting and landscape details. The informal surveillance of public spaces is an important safety concept, and is best achieved when buildings front onto these spaces, and where these fronts contain the main entrances and overlooking opportunities.

The Council and the Police Service will expect that any development proposals have satisfactorily sought to design out crime and have given regard to the principles of the Police 'Secured by Design' initiative.

The London Borough of Ealing is characterised by its landscape and green spaces, and therefore the Council considers that the treatment of the space around buildings is often as significant as the design of the buildings themselves. By creating attractive, well integrated and well managed landscapes, it is the area as a whole that will benefit, and not just the building it contains.

Soft landscaping providing for appropriate plants and trees sustains a range of wild life and appears attractive in its own right. Tree planting and plant retention should form part of an integrated landscaping scheme. Such schemes should include ground and shrub cover together with hard surface and paving materials, adequate light, grass verges and continuity of fencing or walling with boundary treatments, which reduce likelihood of graffiti and which should contribute to the street scene or semi-rural character as appropriate.

Boundary planting to integrate the development with neighbouring sites;

The use of climbing plants against flank walls;

The provision of low shrubs to soften settings of buildings;

Landscaping of parking areas;

Provision of amenity space;

Ensuring adequate maintenance and management schemes for landscape is of particular importance. Through the use of conditions and legal agreements the Council will:

Make planning permission conditional on the retention of suitable trees within or adjoining the site, on measures to safeguard them during development, and on the planting and maintenance of new trees and shrubs.

Existing trees should be retained on site and protected from damage wherever possible.

Applications should include an accurate site survey showing all trees, and indicate where trees are to be retained and/or removed. Prior to the removal of any trees the possibility of soil heaving or swelling should be taken into consideration.

The suitability of new planting is a very important factor in creating a successful landscape. Therefore replacement or additional trees should be of a suitable species for the existing site conditions, and should take into account other species growing in the area. Trees should be of suitable species for the particular purpose for which they are being planted, i.e. whether for screening or enhancing the development, or balancing biodiversity needs. All planting should be carried out to the appropriate British Standard.

When considering the suitability of new planting, the Council will expect landscaping schemes to ensure the minimisation of negative planting effects, such as a reduction in light, blocking views and root damage to property. In particular the Council will expect the avoidance of the use of fast growing, high hedge species, such as Leylandii (Cupressocyparis Leylandii). (A DETR Consultation paper discussing this issue "High Hedges: Possible Solutions" was released in November 1999).

To secure the long term survival of planting schemes, trees and shrubs should be selected and located to provide a quick effect, ensuring complete ground cover, avoiding open ground and so reducing maintenance. They should provide a massed effect, particularly important in industrial and commercial locations, and, in order to ensure a good rate of survival, the size of plant should be appropriate to the species proposed maintenance and location.

The Council will continue to encourage new tree planting, and seek to preserve individual trees and groups of trees that contribute to the quality of the urban environment by:

Planting and maintaining trees on land in its ownership and along public highways;

Making tree preservation orders as above;

Giving advice on the planting and care of trees, especially in areas where green environment is lacking and in the Green Corridors defined on the proposals map, where appropriate.

The Council will also expect that consideration be given to the London Borough of Ealing's Biodiversity Action Plans. These plans have been devised to inform, protect, and set objectives for important habitats/areas and species within the Borough, and as a result any relevant Biodiversity issues should be integrated within proposed landscaping schemes.

Within the Borough there are buildings and structures of national importance, and these are protected by inclusion in the Statutory List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. These Listed Buildings need to be preserved, as they are part of Ealing's heritage and history and are important landmarks making up the character of the borough.

The Council recognises that Listed Buildings are valuable cultural assets that need to be kept in good repair. The Council will therefore encourage the maintenance, repair and restoration of listed buildings, provided that the appearance and character of both the building and its setting is not adversely affected.

The Council will encourage the reuse of long term vacant Listed Buildings by considering potential new uses in a flexible way. New uses should respect the character and setting of the building, preserve features of historic/architectural interest and restore original details within and on the exterior of the building, whilst at the same time proposing a feasible and long term use. Any changes to existing uses in Listed Buildings will also be considered in the same way.

The condition of the building, the cost of repairing and maintaining it in relation to its importance, and to the value derived from its continued use;

The adequacy of efforts made to retain the building in use;

Within the Borough there are many buildings and structures that are of more local importance and interest. Whilst these do not have statutory protection, the Council would expect to see evidence that any proposed alterations to the structure or its setting is enhancing both the character and appearance.

Those buildings that are of more local interest are included in the Council's own non statutory Local List of Buildings of Architectural or Historic Interest, or are identified on the Council's list of buildings or groups of buildings of façade value. The Council will seek the retention of these buildings, including the retention of their salient features, and will resist their alteration or demolition, except where a convincing reason for such action can be shown.

When considering the redevelopment of a locally listed building, the Council will wish to give full consideration to the justification for such redevelopment. This will include clear and convincing evidence that all reasonable efforts have been made to sustain existing uses or find new uses, and that these efforts have failed. The Council will expect to see that preservation in some form of charitable or community ownership is not possible or suitable, or that redevelopment would produce substantial benefits for the local community that would decisively outweigh the loss resulting from demolition. The Council would not expect to give consent for redevelopment simply because this is more economically attractive to the developer than repair and re-use.

Controlling development which would affect these features;

Sensitive management and maintenance by the Council of street furniture, including railings, street signs, paving and trees, milestones and boundary stones;

Consultation with owners on the landscape value of interesting walls, frontages and attached or free-standing features of buildings on their land; and

Within the Borough there are many buildings, groups of buildings, structures and areas, which are particularly attractive or historically interesting. Where groups of buildings, trees, and related open space create an important amenity, this is recognised through declaration as a Conservation Area. Within a Conservation Area, development must enhance the special character and appearance of the area and its settings, including the spaces, buildings and structures, landscape, green settings, historic features and views into the area. Demolition of buildings and cutting or felling of trees is controlled, and some Permitted Development Rights are restricted in order to safeguard the features that create the amenity of the Conservation Area.

The Council will carry out reviews from time to time to consider whether further designations of Conservation Areas are required. If appropriate, this will include those areas previously considered. In designating new Conservation Areas the Council will be considering a range of factors - such as the historic layout of property boundaries, appropriate scaling and detailing of buildings, of vistas along streets, and between buildings. However it is an overall assessment of the quality and interest of the area, rather than individual buildings, which is the prime consideration in identifying Conservation Areas.

Ancient Monuments and archaeological sites are vitally important to the cultural heritage of the Borough. Many prehistoric sites and remains have been found in the older centres of Acton, Ealing, Hanwell and Southall and elsewhere in the borough, especially in the 19th and 20th centuries when brickearths or gravels were dug; or housing and factory development took place. When these geological deposits are disturbed again on redevelopment, more finds may occur; but the pace of modern building processes is such that the evidence may be destroyed. It is important to try and anticipate which sites are likely to contain remains, so that an archaeological assessment can be made, and prospective developers are requested to arrange for an archaeological field evaluation before planning permission is given.

The scheduling and protection of Ancient Monuments is carried out by the Secretary of State, and therefore all applications for Scheduled Monument consent are to be made to the Secretary of State and not the local planning authority. However the Council will endeavour to complement this protection by requiring any development affecting a Scheduled Monument to have an impact evaluation, including an archaeological assessment.

Evaluation of Ancient Monuments and archaeological sites is normally a rapid and inexpensive operation, involving ground survey and small-scale trial trenching, but must be carried out by an approved organisation. The Museum of London has expertise in this area.

For new developments such as housing, care is to be taken to ensure that the noise levels within the development area fall within a set category before development takes place. These categories are defined within Government Guidance (PPG24), and are described in more detail in the relevant Supplementary Planning Guidance.

Category A requires no consideration.

Categories B and C require consideration for adequate protection.

In residential areas, action will be taken to try and reduce noise where land adjoining has unacceptable noise exposure categories. Where housing is to be located near a significant source of noise, terraces or blocks of flats should be designed with habitable rooms, balconies and gardens facing away from that source. |The blocks should screen any further dwellings.

Noise - sensitive development including housing, hospitals and schools (e.g. exposure to aircraft noise) should be carefully considered in order to protect them from proposals for noise generating development, as well as not permitting such noise sensitive development in areas already experiencing high noise levels.

The Council will require development which either causes or is affected by excessive noise and vibration to be screened by landscaping, tree and shrub planting, banks, barrier fencing or landscaped walls, and for there to be an adequate distance between source and sensitive development. It should be provided with suitable sound and vibration attenuation, as most appropriate in improving the area or development.