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Development Quality and the Built Environment
   

Strategic Objectives

•  To stimulate a high design quality in new development which will:

a)  Help to create a sense of place and pride in Knowsley and its constituent communities;

a)  Respond to and enhance the character of the townscape and landscape; and

a)  Make the Borough a more attractive place to live and invest in.

•  To ensure that the design of new development:

a)  Provides for good levels of amenity and does not cause harm to amenities that ought to be protected in the public interest;

b)  Promotes a choice of transport for all users (including the less mobile), making appropriate and safe provision for vehicle parking, walking, cycling and public transport; and

c)  Discourages criminal activity.

•  To ensure that buildings and features which represent the best of Knowsley’s historic heritage are preserved or enhanced.

•  To ensure that new development protects or enhances the Borough’s stock of trees, hedges and woodland.

•  To make efficient use of previously developed land and buildings in providing land for new development.
 

Introduction

11.1

The Government is committed to improving the quality of urban design in the UK and has stated: (see footnote10):

“Good urban design is essential if we are to produce attractive, high quality, sustainable places in which people will want to live, work and relax. It is fundamental to our objective of an urban renaissance....” 

The challenge for new development

11.2

The character of Knowsley’s townships and villages reflects their history, consisting of relatively isolated original settlements, around which there has been very rapid 20th century expansion. This means that the housing areas are mainly twentieth century (pre-war or post war, including relatively large areas with a style typical to these periods). The Borough’s network of public open space also forms an important urban design feature in some areas. Compared to many other Boroughs the housing and industrial areas are highly segregated from each other.

 11.3

Despite its history as a primarily “twentieth century” Borough, Knowsley has a considerable heritage of older buildings and spaces which are valued by the local community, some of which are listed because of their special architectural or historic importance.  Some of the original settlements which predated the twentieth century expansion of the Borough are now protected as Conservation Areas (see glossary). Many other buildings and features, such as red sandstone boundary walls and the use of welsh slate as a roofing material, are attractive and help to define the character of the Borough.

 11.4

The challenge for new development will be to respond to the heritage of Knowsley whilst introducing new forms of design which will help to strengthen the “sense of place” and variety of built form in Knowsley. This should help to create and maintain civic pride, and improve the public realm.

10 “By Design - Urban design in the planning system - towards better practice” Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, 2000

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