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Village Design Statements
The
Council is committed to ensuring that all new development maintains
or enhances the local character and distinctiveness of a settlement
and its surroundings. A Village Design Statement (VDS) is an
advisory document prepared by a local community (not the Council)
that provides an assessment of village character and its
surroundings, its qualities and distinctiveness and sets out design
advice to help guide new development to make sure it fits in with
its local context.
A
VDS can influence and improve the quality of development that takes
place in your area, so that it is harmonious with its setting and
makes a positive contribution to the local environment.
An
effective VDS:
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sets out
design principles based on the distinctive local character, to
ensure that new development fits in with the character of the
village.
The
people who understand local areas are local people and the Council
is keen to work with local people in the production of their VDS.
The local community works together to produce its VDS with
assistance from the Rural Community Council of Essex. A VDS that
has been prepared in accordance with planning policy and in
consultation with the Council and which is generally supported by
the local community may be taken forward for approval as planning
guidance. Once approved as planning guidance, a VDS may be taken
into account in the determination of planning applications and help
guide members of the community and others when carrying out
physical change.
A VDS is not
about whether new development should take place - this is the
responsibility of the district-wide Local Plan (and subsequently
the Local Development Framework). A VDS is about managing change in
a settlement, not preventing it.
The
Council has produced a
Guidance Leaflet to assist those communities that are thinking
of preparing a VDS.
The
Council is also in the process of preparing a VDS template which
will provide more detailed advice on what to include in a
VDS. |