11.1.1 There are a number of planning issues that do not fit easily into any of the broader topics outlined earlier in this Plan. Frequently these are issues that are relevant to more than one type of development, and to avoid repetition in individual chapters they are grouped here under the heading of Development Standards.
11.2.1 The aim of these standards is to ensure that adequate parking and servicing facilities are provided in a welldesigned form for developments which generate traffic, whilst at the same time paying heed to the advice given in Planning Policy Guidance Note 13 on Transport which advises local authorities to manage traffic demand through parking and traffic control.
11.2.2 The Council will require that parking and service areas:
i) have adequate, safe access
ii) do not endanger other road users
iii) are appropriate to the proposed/potential site usage
iv) do not involve manoeuvring on the highway
v) are adequately screened from adjoining development
vi) are laid out economically
vii) do not detrimentally affect the amenities of the area
11.2.3 The need for parking and servicing space varies with different types of use of land; the many possible uses are grouped under eight broad types because of their parking and servicing needs being similar. Developments which do not fall within these types shall be considered on their merits.
1. RESIDENTIAL: Parking space in housing developments needs to be provided for both residents and visitors.
2. SHOPS, SUPERMARKETS, OFFICES AND WAREHOUSING: New developments should be provided with space for both the parking of customer and staff vehicles and for the loading and unloading of delivery and service vehicles.
3. INDUSTRY: Industries differ widely in the number of employees employed. The nonoperational space standards are therefore flexible, so that a decision can be taken as to what is a reasonable level of parking. This takes into account factors such as the type of industry, number of employees, availability of public transport.
4. EDUCATION: The amount of parking space that can be provided by the Education Authority is restricted by a Government Code of Practice which includes the suggestion that a contribution towards the cost of a convenient public car park could satisfy any parking needs generated by the educational establishment. The code only allows a very low provision, and this should not prevent space being set aside on the site for providing more parking at a later date. Collection and delivery of children often causes congestion and danger and the school layout shall be designed to make provision for adequate general car parking.
5. ASSEMBLY: These types of uses attract large numbers of people and the need for parking space is therefore substantial. An exception may be made for a proportion of the nonoperational parking requirement, where the premises will be used predominantly out of normal hours and public car parks are convenient and available.
6. HOTELS, PUBLIC HOUSES, RESTAURANTS AND CAFES: Many of these premises will be within town centres with convenient public car parking provision nearby. Where this is the case the standards appropriate for shops will be required; elsewhere parking facilities will be required in order to avoid congestion on the highway. Sufficient manoeuvring and unloading space shall also be provided.
7. VEHICLE SERVICE STATIONS: This includes garages for servicing and repairs, petrol filling stations, servicing showrooms and vehicle sales. Provision should be made for the parking of customer's vehicles awaiting repairs or servicing and for the parking of employee's vehicles. Sales and maintenance areas should, wherever practicable, be clearly separated from visitor parking facilities.
8. OTHER USES: Includes hostels, vehicle depots, residential clubs, hospitals, outpatients clinics, open sales areas including car showrooms. These are so varied in nature and in the amount of parking and servicing area that is required, that no single standard can be applied. Each case will be judged individually bearing in mind particularly, siting and the parking and servicing needs of the use.
11.2.4 Bearing in mind the above, the general guidelines for determining the appropriate levels of car parking to be provided shall be the Council's guide to parking standards.
11.2.5 As mentioned above, in those special cases where on site standards are relaxed in town and village centres, the Council will consider each case on its merits and may require offsite public car parking provision by means of agreements with developers.
POLICY DS1
PROPOSALS FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT WILL BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE REASONABLY ADEQUATE OFFSTREET CARPARKING AND SERVICING TO AN OPERATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARD.
11.2.6 Parking and servicing areas frequently take on the appearance of tarmacadam deserts, which leave unwelcome gaps in the townscape. These areas are often of little visual interest, are untidy, attract litter and dirt, and sometimes pose problems for pedestrians wishing to cross or gain access to them. The larger these areas of unrelieved tarmacadam, the greater is their effect on the townscape. In order to improve the functioning and appearance of these areas the following policy shall apply:
POLICY DS2
PROPOSALS FOR PARKING AND SERVICING AREAS SHALL BE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE:
FOR THE SAFE MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES AND PEDESTRIANS
FOR THE PROPER FUNCTIONING OF THE FACILITIES PROVIDED
AN ATTRACTIVE APPEARANCE WITH LANDSCAPING OF THE AREA
A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION TO THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT
FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRIME.
11.3.1 The Council will require that full and appropriate provision has been made for people with mobility problems caused by disability. It should be noted that the term `disability' can cover a wide range of conditions and can include people who use wheelchairs, those with heart or respiratory conditions, rheumatism and arthritis, impaired sight or hearing with the degree of incapacity ranging from slight to very severe. Individuals who are temporarily impaired by accident or illhealth, pregnant women, the elderly, people with young children and pushchairs can also be included as they suffer from some form of `handicap'.
11.3.2 The Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons' Act 1970 requires new buildings and places for public admittance to include basic provision for people with disabilities in terms of access and facilities. The current legislative control to ensure disabled people can use facilities is embodied in the Approved Document Part M 1992 edition of the 1991 Building Regulations which came into operation on the 1st June 1992.
11.3.3 The Council will seek to go beyond the statutory minimum requirements both in its own development and by influencing the proposals of others so as to provide for the needs of disabled people at all stages of a journey.
11.3.4 This policy will cover all types of development and will apply to urban and rural areas alike. As such, the Council will seek to improve access to all facilities to which the public have access, including places of employment, leisure, recreation and community facilities, educational buildings, shopping facilities, hotels and residential institutions, transport, pedestrian environments and urban fringe and countryside recreation.
POLICY DS3
THE LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITY WILL SEEK TO IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY WITHIN THE PLAN AREA FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE PHYSICAL AND/OR SENSORY DISABILITIES. PROPOSALS FOR NEW BUILDINGS TO WHICH THE GENERAL PUBLIC WILL BE ADMITTED WILL MAKE PROVISION FOR THE DISABLED IN THE MEANS OF ACCESS TO AND WITHIN PREMISES EXCEPT WHERE IT CAN BE DEMONSTRATED IT IS UNREASONABLE AND IMPRACTICABLE. PROPOSALS WHICH DO NOT MAKE APPROPRIATE PROVISION MAY BE REFUSED, OR CONDITIONS MAY BE ATTACHED TO A GRANT OF PLANNING PERMISSION TO SECURE ACCESS AND FACILITIES FOR DISABLED PEOPLE.
11.3.5 The Council will attempt to guide developers by preparing supplementary planning guidance indicating access design standards applicable to each type of development. In addition, the Council will encourage developers to provide housing designed to 'mobility standards' in suitable locations.
11.5.1 The appearance of pylons in the countryside is generally perceived as being unsightly, especially where several lines converge or run in parallel. In the plan area this problem is exacerbated by the flat nature of the landscape and the absence of tree cover, making pylons visible over long distances. National Grid lines run the length of the plan area. An objective of the Council should therefore be to minimise the unsightliness of any overhead power lines proposed in the future.
11.5.2 Planning applications for the construction of power lines are determined by the President of the Board of Trade, but the Local Planning Authority is given the opportunity to comment. Applicants such as the National Grid Company are required to submit an extensive analysis of the impact of their proposal on the environment. This may be very detailed, but nevertheless certain local factors may be given less weight than the Council would desire. Of particular concern is the impact of power lines on locally important landscape features and on dwellings, and the death and injury caused to wild birds particularly on migratory routes, which the Council shall endeavour to protect in its representations to the President of the Board of Trade. Landscaping can often help to minimise the impact of new power lines, usually by planting close to viewpoints e.g. along roadsides, blocking vistas in villages, rather than planting close to the pylons, which is largely ineffectual. High visibility devices will also be appropriate near to sites important for wild birds and on their migratory routes.
POLICY DS4
THE LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITY SHALL SEEK TO MINIMISE THE IMPACT OF OVERHEAD TRANSMISSION LINES CLOSE TO DWELLINGS, ON ALLOCATED HOUSING SITES, ON SITES IMPORTANT FOR NATURE CONSERVATION (ESPECIALLY FOR WILD BIRDS), KNOWN WILD BIRD MIGRATORY ROUTES OR ON DESIGNATED SPECIAL LANDSCAPE FEATURES. IN ALL CASES THE LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITY SHALL EXPECT WIDESPREAD LANDSCAPING TO MINIMISE ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS. WHICH MAY BE LOCATED AT SOME DISTANCE FROM THE PROPOSED PYLONS AND/OR THE USE OF VISIBILITY ENHANCING MEASURES. WHERE NECESSARY THE LINES SHALL BE HIGH ENOUGH TO BE OUT OF REACH OF ANGLERS' RODS.
11.5.3 Smaller scale overhead telephone wires and electricity cables within builtup areas can also often appear intrusive, creating an unsightly `wirescape' and adding unnecessary clutter to the street scene. The Council has little control over existing wires which may have been present for some time, or over new connections to existing buildings. However, in new developments the Local Planning Authority shall endeavour to ensure that such problems do not arise by requiring developers to route telephone and electricity cables underground. The removal of overhead wires in conservation areas is covered in Policy EN37.
POLICY DS5
IN ALL TYPES OF DEVELOPMENT THAT ENTAIL THE PROVISION OF A NEW TELEPHONE OR ELECTRICITY SUPPLY, THE LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITY SHALL NORMALLY REQUIRE SUCH SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED UNDERGROUND.
11.6.1 An advertisement is defined as "...any word, letter, model, sign, placard, board, notice, device or representation, whether illuminated or not in the nature of, and employed wholly or partly for the purposes of, advertisement, announcement or direction... and includes any hoarding or similar structure used, or adapted for use, for the display of advertisements....''
11.6.2 The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations, 1992, sets up the legal requirements with respect to the display of advertisements. The Town and Country Planning Act 1990, requires that in certain circumstances, land used for the display of advertisements also requires planning permission.
11.6.3 Ministerial advice specifically related to the control of advertising is contained in Circular 15/89, however, little advice is given on the considerations which should govern the grant or refusal of consent on visual grounds. In March 1992 PPG 19 Outdoor Advertisement Control was issued by the DoE which contained rather more guidance on `amenity' criteria than Circular 15/89. Here it is stated that local planning authorities should have regard for the effect on the appearance of buildings or on visual amenity in the immediate neighbourhood where advertisements are to be displayed.
11.6.4 Advertisements almost always seek to catch the eye. By definition advertisements are visible but should not detract from the environment. Careful and well considered design of advertisements will lead to the advertisements being more pleasing to the eye. Where consent is required, the Council is anxious to ensure that the impact of advertisements does not have a detrimental effect on the area's visual or residential amenities or public safety. 11.6.5 The objectives of the policies and guidance are as follows:
A. To balance the desire for advertisement display with the general visual amenities of the area.
B. To ensure that advertisements make a positive contribution to the buildings to which they are attached, and to the street and area in which they are situated.
C. To ensure that the display shall not create clutter.
D. To ensure that the display shall not conflict with the interests of highway safety.
E. To ensure that advertisement proposals pay respect to listed buildings and conservation areas.
F. To encourage a high visual standard of advertising.
11.6.6 With particular reference to objective 5 above particular control will be exercised over advertisements in conservation areas, where special attention will be necessary to ensure they do not affect the special qualities of those areas (see Policies EN44, EN45).
11.6.7 Some advertisements do not require consent. However, it is suggested that, irrespective of the need for consent, the guidance and policies should set the standard for all advertisements. Where an advertisement is displayed without requiring consent but is considered to cause serious harm to the amenities of the area or to public safety, then the local planning authority will consider using its available powers to pursue discontinuance action in order to secure its removal. Policies EN44 and EN45 deal with advertisements within conservation areas.
POLICY DS6
APPLICATIONS FOR EXPRESS CONSENT FOR THE DISPLAY OF ADVERTISEMENTS OUTSIDE CONSERVATION AREAS WILL BE GRANTED WHERE:
A. THE PROPOSAL DOES NOT DETRACT FROM THE AMENITIES OF THE LOCALITY.
B. THE PROPOSAL SHALL MAKE A POSITIVE VISUAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE BUILDING TO WHICH IT IS ATTACHED.
C. THE DISPLAY IS OF APPROPRIATE SIZE, POSITION, MATERIALS, COLOURS, HEIGHT ABOVE GROUND AND EXTENT OF PROJECTION.
D. THE DISPLAY WILL NOT CREATE CONDITIONS LIKELY TO BE HARMFUL TO PUBLIC AND/OR HIGHWAY SAFETY.
E. ANY ILLUMINATION SHALL BE OF A TYPE WHICH DOES NOT DETRACT FROM THE CHARACTER AND VISUAL AMENITIES OF THE BUILDING/STREET SCENE.
POLICY DS7
THE LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITY WILL TAKE DISCONTINUANCE ACTION TO SECURE THE REMOVAL OF ADVERTISEMENTS DISPLAYED WITH THE BENEFIT OF DEEMED CONSENT, WHICH ARE CONSIDERED TO CAUSE INJURY TO THE AMENITY OF THE LOCALITY OR HARM TO PUBLIC/HIGHWAY SAFETY.
11.7 Advance Directional Signs
11.7.1 Circular 15/89 deals with the signposting of tourist facilities in rural areas and advises that planning authorities should bear in mind that effective signposting is often a vital way of attracting customers to such facilities thus benefiting local economies. It suggested that if permission has to be refused for such signs, efforts should be made to suggest alternative locations or schemes. In addition, Planning Policy Guidance Note 19 Outdoor Advertisement Control gives further specific advice on outdoor advertising and acknowledges that it is essential to commercial activity in a free and diverse economy.
11.7.2 Advance warning signs may, of course, assist highway safety. A traditional form of advance notification of a rural facility are roof painted signs, which by virtue of their scale and location are normally visually intrusive. Only in exceptional cases will such advertisements be acceptable.
11.7.3 Similarly, businesses such as hotels, restaurants and public houses sometimes wish to display advertisements off their sites along roadsides. This type of advert frequently gives the appearance of clutter and will therefore be strictly controlled having regard to matters of amenity and highway safety.
11.7.4 Businesses also sometimes wish to advertise on their forecourts. Such advertisement material can lead to excessive visual clutter which can cause confusion and be self defeating. Proposals for forecourt advertising should therefore form part of the comprehensive advertisement display on the premises and be so designed as to provide an attractive, well designed and coordinated display.
11.7.5 Kerbside advertisements within the highway boundary (on pavements or verges) require the highway authority's consent in addition to any advertisement consent they may require. Generally speaking highway authorities are very reluctant to approve such signs and are prepared to remove unauthorised signs in the interests of highway safety. The Council will continue to seek the removal of such unauthorised signs within the highway boundary.
11.7.6 It is important that advertising on street furniture forms an integral part of the furniture concerned. Where it does not, consent for such proposals will not be given. Particular scrutiny will be exercised in conservation areas and rural areas.
POLICY DS8
A DIRECTIONAL SIGN WILL ONLY BE ALLOWED WHERE;
i) IT IS REASONABLY REQUIRED TO LOCATE A BUSINESS OR ACTIVITY WHICH IS NOT SITUATED ON A NAMED ROAD OR READILY IDENTIFIABLE LOCATION,
ii) IT WOULD NOT BE DETRIMENTAL TO HIGHWAY SAFETY OR RESULT IN THE FREE FLOW OF TRAFFIC BEING IMPEDED,
iii) IT IS OF A SIZE, DESIGN AND COLOUR APPROPRIATE TO THE LOCALITY,
iv) IT IDENTIFIES THE PREMISES ONLY AND MAY INCLUDE A MOTIF BUT NOT ADVERTISE A PRODUCT,
v) IT IS NOT ILLUMINATED,
vi) IT MAKES USE OF AN ALREADY EXISTING MEANS OF SUPPORT WHEREVER POSSIBLE,
vii) IT DOES NOT ADD TO OR RESULT IN THE PROLIFERATION OF SUCH SIGNS IN THE LOCALITY,
viii) IT DOES NOT HARM THE AMENITIES OF NEARBY RESIDENTS OR THE CHARACTER OF THE LOCALITY AND
ix) IN THE OPEN COUNTRYSIDE IT WILL NORMALLY BE SITED WITHIN 1 KILOMETRE OF THE BUSINESS OR ACTIVITY REQUIRING THE SIGN.
11.8.1 In recent years there has been a great increase in telecommunications related development. Notable has been the spread of the cellular phone network with its related antennae, and of satellite television dishes. This new technology has contributed greatly to personal freedom and enjoyment, and has been a boon to the economy in general. It is therefore the policy of the Council and the Government (in PPG8 Telecommunications) to support the development of telecommunications equipment. However by nature of their design such apparatus is often bulky and unsightly. In urban areas it may be out of keeping with traditionally designed buildings, while in rural areas transmitter masts may visually affect wide areas. This impact can be reduced by concentrating antennae in one location or on existing masts or buildings and by avoiding development in particularly sensitive areas.
POLICY DS9
APPLICATIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS APPARATUS WILL BE ACCEPTABLE. HOWEVER WHERE TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS ALLOW, THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA SHALL BE APPLIED:
A. APPARATUS SHOULD IN ALL CASES BE SITED AND DESIGNED SO AS TO MINIMISE ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS;
B. NO DETRIMENTAL EFFECT SHOULD BE CAUSED TO THE CHARACTER AND APPEARANCE OF CONSERVATION AREAS, TO THE SETTING OF LISTED BUILDINGS, TO AREAS OF HIGH LANDSCAPE VALUE OR TO SPECIAL LANDSCAPE FEATURES;
C. WHERE POSSIBLE APPARATUS SHOULD BE SITED ON EXISTING MASTS OR BUILDINGS, OR SHARE A SITE WITH OTHER PROPOSED OR EXISTING EQUIPMENT;
D. LARGE NEW MASTS SHOULD CONTAIN ADDITIONAL STRUCTURAL CAPABILITY TO CATER FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF FURTHER ANTENNAE IN THE FUTURE.
11.8.2 Much telecommunication development enjoys permitted development rights (e.g. satellite dishes). Such rights are conditional on antennae being installed so as to minimise effects on the external appearance of buildings. Where there is an unnecessarily detrimental effect the Local Planning Authority may serve a breach of condition notice requiring the resiting of the antennae. For instance, antennae should not normally be located between a building and a nearby public highway where this can be avoided.
POLICY DS10
THE LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITY SHALL USE THE POWERS AVAILABLE TO IT TO BRING ABOUT THE RESITING OF ANTENNAE (INCLUDING SATELLITE DISHES) THAT HAVE A SEVERE AND UNNECESSARILY DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON THE APPEARANCE OF A BUILDING.
11.9.1 Piecemeal development of sites identified in the Local Plan for a specific purpose or `windfall sites' could in some circumstances be prejudicial to the overall comprehensive and satisfactory development of a site. If a site is developed in an uncoordinated manner in small parcels at a time then this may make the provision of services to serve the remainder of the site an uneconomic proposition or access and visibility standards might be restricted. Partial development of a site will, therefore, not be acceptable except where it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Local Planning Authority that the overall development of a site is not compromised.
POLICY DS11
PIECEMEAL DEVELOPMENT OF A SITE IDENTIFIED IN THE LOCAL PLAN OR WINDFALL SITES WILL NOT BE PERMITTED UNLESS IT CAN BE DEMONSTRATED TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITY THAT IT WILL NOT BE TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SITE.