Decision details

To seek approval for the Carlby Village Design Statement

Approval is granted for the Carlby Village Design Statement to become a material planning consideration.

The Carlby Village Design Statement is considered to provide clear design guidance and will support the implementation locally of Core Strategy Policy EN1 in defining what is locally distinctive in Carlby.  It will assist in making decisions through the Development Management process upon planning applications and can carry weight as a material consideration because of the degree of local community involvement in producing it.

In 1996 the Countryside Commission (now Natural England) launched the ‘Design in the Countryside’ initiative, and produced advisory        packs to help villages understand the concept, process and method of producing a Village Design Statement (VDS).

VDSs are prepared by local communities and provide a framework for engaging local people in constructive debate about defining the special character of their village as a basis for ensuring that new development in their area fits its surroundings and is in keeping with that character. A VDS provides a tool to help manage change, not prevent it.   

A VDS contains a descriptive analysis of the relationship between landscape, settlement patterns and buildings.  The VDS identifies the principles to be applied to new developments such as the design of buildings and the spaces between them.  The document should benefit local people, developers, new occupants and planners. 

The Carlby VDS has been developed, researched and written by the Parish Council.  It provides a comprehensive description of the village and its environs and identifies its key characteristics.  It presents clear guidance as to what should be respected and acknowledged in order to help preserve the local scene and sets out clear design principles and guidance based on the distinctive local character. 

The VDS has been prepared in the context of the Core Strategy and relevant policies, including Policies SP1 and EN1.  Advice on the form and process of preparing a VDS and comments on drafts was provided to the Parish Council by the Planning Policy Service Manager.  The Parish Council also undertook consultation with local residents on drafts of the document.

The Localism Act 2011 has provided a renewed impetus to community led planning.  Although this has focused on the preparation of Neighbourhood Plans and their inclusion as part of the Development Plan, it does not prevent local communities from preparing other forms of community led plans if this is considered to be appropriate for their particular area or circumstances nor restrict local planning authorities from approving such community led plans as a material planning consideration in the determination of planning applications.

The alternative would be adoption of the VDS as a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).  However, for the VDS to become a SPD the document must fulfil statutory requirements for public consultation and hence the process can be time consuming.  Approving the VDS as a material planning consideration is a faster and more simplified approach.  It is, therefore, considered more appropriate to approve the VDS as a material planning consideration, rather than adoption as a SPD.  In addition, in approving the VDS as a material planning consideration it will be ‘owned’ by the local community who have undertaken   its preparation.

When approved, the Carlby VDS will be made available on the Council’s website.  There are not expected to be any costs to the Council associated with the approval of the VDS as a material planning consideration