James Dark investigates why Chelmsford Borough Council won the Beacon Award for the Quality in the Built Environment and its success in achieving high quality design.
Managing developers is key to Chelmsford's Beacon award
At Chelmsford Borough Council's recent Beacon open day on improving the quality of the built environment, the council's chief executive made a statement which would have been startling to many of the urban designers and planners present.
'Setting the very highest quality in the built environment and the way we manage and work with developers is the single most important thing we do,'Martin Easteal said.
'Long after the latest changes in education and council tax are forgotten, people will still be living in the built environment we create. When you go back to your councils, tell your chief executives you are engaged in the single most important thing the council does.'
That sort of rare backing from the top has seen the council create a five-strong team of specialist urban designers which actively manages the booming development in the town. Highlights have included opening up the waterfront to new mixed use developments, and a masterplan drawn up with Richard Rogers Partnership to provide a framework for the town's West End.
Backnang Square, Chelmsford - named after the German twin town - before and after pictures(images supplied by Chelmsford Borough Council)
In the near future a new shopping centre and a race course are planned. In addition, government targets specify that 770 new housing units must be delivered each year, putting the town, as Easteal says, at the centre of a "whirlwind of development in the south east" - but one in which he insists quality will be paramount.
To ensure that all council departments are on board the design quality agenda, planners, designers, highway engineers and landscape architects meet at the start of major projects to establish priorities and ensure the aims of all departments are taken into account. The urban design team holds surgeries once a week to provide advice to officers from other departments.
The Process
At many local authorities, it is common to hear council planners complain that they are virtually powerless to influence the quality of developers' proposals. Meeting government targets to determine applications rapidly is often regarded as their overriding priority, and planners are largely restricted to reacting to developer plans. However, Chelmsford won Beacon status from the government for an approach which has seen it specify design principles in prescriptive documents which developers must stick to or improve on.
"If we ignore planning quality, we are not doing our job properly,"says the council's deputy chief executive Stephen Ireland.
The council uses the planning system to actively guide the quality of developers' proposals through publishing concept statements and design briefs well before developers start drawing up plans. Many finished schemes show that developers have replicated almost exactly the council's specifications outlined in these documents.
Wherever possible, design briefs are devised as soon as the council is aware that a site could become available, rather than waiting for developers to take the initiative - and not just where land is vacant or underused. In some cases, where the quality of the built environment is poor, the council has drawn up briefs on a speculative basis, hoping that the owner will see the potential value that could be realised from selling land for redevelopment. One design brief showing how a low rise car lot could be replaced by a new mixed use development prompted the owner to decide that he didn't fancy the motor trade any more and that he would prefer to sell up and use the proceeds to start a new life in Spain.
'Local authorities have a leading, guiding and enabling role as well as controlling and regulatory roles, so don't wait for an application,' says Ireland. 'We produce site guidance so we can inform developers [what is required] before we get an application.'
The briefs and concept statements avoid lengthy summaries of planning guidance and vary from snappy, informal, four-page statements which can be produced in two days, to more complex area strategies and masterplans.
Example of guidance:How to do a Site and Context Analysis. A Guide for Designers
Even the simplest concept statements make clear quality criteria, including aspects of the site context that must be taken into account, and amounts of open space must be incorporated in new developments. One per cent of the development budget should be spent on public art, and £400 per dwelling must be contributed to local open space requirements.
Diagrams show the council's preferred layout of the site, and guidance is set out on land use, access, urban design and planning obligation requirements. In addition a series of general leaflets have been produced to guide developers on issues such as public art and site context analysis.
'Badly prepared applications do still slip through,' says Chelmsford urban designer Dean Harris,'but we are working on that problem. We hope that by putting information out and making clear our requirements, the applications will improve. Not only in the quality of the schemes but in drawings showing the relationship to the surrounding area so people can see where their house is and how the development will affect them.'
This proactive management extends beyond urban design to architecture. The council has, in many cases, told developers that standard house types are not acceptable, and has assisted them in drawing up higher quality more imaginative designs, which house builders have gone on to use elsewhere in the UK. 'Because we have adopted the Essex Design Guide, we can negotiate house design,'says Roy Chandler, the council's assistant chief design planner. 'On most large housing sites we have negotiated not only the positions of houses but the architecture as well.'
On occasions, this has caused 'great offence', but mostly it has been well received because the council can demonstrate that its requirements are based on sound urban design principles rather than subjective taste. Tony Hall, professor of planning at Anglia Polytechnic University, says that hands-on involvement by the urban design team is normally appreciated as it gives developers greater certainty that their application will be accepted when it reaches the council's planning committee.'Planning is there to tell developers what to do. They don't mind that,' he said. 'What they don't like is uncertainty, and things that change at planning committee.' He adds: 'We have had developers pull out when we've said that's not good enough, but you've got to make a stand.'
Chelmsford urban design officers admit that they are fortunate to be operating in a prosperous area where developers are keen to invest, but with a few exceptions in northern England, they insist that developers will not be frightened off by high design standards, as some delegates at the open day from less wealthy areas in East London claimed was highly likely.
They point out that the development industry will be wanting a slice of the action in the Thames Gateway which will soon be awash with government funding, and this will provide an opportunity for councils to demand that urban design quality play a pivotal role in developers' plans.
Making use of the waterfront, designing lively, people-orientated spaces and incorporating public art into development, are key principles of Chelmsford's urban design policies. Housing developments are designed to incorporate roads that have a continuous surface, giving greater priority to pedestrians, and green space which is useful and overlooked by dwellings.
Raising the quality of village extensions
Revised plans for new housing bordering a village close to Chelmsford show how the council works with housebuilders to raise design quality.
The proposal submitted by the developer made little reference to the site context, made minimal attempt to link the site to the village or take advantage of the potential for views over the green belt on three sides. Houses face into the development giving views of back gardens and washing lines rather than the countryside. "What we have here is a full blown design without any understanding of how the site fits in with outside world," says Chelmsford council urban designer Dean Harris.
Developer's proposal
Other design faults include dominance of cul de sacs, poorly defined areas where garages, bits of tarmac, and bits of grass do not have any defined use, and alignment of houses which fails to give a continuous street frontage.
To overcome these problems, the council undertook a context appraisal. It suggested that a linear open space at the entrance to the site would join the development to the village, and also make use of existing trees.
How the council helped rethink the scheme
In revised plans, a continuous surface between buildings rather than pavements and roads would create more attractive streets, and give greater priority for pedestrians. Road layouts were also rearranged.
"Although there is still only one road in and one out, the idea was to get a movement system where you avoid cul de sacs and have pedestrian and cycle links to the village which avoid the road," says Harris. "So the plan was to create a loop, so you go into the development and arrive at a space like an informal market square. You are led past the open space defined by buildings and trees into a street leading back round into the square." The effect is to give a layout which enables residents to benefit from views which look out onto the greenbelt, more and better defined open space, links to the village and better pedestrian connections throughout the estate.
Anticipating the development of urban sites
Chelmsford council is planning to move a refuse depot from its present site, but well before the land is sold to house builders, the urban design team has identified how the site should be developed. The brief takes into account possible expansion of the development area by incorporating underused gardens, a disused garage court and a disused pub garden.
"Rather than sell the land without any idea of what will happen, we are keen to ensure we get what we believe is right for the area," says Chelmsford council urban designer Dean Harris. "So we produced a planning brief to achieve the right kind of development, not just by negotiating planning applications, but by being very forward and saying this is what we believe is right for area, if you buy it expect to do this."
Central to the plan is a requirement to provide better linkages so that it is easier for residents to the south and west of the site to access the local shopping centre, and easier for residents from the north to access bus services and the pub on Baddow Road. The existing green space will be enlarged and upgraded. Piecemeal development of land next to the depot, such as the disused beer garden, disused garage court and large back gardens will be resisted. Any proposals for these parcels of land will have to show how they relate to the councils' plans for the site as a whole.
Layout principles
In line with the council's standards requiring developers to provide 47sqm/dwelling of local open space, and 25sqm/dwelling of strategic open space (sports pitches and courts), developers will be required to extend the present 'green tongue' southwards, providing a focal point for new development and good amenity for future residents. Site constraints mean the extra 1000sqm of green space is less than required by the council, so developers will be required to fund upgrades to nearby sports pitches.
The new green space will form part of plans to provide better pedestrian and cycle linkages through the site. The present pedestrian routes are narrow, badly lit, and not many people know they are there. As a result access to local amenities is restricted. The new routes will be widened and defined by house frontages, improving surveillance and security. These green space and access principles will, to a large extent, define potential housing and road designs.
"First we are looking to frame buildings around open space and have streets which open into it, and then we can design the roads afterwards," says Harris.
Planning open space into new developments
Chelmsford Council says that it has "got the message through to developers" that appropriate amounts of open space must form part of housing schemes. However, in many cases negotiations are still necessary to ensure that new open space is correctly positioned. The diagrams below show how plans for a new development started off with a green in the middle of the site being overlooked by a square of house but evolved under negotiations with the council to make the open space more useful until an agreed scheme (the last diagram below) was produced.
The council's assistant chief design planner Roy Chandler says the proposal was a step forward from some that have been received because the green space was overlooked by houses, giving good surveillance and so making it less likely to be misused. However, the design was unacceptable because the developers were "ignoring as they so often do that there is a footpath through the edge of the site which serves existing housing areas". Negotiations with the developer saw the plans redrawn so that the green space connected the new development to existing housing via the footpath route.
Another benefit was that existing trees were now located on the public space rather than in back gardens where they are often regarded as a nuisance and cut down. Good surveillance of the space was maintained with houses facing it, and the footpath being well lit. The site also illustrates how the council has become involved in monitoring the quality of architecture as well as the layout of housing and green space.
Chandler says the imaginative housing designs were produced largely by the council because the original standard designs were not suitable or of sufficient quality.
Similar problems were encountered in the designs below where the developers had ignored site context, particularly the fact that it was adjacent to playing fields.
The plans submitted would have seen the back gardens facing onto the playing field, giving poor surveillance, and cutting the pitches off from the estate. A major cyclepath would have been bordered by the back garden fences. By positioning the new green space next to the playing field, the cyclepath goes through open land, making it safer, and the playing field is linked to the new housing.
Design left: plan submitted
Design right: plan negotiated with council
Major cycle and pedestrian routes should be overlooked by houses, and where possible, be in open space rather than enclosed to maximise security.
On the council's advice these houses at Beaulieu Park were designed with lounges on the first floor to enhance views over surrounding countryside. The design is now being used by the developer around the country.
Open space should be sited to make use of existing trees. While trees can enhance public areas, too often they are sited in back gardens where they can be a nuisance and are cut down by house owners.
Design brief insists on quality
The development of this site on Chelmer waterfront shows how the council has influenced the quality and form of new developments. The design brief gives guidance on issues such as security, paving, open space and dwelling types and sizes. It specifically requires high quality development, spells out that "non site specific corporate design approaches are not acceptable", and states that "permission will be refused for poor design".
Diagrams in the brief specify how the development should be built around a new marina . The developers' proposal almost exactly matched the council's brief and the completed project almost exactly matches the council's artists' impression.
Council's Brief
Developers' proposal
Photo of completed project
Council's artists' impression
Chelmer Waterfront Development Brief
Early briefs aid effective land assembly
Facilitating land assembly has been one of the major benefits of producing early design briefs. The council is currently promoting plans to replace car parks behind Chelmsford High Street with a new mixed use development which makes use of the riverfront and brings a new more vibrant feel to the area.
The land is held by many different owners, but by showing them a prescriptive vision of how the area should be developed, the council is confident that land values will be clarified and land assembly will be aided. The council is currently discussions the project with a developer.
The site also illustrates key principles of urban design including specifying access through the site, links to the surrounding area, and use of perimeter blocks. "If you want to do urban design properly you need perimeter blocks," says Tony Hall, professor of planning at Anglia Polytechnic University. "In the size of sites we've got that means there is not much room for manoeuvre. Things can only turn out one way, and you get what you want. Developers used to start with a road so there was no room for blocks."
Defining standards for open space
Standards set out by Chelmsford council require 47sqm of local open space and 25sqm of strategic open space (sports pitches, courts and greens) to be provided per dwelling by developers.
Where it has not been practical to incorporate strategic standards in new development, a charge amounting to £218/dwelling has been levied on developers, which the council has now raised to £400/dwelling. This has enabled the council to fund two new local parks and two new sports areas, following an audit which identified deficiencies in particular types of open space.
Chelmsford Borough Council: Appendix 5: Public Open Space Standards (pdf)
Justifying design policy to elected members
Click on image to view slides of presentation to elected members
Chelmsford's urban design team provides briefings to elected members which show the value of investing resources in design and how proactive steps are being taken to influence development in the town.
This presentation demonstrated how a design brief had initiated the redevelopment of a low rise car lot into a high quality mixed use scheme on an important gateway into the town.
Key principles were use of perimeter blocks to define the space, an underground car park to maximise the space available for a courtyard, putting the emphasis on people rather than cars, and respect for site context. A high building was justified because it was on the corner of the site and because it fitted with the scale of surrounding buildings.
The outcome negotiated with the builder was a development which very closely matched the design of the council's brief but was slightly larger.
All images and documents in this feature supplied by Chelmsford Borough Council.
Useful Links
Presentations and notes from Chelmsford's Beacon council open days on the built environment
The site also features complete design briefs and concept statements and advice on issues including:
Embedding design in corporate policy and procedures
Putting design at the heart of development control
High quality housing
Timely and relevant briefing
Placemaking
Involving the community
Public realm design
Achieving mixed use
Cambridge and West Dorset Beacon sites for Built Environment
TheCommission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) have published some useful documents during the last year:
Protecting Design Quality in Planning
Researched and written by Turley Associates
September 2003
This guidance is a first step towards understanding the issues and improving practice. CABE is keen to further the debate alongside planning authorities and interested parties. We would like to gather a wide spread of views to help us develop the next stage of the process. Please do respond to the questionnaire on the CABE website at www.cabe.org.uk/research.
Councillor's Pack: a resource to help elected members champion great design
April 2004
which includes:
Local leadership for better places (pdf)
The Councillor's Guide to Urban Design(pdf)
Local Authority Design Champions
May 2004
Published on RUDI, June 2004
