What is Urban Design?

Urban Design is "The art of making places. It involves the design of buildings, groups of buildings, spaces and landscapes, in villages, towns and cities, to create successful development." (definition from the planning portal.gov.uk)

"Urban design is the process of shaping the physical setting for life in cities, towns and villages. It is the art of making places. It involves the design of buildings, groups of buildings, spaces and landscapes, and establishing the processes that make successful development possible." (definition from the Urban Design Guide)

Good design is at the heart of the Government’s drive towards an urban and rural renaissance. Government advice as set out in Planning Policy Statement 1 is that; “Good design ensures attractive, usable, durable and adaptable places and is a  key element in achieving sustainable development. Design which fails to take the opportunities available for improving the character and quality of an area should not be accepted. Good design is indivisible from good planning”

There is a range of Government led guidance on implementing good urban design including Manual for Streets, The Urban Design Compendium and By Design. More information on design can be also found at CABE 's website. www.cabe.org.uk. 

What is Landscape Architecture?

Landscape Architecture is the art, planning, design, management , preservation and rehabilitation of the land and the design of human-made places. These themes are closely related to design, which, as above, is key to the Government's commitments to improve our environment.

"People, place and the public realm are the core of landscape architecture with professionals working to provide the best possible environments for people to live and enjoy. In so doing our environment, lifestyle, society, the economy and more are directly affected by landscape architects."(definition from the Landscape Institute )

Landscape Architecture also covers a range of nature conservation issues and historical landscape projects.

Why is good landscape and urban design important to Havant?

Creating an attractive environment is a key element in the regeneration of the borough. It contributes towards a good quality of life for the residents, it promotes confidence in investors and helps to attract visitors.

The Team use their Professional knowledge and other guidance to promote good design throughout the borough.

What improvements have been made in Havant Borough?

The Urban Design and Landscape Team have completed a range of enhancement projects in the borough over recent years including public art, stream restoration, woodland footpaths and Town Centre paving and street furniture improvements. To see examples of these environmental enhancements please follow this link.

They also comment on Urban Design and Landscape aspects of Planning Applications, ensuring that new developments are of a high quality design and enhance the local environment and borough as a whole.

I am a developer, what advice can I get from the Team for a planning application?

The Team work closely with Development Control ( DC ) to engage in pre-application discussions to help improve the quality of any proposed development. We have also commissioned a Public Realm Design Framework with guidance on local character styles and palettes of materials that we feel are appropriate in the Public Realm. We are producing a Borough Wide Urban Design Guide which will have more information and guidance on the whole form of design of new spaces and places including buildings. The Guide will be designed to be more user friendly for house owners, builders and developers alike.

Additionally, the Hampshire Local Government Landscape Group (HLGLG) have produced a Landscape Checklist which is a "guide to submission requirements for external development works" in the Hampshire districts.

The Landscape Checklist can be viewed by using this link -PDF (3.13MB)

N.B This may take some time to download

It details what is expected of developers to submit to the Council to meet relevant landscape conditions.

What Landscape advice can you give me?

The Urban Design and Landscape Team can be approached through Development Control for pre application discussion about the proposed hard and soft landscape works and any impact on nature conservation which may be relevant to the proposed development.

How do you support Conservation and Heritage areas in Havant Borough?

We have a Conservation Officer within DC and a Conservation Planner with whom we work closely to conserve and enhance our Heritage Conservation Areas. To see the designated Conservation Areas please use the link to the interactive HBDWLP site, or visit Civic Offices where the Conservation Area Boundaries are marked on the HBDWLP Local Plan which is displayed in reception. Conservation Areas are protected by HBDWLP Policies and are monitored and are currently being appraised with a view to improvements that could be made to conserve our heritage further. We have undertaken environmental enhancements in many Conservation Areas including St Faiths Square, Homewell and the Pallant in Havant Town Centre and also St Peters Square, North Street and Bridgefoot Path enhancements in Emsworth.

What help can I get with tree advice?

Tree advice is normally dealt with by either the DC TPO Officer or the Open Spaces Team if part of a Development Proposal. Obviously we look at the importance of trees within the context of the Landscape Character Area as part of development proposals, but the main advice comes from our DC colleagues.

What current schemes are in the borough?

The Urban Design and Landscape Team are working on new improvement schemes all the time including making bids for funding for the future. To see examples of these environmental enhancements please follow this link.

What are we doing about improving the Biodiversity in Havant Borough?

Our Nature Conservation Policies and National Policies help us to protect our local wildlife, preserve and improve the Biodiversity of our borough. The HBDWLP Nature Conservation policies are designed to do this, plus our partners at HCC , HBIC, Chichester Harbour Conservancy and many other statutory and non statutory bodies all work towards the protection and enhancements of our local natural assets. You can view the Hampshire County Council Corporate Biodiversity Action Plan using this link>>

What is a SINC ?

A SINC is a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation which is of local value for biodiversity and is designated in the HBDWLP . There are over 70 SINC's in the borough including ancient woodland, unimproved meadow, wetland and saltmarsh.

There are criteria to define those sites which are considered to be of particular importance for nature conservation within

Hampshire. These sites are in addition to the statutorily designated sites and are referred to as Sites of Importance for

Nature Conservation (SINCs). To find out more about the designated SINC's in Havant, please use the HBDWLP Local Plan. SINC's are designated an d monitored by the Hampshire Biodiversity Information Centre- HBIC which is part funded by all Hampshire Authorities and HCC. To learn more about SINC criteria use the link below (external site) http://www3.hants.gov.uk/biodiversity/sincs/important-sites-sinc-criteria.htm

How can I find out about my local environment?

Havant Borough Council commissioned a Landscape Character Assessment in 2006/7 as part of the Local Development Framework (LDF) .The LCA is a background document for the Local Development Framework ( LDF ). This study is part of an initiative to foster a better understanding of the variety of historic, landscape, ecological, social, economic and cultural factors that have created the distinctive character of Havant Borough. 

How do I contact the Team?

The Team can be contacted by emailing policy.design@havant.gov.uk or phoning (023) 92446 537 or by calling into Civic Offices, please telephone ahead and organise a meeting if you wish to do so.