It is essential that housing developments in the City Centre are of the highest quality, achieve high standards of urban design, use high quality materials and respect the existing townscape and local identity. The aim should also be to aspire to high standards of interior design and layout, and to provide a range of attractive, innovative and flexible accommodation.
1. In addition to policy CC/RES 1: Residential Development and Amenity and this policy, housing developments within the City Centre will have regard to the following other policies:
They should also have regard to the general urban design policies, DES 1 - DES 4 and, to policies;
CC/DES 2: Identity Areas.
2. Housing developments within the City Centre will be expected to provide an appropriate scale and massing, a high standard of urban design, and sensitivity in new build developments and conversions.
3. In all housing developments (new build or conversion), housing density should be a product of townscape design or high standards of conversion.
4. To compensate for the constraints on amenity that a City Centre site may impose, housing developments (new build, conversion or refurbishment) should incorporate generous internal space standards, innovative design to exploit views, aspect and orientation, and use high quality materials and fittings.
5. The approval of housing developments in the City Centre (new build, conversion or refurbishment) will also be conditional on general adherence to the guidance set out below:
(a) Design
(i) New Build or Extension to an Existing Building
The design of housing developments should acknowledge the general townscape context of the City Centre with its tradition of big buildings and, in general, large urban scale. In the context of any particular housing development, it should also take account of its constituent Identity Area and the design advice provided in policy CC/DES 2. This is of particular significance in relation to Mixed Development Areas, such as the Merchant City (East) and St Enoch.
Design should pay particular attention to urban design considerations including: continuity of building line; street containment; built form; scale and massing; elevational proportions (such as proportion of solid to void); fenestration patterns; rhythm and character; detailing and quality of materials. Infill development should respect the proportions of adjacent buildings by recognising existing floor to ceiling heights.
(ii) Building Conversion
Conversions should respect the character of the building and enhance its visual appearance. This applies especially to listed buildings. Alterations to listed buildings should comply with policies HER 2: Listed Buildings (Buildings of Architecture and Historic Importance) and HER 3.
(iii) Housing Density
Townscape considerations will demand developments of medium to high density that should be reflected in a suitable urban scale.
(iv) Aspect
The development should aim to provide good outlooks or views especially relating to habitable rooms. It should also aim to enhance the setting of the building ideally to the main street and, where appropriate, to well designed internal courtyards. While single aspect flats are not generally desirable and design solutions should aim to provide dual aspect, proposals will be assessed in relation to individual circumstances, taking account of the adaptability of the building, the proportion of single aspect flats proposed, the size of the flats and the general amenity (see policy RES 2).
(v) Housing Mix
To provide choice and movement in the City Centre housing market, developments should aim to provide a broad range of accommodation size and type. Within the Primary Residential Areas the prevailing flat size should be preferably three and four apartment or larger depending on tenure and market conditions. Outwith these areas, developments should average not less than three apartments per dwelling. Family accommodation should be considered in appropriate locations.
(b) Layout
(i) Building Entrance
The main entrance should contribute to the visual attractiveness of the development, be conveniently located, well designed and visually prominent. Ancillary uses should not be directly visible within the development interior.
(ii) Access to the Development
Access to the development for pedestrians and vehicles (including service vehicles) should be designed to be convenient, visible, secure and to provide access for people with disabilities or mobility problems. There should be safe and secure access from the street. Circulation space should be utilised to contribute favourably to the setting of the development and should be designed to favour pedestrians rather than vehicular usage.
(iii) Open Space
Wherever possible, adequate provision should be made for open space designed to maximise the setting of the development. Where this is not possible, priority should be given to increasing the internal amenity of flats to compensate for lack of external open space, for example, increasing internal space standards and other innovative features.
(iv) Parking Provision
The level of parking should not prejudice the design and integrity of the development. If parking is required, the preferred location is off-street within the curtilage of the development and if possible, within basement parking areas. Alternatively parking could be provided in a multi storey car park by formal agreement with the operator. Parking should be an integral element of the design and care should be taken to minimise visual impact, preserve amenity, and to provide appropriate security measures. The level of provision should be in accord with policy CC/TRANS 3.
(c) Amenity and Maintenance
(i) Protection of Residential Amenity
To enhance the quality of residential developments in the City Centre, all developments should demonstrate that issues of noise, privacy and daylighting have been resolved. One method of reducing noise would be by the use of controlled aspect although care should be taken to ensure that developments do not present a ‘blank’ frontage. Sound insulation can also aid the reduction in the impact of external noise sources (see policy CC/RES 1: (3)). Privacy can be achieved by sensitive design and disposition. With regard to daylighting, particular care should be taken in relation to ground floor accommodation and the avoidance of overlooking of habitable rooms. Developments should be designed to achieve the maximum possible daylight penetration particularly in relation to habitable rooms, taking into account privacy and aspect (see policy RES 2).
(ii) Provision of Communal Services
To improve convenience and the quality and range of facilities in the development, common refuse facilities will be required and common drying and storage areas (e.g. for bicycles) should also be provided, wherever possible. Although kitchens will normally be fitted with tumble dryers (these should be vented), if the development is large enough consideration should also be given to the provision of a communal laundry.
Refuse facilities should be provided in the form of communal bin stores designed as an integral part of the development. These facilities should be sufficient for the number of housing units and adequate for domestic requirements, be functional, robust, conveniently located at ground level, and screened from public view. If there is no space for refuse facilities at ground level, the number of housing units will be restricted.
(iii) Neighbouring Uses
Neighbouring uses and activities will be taken into account when considering the siting, design and amenity of residential developments. Some existing uses generate, or have the potential to generate, noise disturbance that could have an adverse effect on residential amenity.
Note:
The Council strongly recommends the establishment of a scheme for the management and maintenance of new housing developments or conversions of older buildings to residential use in the City Centre.