Policy GP/QD: Achieving high quality development

1. The Local Planning Authority will support locally distinctive and high-quality design that clearly demonstrates an understanding of key features in local character and seeks to enhance features through innovative and creative means. 

2.

This refers to development in its widest sense, including buildings, and streets, spaces and places. It also refers to both redevelopment, including refurbishment, as well as new development.

proposals will be expected to demonstrate how they have addressed the following design principles and requirements: 

  a. Demonstrate a clear understanding of the character of the built, historic and natural environment, using this understanding to inform design that complements local character and distinctiveness; 

  b. Take account of important landscape or topographical features, retaining and/or enhancing existing landscaping and natural or semi-natural features on site including trees or hedgerows during and post construction; 

  c. Use high-quality building materials and architectural detailing that is appropriate to the local context, that will age well, and that either complement or successfully contrast with the existing form of a building in cases of extension or alteration; 

  d. Create safe open spaces and active streets, by providing highway layouts that incorporate well-integrated car parking and landscaping. Proposals should avoid the perception of a car-dominated environment and prioritise safe and convenient pedestrian and cycle movement; 

  e. Ensure that buildings are orientated to provide natural surveillance and maximise opportunities for active ground floor uses and frontages onto public spaces. Entrances and windows of habitable rooms should be located next to streets where appropriate; 

  f. Create attractive and appropriately scaled built frontages, considering both the individual elements of a building and the overall development in relation to its surroundings, in order to positively enhance streets and public spaces in both urban and rural settings; 

  g. Provide a comprehensive and accessible design approach that ensures the successful integration of buildings, routes and spaces with surrounding topography, townscape and landscape, supported by suitable hard and soft landscaping; 

  h. Protect the amenity of neighbouring uses and provide a high standard of amenity for future occupiers. Design should minimise adverse impacts including loss of privacy, overlooking, overshadowing, poor daylight/sunlight access, microclimate effects, artificial lighting, noise, vibration, fumes, odours, and other forms of pollution; 

  i. Ensure the layout and design of development successfully incorporates functional needs such as waste storage, recycling and bicycle parking, in a way that does not negatively impact on neighbouring amenity; 

  j. Ensure all building layouts, including commercial and employment uses, feature layouts that are convenient, safe, and accessible for all users including entrances and exits, at all times of day and night. Lighting and security features should be successfully integrated into the overall design; 

  k. Introduce mixed-use proposals where appropriate, ensuring that different uses are compatible and that all occupants benefit from the overall layout and arrangement of the site; 

  l. Create robust and adaptable building forms that can be repurposed over time, helping to extend their lifespan and reduce the carbon impacts associated with demolition and reconstruction. 

3. Proposals for advertising, street furniture and signage will only be permitted where they do not harm the character or visual amenity of the area, obstruct movement, or compromise public safety. They must have a clear purpose, avoid unnecessary clutter, and be appropriate in size, design, materials, colour, and illumination, with consideration given to their cumulative visual impact. 

4. Neighbourhood plans can, and are encouraged to, set out design principles which respond to their own local circumstances. 

Good design is a key aspect of sustainable development and has the potential to maintain and enhance existing environments, alongside bringing benefits in terms of the health and wellbeing of residents. The local planning authority is committed to securing a high-quality environment and wishes to secure design which is inspired by and reinforces the individual character of the settlements within the

The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

Area. National planning policy emphasises the need to create a robust policy framework to achieve high quality design, with this being supported through the National Planning Practice Guidance: Design: process and tools, and the National Design Guide. The Plan provides a framework to promote high-quality, well-designed developments, and good quality housing. 

The

The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

area has a strong history of delivering high quality design in new development and it is important that this continues. The

The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

A plan for the future development of a local area, drawn up by the local planning authority in consultation with the community. In law this is described as the development plan documents adopted under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. A local plan can consist of either strategic or non-strategic policies, or a combination of the two.

seeks to ensure that buildings and places are of a high quality, improve the wellbeing of our communities, and are adaptable so that they can be appreciated by future generations. In addition, dwellings built to adapt to and accommodate the needs of the occupier over their lifetime can facilitate choice, increase accessibility, help meet the needs of an ageing population, and improve quality of life. 

High quality design goes beyond a pure aesthetic response and includes more detailed matters such as functional design and assessment of impacts on setting and amenity.

The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

is rich in landscape and heritage assets which can be sensitive to new developments and therefore the design of proposals should respond to local context. High quality design also incorporates designing places that put people first, promote health and wellbeing, are welcoming, feel safe, are enjoyable and easy to use for everyone. 

This refers to development in its widest sense, including buildings, and streets, spaces and places. It also refers to both redevelopment, including refurbishment, as well as new development.

proposals must seek to create safe and secure environments. Solutions should be integrated and not delivered in a way that reduces the attractiveness of places or perceived safety. Careful design which integrates crime prevention features into the overall design of a building or space rather than adding them on at the end can usually decrease the fear of crime. Solutions such as good passive surveillance, well positioned entrances, good lighting, clear circulation routes, and secure boundaries will be considered appropriate. 

High quality building design is linked to context, in terms of appropriateness, and to place making, in terms of how the proposed development will be sited. Without imposing architectural tastes or styles, it is important that a proposed development is considered in terms of location, height, scale, and form, along with materials and detailing. It is important that the policy achieves an approach that is both appropriate to urban and rural contexts, redevelopment within existing contexts, and development in new and emerging places being created in

The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

. Materials for new buildings should also be suitable for their purpose and setting. The durability of materials and how they weather are important factors in creating long lasting and sustainable buildings. 

All the necessary environmental services, plant, recycling and refuse storage, bicycle and car parking must be considered early in the design process and be successfully integrated into the development to form part of the overall design and not as an afterthought. Such features must be designed to be secure, located conveniently and appropriately designed to be unobtrusive. 

Managing visual pollution is essential to delivering high quality design. Elements such as excessive signage, poorly placed advertising, satellite dishes, and street furniture can undermine the visual appeal of public spaces, harm the character of historic areas, and negatively affect quality of life and the visitor experience. This is especially important in sensitive locations like conservation areas and the historic core of the city, where such clutter can detract from heritage assets. The Council will seek to ensure that new proposals are sympathetic to their surroundings and will work proactively, including with the highway authority, to reduce visual clutter and support the use of high-quality materials and thoughtful design. 

The use of the Local Planning Authority’s pre-application advice service is recommended to provide input at an early stage to evaluate design proposals and provide advice and observations to help improve and add value to schemes. Furthermore, the Greater Cambridge Design Review Panel offers independent advice on schemes that are significant because of their scale, site, or because of a local issue, specific impact exceptional challenge, or public benefit. The design review process can assist to improve and refine the scheme and verify the quality of a design. 

• The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

  A plan for the future development of a local area, drawn up by the local planning authority in consultation with the community. In law this is described as the development plan documents adopted under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. A local plan can consist of either strategic or non-strategic policies, or a combination of the two.

  : Topic Paper 5: Great Places

We will consider all comments while developing the next version of the

A plan for the future development of a local area, drawn up by the local planning authority in consultation with the community. In law this is described as the development plan documents adopted under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. A local plan can consist of either strategic or non-strategic policies, or a combination of the two.

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All comments must be received by 30 January 2026 at 5pm.