1.1 Harlow: The Challenge
Comment
Draft Harlow Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document
Representation ID: 66
Received: 28/01/2011
Respondent: Daphne Monks
Having lived in this town for over 50 years I can appreciate the good planning - I feel much saddness at the mistakes.
Good planning = The schools, hospitals and surgeries and cycle tracks.
Bad planning = The excessive house building which provide no vital public facilities. Or for the travel possibilities = harlow car gridlocks will be inevitable, and cause continuous distress - as it does already.
Harlow is too big now - and should be seriously divided up and maintained properly.
It is clearly completely uncared for. It is so shabby.
Having lived in this town for over 50 years I can appreciate the good planning - I feel much saddness at the mistakes.
Good planning = The schools, hospitals and surgeries and cycle tracks.
Bad planning = The excessive house building which provide no vital public facilities. Or for the travel possibilities = harlow car gridlocks will be inevitable, and cause continuous distress - as it does already.
Harlow is too big now - and should be seriously divided up and maintained properly.
It is clearly completely uncared for. It is so shabby.
Comment
Draft Harlow Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document
Representation ID: 69
Received: 28/01/2011
Respondent: Highways England
The Highways Agency has no comment on the Draft Design Guide as the document has greater relevance to individual developments as they come forward and athe related development team.
The Highways Agency has no comment on the Draft Design Guide as the document has greater relevance to individual developments as they come forward and athe related development team.
Comment
Draft Harlow Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document
Representation ID: 70
Received: 28/01/2011
Respondent: Epping Forest District Council
I attach officer level comments to meet the deadline of 31st January. I will report thie issues (not the typos!) to an appropriate future
Committee so that Members are aware of the comments that have been made.
I think it is unlikely that they would seek to change significantly any of the responses. As you will see, my concerns are mainly about the
strategic landscape setting of the town, and the potential impact of settlement edge development on the adjoining countryside, particularly for urban extensions which may be built in this district.
I attach officer level comments to meet the deadline of 31st January. I will report thie issues (not the typos!) to an appropriate future
Committee so that Members are aware of the comments that have been made.
I think it is unlikely that they would seek to change significantly any of the responses. As you will see, my concerns are mainly about the
strategic landscape setting of the town, and the potential impact of settlement edge development on the adjoining countryside, particularly for urban extensions which may be built in this district.
Comment
Draft Harlow Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document
Representation ID: 78
Received: 28/01/2011
Respondent: Essex County Council
Harlow Council has welcomed comments from the County Council in response to the draft SPD as part of the six week consultation. The County Council has prepared officer level comments. It is important to note that these comments do not reflect the official view of the County Council. The comments reflect technical views expressed by officers within the County Council. Officers welcome further discussion with Harlow Council and Harlow Renaissance if required to assist in shaping the final adopted SPD.
I am responding to your letter dated 17th December 2010 welcoming comments in relation to the Harlow Design Guidance Supplementary Planning Document. The County Council has sought to respond to this consultation by providing Harlow Council with technical officer comments. We are not proposing to seek Cabinet Member approval of these comments. They represent technical officer comments from a range of services groups within the County Council. If you require any further clarification of the views expressed please let me know and I will be happy to assist.
Comment
Draft Harlow Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document
Representation ID: 79
Received: 28/01/2011
Respondent: Essex County Council
The key issues impacting on the County Council include -
Urban Extensions - Greater considerations should be given to assist in delivering high quality design and sustainable communities within the proposed urban extension(s) in Harlow.
Education - Recommend consideration be given to accessibility of schools, healthier and safer school initiatives.
Historic Environment - Recommend that Harlow's Local Development Framework be informed by a Historic Characterisation Study. Furthermore the historic environment should be referred to in its broadest sense not limited to buildings
Design and Layout - Recommend that the SPD provides more detail to ensure the delivery of high quality design and sustainable communities within Harlow.
I am responding to your letter dated 17th December 2010 welcoming comments in relation to the Harlow Design Guidance Supplementary Planning Document. The County Council has sought to respond to this consultation by providing Harlow Council with technical officer comments. We are not proposing to seek Cabinet Member approval of these comments. They represent technical officer comments from a range of services groups within the County Council. If you require any further clarification of the views expressed please let me know and I will be happy to assist.
Comment
Draft Harlow Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document
Representation ID: 90
Received: 28/01/2011
Respondent: The Theatres Trust
Our Ref.: RF/3370
Design Guide
Thank you for your email of 21 November consulting The Theatres Trust on the draft Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document.
The Theatres Trust is The National Advisory Public Body for Theatres. The Theatres Trust Act 1976 states that 'The Theatres Trust exists to promote the better protection of theatres. It currently delivers statutory planning advice on theatre buildings and theatre use through the Town & Country Planning (General Development Procedure) (England) Order 2010 (DMPO), Articles 16 & 17, Schedule 5, para.(w) that requires the Trust to be consulted by local authorities on planning applications which include 'development involving any land on which there is a theatre.'
Here is another quotation for your document:
'Bad plays need not be seen, books need not be read but nothing but blindness or the numbing of our faculty of observation can protect us from buildings in the street.'
(William Lethaby, Arts and Crafts architect and assistant to Norman Shaw, 1857-1931)
Our Ref.: RF/3370
Design Guide
Thank you for your email of 21 November consulting The Theatres Trust on the draft Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document.
The Theatres Trust is The National Advisory Public Body for Theatres. The Theatres Trust Act 1976 states that 'The Theatres Trust exists to promote the better protection of theatres. It currently delivers statutory planning advice on theatre buildings and theatre use through the Town & Country Planning (General Development Procedure) (England) Order 2010 (DMPO), Articles 16 & 17, Schedule 5, para.(w) that requires the Trust to be consulted by local authorities on planning applications which include 'development involving any land on which there is a theatre.'
Here is another quotation for your document:
'Bad plays need not be seen, books need not be read but nothing but blindness or the numbing of our faculty of observation can protect us from buildings in the street.'
(William Lethaby, Arts and Crafts architect and assistant to Norman Shaw, 1857-1931)
Comment
Draft Harlow Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document
Representation ID: 97
Received: 31/01/2011
Respondent: Roydon Action Group
Implementation
This is a guide, there needs to be a mechanism by which the principles are
applied. It may be thought that what constitute good design is subjective to
a degree but that is erroneous. The Pearson building on Edinburgh Way is an
example of good design. Sadly, the new buildings near the station are not.
It should not only be a matter of there being enlightened clients.
I am not qualified to comment fully on the Guide and have just a few
comments but first I would like to express appreciation of a very thorough
document which combines principles which should be nationally applied allied
with principles allied to Harlow¹s character.
Comment
Draft Harlow Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document
Representation ID: 109
Received: 31/01/2011
Respondent: Moat Homes
We agree that that the guide needs to remain true to Hrlow;s distinct charachter
We agree that that the guide needs to remain true to Hrlow;s distinct charachter
Comment
Draft Harlow Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document
Representation ID: 143
Received: 01/02/2011
Respondent: Harlow Area Access Group
HAAG recognises the SPD as an essential tool in enabling Harlow District Council, in its guise as the local Planning Authority, to create and develop the local community in keeping with residents expectations and to empower its Development Control Department to achieve such expectations without undue equivocation.
HAAG acknowledges the ambition to maintain the 'Gibberd' architectural style and traditions, as established in the 1940's, but anticipates that all such aspirations' are duly modernised to reflect changing technologies, environmental standards and social policies. In this regards HAAG does not consider the draft SPD to offer sufficient direction on how evolving principles of inclusive design are to be adopted in delivering the levels of social sustainability which are clearly a primary objective of 21st.Century urban planning.
Thank you for providing an opportunity for the Harlow Area Access Group (HAAG) to comment on the draft Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) - December 2010 edition.
The following comments and observations reiterate the views expressed on HAAG's behalf at the SPD Review Workshop, held on 20th.January:
Comment
Draft Harlow Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document
Representation ID: 149
Received: 01/02/2011
Respondent: Natural England
General comments
Natural England is generally supportive of the Design Guide approach that Harlow is taking to the delivery of future development within the district.
We are however disappointed that the document does not include more specific polices to enable the implementation of the design guide. The importance of the green wedges and green fingers is repeatedly stressed through the document but it makes no recommendations to secure their funding, for example by expecting developments to contribute to delivery of the greenways identified in the GI Plan.
The role of Natural England
Natural England is a non-departmental public body. Our statutory purpose is to ensure that the natural environment is conserved, enhanced, and managed for the benefit of present and future generations, thereby contributing to sustainable development.
We have considered the proposal against the full range of Natural England's interests in the natural environment. Based on the information provided with the application, our comments are as follows:
Comment
Draft Harlow Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document
Representation ID: 6002
Received: 01/02/2011
Respondent: Harlow Area Access Group
HAAG recognises that the SPD should not serve to inhibit innovative design and it supports the objective of enabling design teams adequate scope to be creative in developing architectural style and performance. However, HAAG takes the view that any such creativity must remain consistent with established principles, best practices' and national guidance, particularly where any form of way-finding in the public realm, the hierarchy of streets or parkland is involved. To this extent it is felt that the SPD must specify the recognised guidance, i.e. Manual for Street, Inclusive Mobility, etc. as the source of obligatory design criteria.
Thank you for providing an opportunity for the Harlow Area Access Group (HAAG) to comment on the draft Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) - December 2010 edition.
The following comments and observations reiterate the views expressed on HAAG's behalf at the SPD Review Workshop, held on 20th.January:
Comment
Draft Harlow Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document
Representation ID: 6005
Received: 31/01/2011
Respondent: Roydon Action Group
I am not qualified to comment fully on the Guide and have just a few
comments but first I would like to express appreciation of a very thorough
document which combines principles which should be nationally applied allied
with principles allied to Harlow¹s character.
I am not qualified to comment fully on the Guide and have just a few
comments but first I would like to express appreciation of a very thorough
document which combines principles which should be nationally applied allied
with principles allied to Harlow¹s character.