Village/Town Design
What is a Village/Town Design Statement?
A Village/Town Design Statement (V/TDS) is a document produced by local people and endorsed by the Local Planning Authority. It provides a framework for new development based on local distinctiveness, local character, and sense of place. A V/TDS is intended to influence the operation of the statutory planning system by being adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document by the Local Planning Authority.
Spatial planning matters in a Parish Plan can be adopted as, or become part of, a Supplementary Planning Document by the Local Planning Authority, thereby adding more local detail to core planning policies.
Village/Town Design Statements are designed to manage change and state how development should be carried out - not whether development should take place.
The two initiatives were launched by the Countryside Commission in 1996 and the Countryside Agency in 2003 respectively. They are intended to focus on the themes of:
- Local character
- local distinctiveness and sense of place
- harmony between buildings, settlements and the wider landscape
A Landscape Character Assessment describes the distinctive character of the parish, showing how character can be identified through:
- the landscape setting
- views into and out of the parish
- the shape of the settlement (the village)
- the nature of the buildings and materials
