Urban design

What does it mean?

Urban design draws together many strands of place making; it looks at an area as a whole - the buildings, the spaces around and between the buildings, streets and landscaped areas so that what is created is a place with distinct identity but which also works seamlessly with its surroundings.

Urban design is about creating a vision for an area and through dialogue and negotiation, that vision is realised.

By analysing existing places and the complex relationships between the various parts we can learn to recreate the positive qualities and avoid the more negative aspects, so as to create a stimulating, rich and exciting new environment.

This is achieved through involvement in the main regeneration areas within the city:

• Devonport
• Millbay
• City centre
• Barbican/Sutton Harbour
• The Hoe
• Derriford/Seaton
• East End
• North Plymstock

Within these areas the Council help to generate policies, strategies and development frameworks as well as being involved more specifically with individual proposals that come forward as planning applications in these areas.

Guidance available includes:

• City centre precinct urban design framework
• Draft tall buildings strategy
• Harwell street planning and design brief
• Treverbyn planning and design brief
• Alma Road planning and design brief
• Sutton Harbour interim planning statement
• A design strategy supplementary planning document for the whole city is currently being prepared.