Great Dunmow Town Design Statement - Design guidance for enhancing and protecting the character of Dunmow.

Guidelines For New Development

Recommendations for the ENTRANCES - summary

East

B1067

Protection of the agricultural landscapes to north and south of the road
Protection and enhancement of woodlands and trees in the view
Enhancement of the St Edmunds Lane junction and approach to Church End

A120

Protection of agricultural land forming the setting of the Chelmer to east and west south of Braintree Road junction
Enhancement of verges and boundaries

South

Further enhancement works to A120 roundabout
Enhancement of A120/ B184 junction
Enhancement and strengthening of boundaries to existing development and to the oak and Chelmsford road Industrial Estates
Creation of landscape structure plan to create strong and rural boundary to the land to the west if and when it comes forward to incorporate appropriate pedestrian and cycle ways.

West

Protection of woodland and agricultural land bordering A120
Protection of character to west of A120 from intrusion and sporadic development

Stortford Road

Protection to West Wood boundary and integrity
Removal of uses to storage area adjacent to A120
Protection of open character of agricultural landscape to north
Protection of green edge to lands to south

North

Protection of open sloping landscape
Avoidance of intrusive development along skyline
Enhancement of boundaries
Enhancement of pedestrian and cycle facilities
Strong and effective landscape plan to minimise effect of western by pass

HOUSING AND OTHER DEVELOPMENT IN GENERAL

New development should where possible be planned to be small in scale and progress slowly
Any significant new development should be made subject to a master plan which contains a building code consistent with these guidelines
All significant new development should incorporate mixed use in the form of commercial activity and social and community facilities
All new development should make provision for safe commodious and attractive and well landscaped pedestrian routes linked whoever possible into the towns existing network and should make contributions to enhancing the network as a whole
Gaps in the footpath network should be remedied as soon as possible
Cycleways should be provided wherever possible as integral to the footpath network
Footpaths within developments should be overlooked by housing or other fully used buildings
Good provision should be made for parking and storage of cycles
Open space should be provided so as to allow for children’s play, informal meeting space and more active sport and reservation
Open space should be overlooked by houses or other building
Provision should be made for growing of food
Provision should be made for active play outside formal play area
Tree planting should be extensive using native species in naturalised patterns
Biodiversity should be encouraged by the proper planting and effective management of open space and green area
New developments should make contributions to the enhancement of existing natural area and woodlands
Houses should be planned to enclose well designed and well proportioned spaces and streets with effective boundary walls or features using natural materials and native planting
Vehicular ways should be integrated where possible with footways in a shared surface
Speeds within all developments should be kept by design means to 30 kph.
Cars should be parked off the shared surfaces
Provision should be made for bin storage that is accessible and convenient to all
Materials used in new buildings should be of a high quality. Where it is proposed to use vernacular styles the materials should be authentically related to existing range of materials in Great Dunmow.
Buildings should be two storeys in height unless precedent of clear justification can be established and context studies produced to demonstrate no harm to the setting or nearby important buildings