The proposals include a Design Guide, developed in conjunction with leading professionals, to provide both an overarching framework and parameters for future reserve matters applications, to ensure that any future development of the site would be brought forward in a cohesive manner that respects the locational context.
As part of this Design Guide a series of High Quality Design Principles (HQDPs) have been developed as follows:
HQDP 1: Responding to the climate change emergency by designing in and future-proofing sustainability from the start across all aspects of building, infrastructure and landscape design, whilst allowing for adaptation and later enhancement to meet occupier requirements.
HQDP 2: Maintaining a Strategic Gap between the development site and Polesworth with Dordon to the east, and Birchmoor to the north, utilising HE’s extensive land holdings, to create a strong landscape setting with views and legible routes to and from the Site, and connecting with the surrounding landscape.
HQDP 3: Providing safe and convenient access for all users coming to and from the Site, including the local community for leisure uses, commuters, and visitors.
HQDP 4: Ensuring that prominent buildings are distinctive, distinguishable, and relate to human scale and operational requirements whilst minimising the wider visual impact. Larger warehouse elements will utilise varied ground levels and sympathetic building components to break up facades and screen service yards.
HQDP 5: Generating a uniform architectural language and design of built form to enhance legibility and wayfinding for the Site and surroundings. Creating a sense of place and respecting the distinctive and varied architecture and built form of the surrounding environs.
HQDP 6: Encouraging healthy and active lifestyles through the incorporation and enhancement of landscaping features, and linkages between the Site and surrounding area for recreation and leisure uses.
HQDP 7: Creation of a multi-functional green and blue infrastructure network, where valuable landscape features and ecological assets are enhanced, increasing biodiversity and habitat connectivity. Buildings will also contribute towards these networks and will meet the highest standard of sustainability that is practicably achievable.
