Council asking for people's views on draft design guide to ensure consistently high-quality future developments

Wiltshire Council is asking for people's views on a draft guide that, if formally adopted, will help to ensure that future developments in the county are consistently of a high-quality design.

The draft Wiltshire Design Guide has been structured around the '10 characteristics of good design', as described in the National Design Guide, and if adopted will be used as a supplementary planning document. These characteristics help ensure that all aspects of good design are considered and not singularly focused on the appearance of new buildings.

This means the Wiltshire Design Guide should provide new, locally-authored design guidance that would apply across Wiltshire at a level of detail that does not exist in the national equivalent. The guide will advise on good practice when building houses and other developments and help ensure that design complies with local priorities and preferences.

At its meeting on 2 May, Wiltshire Council's Cabinet agreed to put the plan out to public consultation. The consultation is now under way and will run for four weeks until 30 July. To participate in the consultation people should visit www.wiltshire.gov.uk/article/6110/Wiltshire-Design-Guide, where they will find more information, a copy of the draft design guide and a survey /feedback form to complete.

Hard copies of the draft guide are available for reference at Wiltshire Council's libraries and at the council's three main offices in Monkton Park Chippenham, County Hall Trowbridge and Bourne Hill, Salisbury. The council will also be hosting an hour-long information sharing webinar to talk about the draft WDG in more detail. The webinar, which is open to all, will take place at 6:30pm on 19 July and on 26 July from 10am - 5:30pm an Urban Designer will be available in-person to answer any questions at: County Hall, Bythesea Road, Trowbridge BA14 8JQ.

More information and the online survey are available on the Wiltshire Council website: www.wiltshire.gov.uk/article/6110/Wiltshire-Design-Guide.

Cllr Nick Botterill, Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, said: This Design Guide represents a step change in our approach and will help ensure that future local developments of whatever sort are consistent, high quality and in keeping with what we'd expect in our beautiful and unique county.

The guide will complement existing and important planning documents such as our Local Plan, Neighbourhood Plans and Village Design Statements. It will also help us achieve what we've set out in our Business Plan, particularly in helping create a resilient society, a thriving economy and a sustainable environment.

We look forward to hearing the public's views on our draft plan with the aim of formally adopting it later this year.