Urban Design

Urban Design is the art of making places for people. It includes the way places work as well as how they look. It concerns the connection between people and places, movement and urban form, nature and the built fabric, the spaces between buildings and the processes for ensuring villages and towns work as living environments. It is not just concerned about the design of individual buildings.

Urban Design is key to sustainable developments, through the prudent use of natural resources and providing conditions for economic growth and regeneration. Good design can also help to retain, develop or create local distinctiveness by providing buildings, streets and spaces that are pleasant to use, human in scale and, sometimes, places that inspire.

The Goverment has emphasised the importance of good design and pointed out that the best way to promote sucessful and sustainable regeneration, conservation and place making is to think about urban design from the start of the development and planning process. Leaving urban design until the end of this process is unlikely to lead to the best outcome in terms of quality. Therefore there is a need to think coherently about the way places are designed from the outset.

The Council recognises that good urban design requires a 'partnership' between the planning authority and applicants for the benefit of the built environment, the public and the local economy.

Design in Buildings and Places guidance document

Contact Environment at North Dorset District Council on (01258) 484212 or email environment@north-dorset.gov.uk for more information on this service