Design & placemaking

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy protects trees, woodlands, orchards and hedgerows. There is a presumption to refuse development that would cause the loss or deterioration of ancient or veteran trees, ancient woodland, traditional orchards or important native hedgerows, except in exceptional circumstances with clear overriding public benefit. Minimum natural buffers are required, including fifty metres for ancient woodland, at least twenty-five metres for other woodland and five metres either side of hedgerows. Where trees could be affected, a tree survey to British Standard 5837 is required, and acceptable losses must be replaced with locally appropriate species.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy requires larger developments to build in features that help wildlife, on top of any compensation already required. New homes must include at least two ecological features per dwelling, half of them swift boxes, while non-residential buildings need at least one feature per fifty square metres of floor space. Features can include bat, bird and bee boxes, hedgehog holes in fences and safe road crossings for toads and badgers. Developers must submit an ecological enhancement plan covering locations, installation and ongoing maintenance.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy protects the Chilterns National Landscape, which covers 27% of the council area and has the highest status of landscape protection. Development within it should be limited in scale, and development in its setting must be sensitively located and designed. All proposals must take a landscape-led approach, conserve the area's special qualities and follow the Chilterns Building Design Guide. Major developments will be refused unless exceptional circumstances are shown to be in the public interest, and must be supported by a Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy requires all development to protect and enhance Buckinghamshire's landscapes. Proposals must draw on the county's Landscape Character Assessments, reflect local development patterns, reinforce local character, avoid harm to key views, and minimise light pollution at night and noise in quiet areas. They should also enhance public rights of way. Where harm to landscape character cannot be avoided, mitigation is required, with compensation only as a last resort, following the mitigation hierarchy in national planning policy.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy manages noise, air quality and contaminated land. Noise-generating developments must include attenuation measures, and noise-sensitive uses such as homes, schools and hospitals will not be supported where users would suffer from existing noise. Developments that may worsen air quality must submit an air quality impact assessment, particularly within Air Quality Management Areas, and road traffic is identified as the county's main source of air pollution. Development on land that may be contaminated requires an assessment, with remediation normally completed before first occupation.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy controls artificial light at night to protect wildlife, dark skies and local character. External lighting must be the minimum needed for safety and security, with light spill, glare and impact on the night sky minimised. Dark corridors, such as watercourses and hedgerow networks, must be protected because species like bats depend on them. A mitigation hierarchy applies: avoid lighting in sensitive areas first, then minimise it, then compensate. All lighting should have a clear purpose, be no brighter than necessary, use warmer colours where possible and be switched off when not needed.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy requires all new developments, except householder applications, to follow a vision-led approach to transport that prioritises walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport before car use. Larger sites must provide safe walking and cycling routes, including safe routes to schools within statutory walking distance (2 miles for under 8s, 3 miles for over 8s), and fund new or improved bus services for at least five years. Requirements also cover travel plans, car clubs, mobility hubs, and changing and shower facilities in non-residential buildings over 2,500 square metres. Developments must not have an unacceptable impact on highway or rail safety.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy requires all developments to comply with the Buckinghamshire Parking Standards for new developments. It also covers Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs), which manage on-street parking, and requires them where a development would create parking demand beyond available capacity or cause safety or access problems. Schemes with reduced or shared parking, including in town centres, must implement CPZs where needed. Electric vehicle charging must be provided in line with current government regulations, with EV spaces normally counted within the standard parking allowance.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy requires development to be supported by adequate infrastructure, such as schools, healthcare, transport and utilities. Development will only be permitted where capacity already exists or the scheme delivers or funds what is needed, with delivery timed to match the growth it serves. Land must be safeguarded where infrastructure cannot be provided straight away, and linked sites must plan infrastructure jointly. A related policy (IN2) requires developments of 10 or more dwellings to provide healthcare and education infrastructure or financial contributions, calculated using set methodologies.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy requires all new housing and commercial developments to include underground ducting for telecommunications cabling, and sites for masts where extra mobile capacity is needed, unless developers can justify why this is not feasible. Above-ground equipment must be designed to minimise visual impact, and alternatives such as mast sharing must be considered. In sensitive locations like the Green Belt, National Landscape and conservation areas, the benefits of large masts must outweigh any harm. Equipment must be removed when no longer required.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy requires all new dwellings and conversions to meet the nationally described technical housing standards for minimum internal space. These standards cover the overall floor area of a home for a given number of occupants, as well as the size of bedrooms, storage space and floor to ceiling height. The standards already apply in the former Wycombe district area, and the plan's evidence will test the viability of applying them across the whole of Buckinghamshire.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section sets out proposal COV.3 at Kings Hill, south of Coventry. The 269-hectare site will deliver at least 4,000 homes in line with the adopted Kings Hill Masterplan and Design Code, of which 2,500 already have outline permission. It includes two two-form entry primary schools, a six-form entry secondary school with room to expand to eight forms, and two neighbourhood centres with a community centre and GP surgery. A multimodal spine road, bus gate access and provision for very light rail serve the site, with densities from 35 to 50 homes per hectare.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy requires development in Conservation Areas to preserve or enhance their character and appearance, having regard to siting, density, scale, height and design. Natural materials matching existing buildings should be used, and important views into, out of and within the area must be protected. Demolition of unlisted buildings that make a positive contribution will be resisted, and trees that contribute to character will be protected, with Tree Preservation Orders made where needed. Buckinghamshire has 179 Conservation Areas, and a programme to review them all has begun.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy requires all development to conserve heritage assets, including their settings, in a manner appropriate to their significance. Heritage statements or archaeological evaluations must accompany proposals affecting heritage assets. Proposals causing substantial harm to a designated asset will be refused unless public benefits clearly outweigh the harm, and lesser harm must also be weighed against public benefits. Buckinghamshire has 5,877 listed buildings, 41 registered historic parks and gardens and 147 scheduled monuments. Important archaeological remains should be preserved in place where possible.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy requires all development to provide a high standard of living for residents of both new and existing homes. Schemes must be designed to maximise privacy, optimise natural light while minimising overheating risk, and avoid or mitigate harmful noise, vibration, air pollution and odour. All dwellings must have a good outlook, preferably onto green landscaping rather than hard surfaces or car parking, and developments must support residents' actual and perceived sense of safety and security.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy requires development proposals to align with the Buckinghamshire Design Code and national design guidance, and states that poorly designed proposals should be refused. Substantial weight is given to compliance with the code, and also to outstanding or innovative designs that promote sustainability or raise design standards, provided they fit their surroundings. Applicants may need to prepare local design tools for significant projects. The quality of an approved scheme must not be watered down between planning permission and completion.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy requires all new development, except most householder schemes, to include Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), which mimic natural drainage by slowing and storing rainwater on site. Run-off must not materially increase, with greenfield sites limited to existing greenfield rates. Schemes must show no flooding in a 1 in 30 year storm and safe containment of a 1 in 100 year storm plus climate change. A drainage hierarchy applies, preferring rainwater reuse and infiltration over sewer connections, and long-term maintenance plans must be secured.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy sets water efficiency standards for new development, reflecting that the South East is classed as under serious water stress. All new dwellings must achieve a standard of 85 litres per person per day, or any tighter future national requirement. Non-residential development must achieve full credits in the BREEAM water calculator, with at least three credits under the Wat01 measure. Refurbishments and changes of use must be retrofitted to the same standards. The approach aims to protect the chalk aquifer and the Chilterns' chalk streams from over-abstraction.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section covers the Stoneleigh Employment Group, proposals STO.1 to STO.3, across 188 hectares. Together they deliver about 82.3 hectares of non-strategic employment land: 5.4 hectares through intensifying Stoneleigh Park, 64.9 hectares north and south of Stoneleigh Road, and 12 hectares at Manor Fields Farm. A new multimodal spine road, using former HS2 compound land, will give an alternative access to Stoneleigh Park and act as a bypass for Stoneleigh village. Development must protect Kings Wood, the Stoneleigh Abbey estate and other heritage assets, with delivery from 2030 onwards.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section presents the Stratford-upon-Avon Gateway Masterplan in drawing form. It consists of two figures: one showing land use and urban form principles for the Gateway site, and another showing the height and massing principles that new buildings there should follow. The detail sits in the plan drawings themselves rather than in written policy text.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section presents the masterplan for the University of Warwick's Wellesbourne Campus in drawing form. It contains a concept masterplan figure and a character areas figure, which together show how the campus is expected to develop and how different parts of the site are intended to vary in use and form. The detail sits in the drawings rather than in written policy text.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section lists the parishes designated as rural areas under the Housing (Right to Buy) (Designated Rural Areas and Designated Regions) (England) (No 2) Order 2004, as referenced in Policy HO.3. All the listed parishes, from Admington to Wootton Wawen, are in Stratford-on-Avon District. No parishes in Warwick District have this designation. The designation affects how certain affordable housing rules apply in these places.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section provides detailed guidance on delivering affordable housing. It explains the Vacant Building Credit, which reduces affordable housing requirements in proportion to the floorspace of vacant buildings being redeveloped, with a worked example. It covers viability negotiations, tenure and size mix, and requires affordable homes to be visually indistinguishable from market homes and dispersed in clusters of generally no more than 8 to 10 units. It also sets out Section 106 delivery arrangements, local connection rules, phasing triggers, off-site contributions, rural exception sites and the four tests for specialised housing.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains the guidance for self-build and custom-build housing, where occupiers lead the design or construction of their own homes. The home must be the builder's main residence for at least three years to qualify for exemption from the Community Infrastructure Levy. Councils keep a register of interested people and must permit enough plots to match demand over a rolling three-year period. Plots for sale must be fully serviced, and schemes of 2 to 9 homes are supported. Plots unsold after 12 months of marketing, plus 6 months at a reduced price, may become general market housing.