The Design Working Group is led by Graham Beveridge and covers architecture, landscaping, site layout, lighting, garaging and parking needs, special factors such as the two designated Conservation Areas (central Benenden and Iden Green), smaller settlements in the Parish, impact upon listed buildings, whole life issues (ie building homes that will still be appropriate as people age or become infirm). Issues relating to the “modernising” of listed and other historic buildings. Sustainability issues, specifically access to local services and facilities.
Their focus is to undertake a Character Assessment and develop design codes and policies for inclusion in the Neighbourhood Plan. This will be added to core information from the 2015 Parish Plan, plus the input from the village at the Housing workshop on 11th Nov, and other sources. They have undertaken a survey of design styles and features across the village, and this will provide input into the design policies proposals they will include in the Plan.
| Working Group Members are: | |
| Graham Beveridge | |
| Peta Grant | Mervyn Skeet |
| Kent Barker | |
| Lynne Kemp | |
Our Objective: We will create policies and guidelines that enable developments to meet our aspirations for well-designed, high-quality housing that integrates with the local styles, enhancing our village feel and historic beauty.
Key Design & Built Environment issues from the Housing Supply & Design Workshop Outputs
| Rental | Land bank for self-build |
| Apartments | No street lighting! |
| Dog waste bins around the parish / litter bins | Authentic but not necessarily rustic |
| Low density – make more use of the Dens | No pastiche – ersatz design should be opposed |
| Locally sourced sustainable materials | Minimal signage |
| Fewer executive houses | One, two, three bedrooms |
| Discreet parking, sensitive landscaping, design and layout | Discourage ‘big’ developers – no off the shelf-design |
| Modest size – prefer local builders – offer preferential conditions |
Some of their work so far featured in the Parish magazine in September, and the Village Exhibition in Iden Green September ’18; see our News article ‘Design and the Built Environment‘.