Masterplanning & Urban Design (L3)

Question 1

What is a masterplan?

Answer 1

Overarching document in planning that defines spatial layout to structure land use and development

Question 2

Masterplanning is a vision and strategy for what?

Answer 2

Design framework for land uses, Green and grey infrastructure

Question 3

What is the difference between a design guide and a design code?

Answer 3

Code is a regulatory framework and illustrative document with detailed design parameters (often produced at outline and trumps current policy)
Eg: land uses, character areas, typologies, landscaping, materials.

A guide is not mandatory to follow but outlines deliverables, principles, standards and opportunities to follow on a projects scope.

Question 4

What is a garden city?

Answer 4

Satttelite communities -Ebenezer Howard architect. 20th century eg Letchworth GC. Towns separate by greenbelt.

Question 5

How is a large urban extension defined?

Answer 5

“Planned expansion of a city to deliver sustainable development”

Gets more than 4 yes from OPP to SOS
INFA delivery
S106 negotiation

Question 6

Name some placemaking features

Answer 6

An approach prioritising people over infrastructure.

Landscaping and POS
Marker buildings on key corners/vistas
Entrance features
SUDs designs (balancing pond)

Question 7

What is a plot profitability and how do you use one?

Answer 7

Tool to determine most profitable units in the portfolio. Sales value vs build cost and land use: best utilisation of space on a site.
The profitability shows: BC-Price-Land Value : % efficiency and profit margin.

Question 8

What is good placemaking?

Answer 8

A multi phased approach to planning, design and management of public spaces that promotes wellbeing. Includes architecture, sustainability and layout.

Question 9

What is the purpose of a parameter plan?

Answer 9

Established out outline consents
Are the parameters for development
Rm must accord to them
Eg. story heights, land uses

Question 10

What is the difference between strategic and project masterplanning?

Answer 10

All master plans require infa, planning, consultation etc.

Strategic is about regeneration. Large scale.

Project is site focussed and has definable boundaries.

Question 11

What is regeneration?

Answer 11

Large scale work to promote economic growth and quality of life. Eg. The Towns fund.

Question 12

What is the Towns fund?

Answer 12

£3.6 billion to invest in levelling up regions. Investment to support economic and sustainable growth.

Question 13

What does NPPF paragraph 130 and 134 state about good design?

Answer 13

130: development focus on quality.
134: If a development is not well designed, it should be refused.

Building beautiful commission & prioritising beauty in 2021 NOPF changes.

Question 14

What is GREEN vs GREY infastructure?

Answer 14

Green = natural systems (forest, wetlands, sustainable SUDs, green corridors)

Grey = structures (dams, pipes, treatment plants, permeable paving, lifecycle costs)

Question 15

Define a consortium scheme

Answer 15

Mixed use development intended to create opportunity for a group of partners to develop land.

Question 16

What is ‘secured bY design’?

Answer 16

A police initiative. Supports designing out crime on schemes.
Eg: the layout of buildings/rear access/parking/lighting.

Question 17

What is the BUILDING FOR LIFE design code?

Answer 17

Homes England have created a Design code (12th edition) for public spaces and neighbourhoods. Ie Biodiversity and Active Travel.

The document sets standards for:
Home/street
Neighbourhood integration
Creation of a place

Question 18

What character areas were you bound by on Wintringham?

Answer 18

Informal urban edge : > dense / terraces / consistent frontages.

Rural edge: <dense/detached housing/staggered frontages.

Question 19

Can you outline some literature on the Government’s Design guidance?

Answer 19

The NATIONAL DESIGN GUIDE.
Is a PPG for beautiful, enduring and successful places. Emphasis on places not buildings. To guide planning system.

X10 characteristics.
Context/built form/movement/POS/lifespan/identity/homes/resources/nature/uses.

Question 20

When was Building Better Building Beautiful Comission’s final report?

Answer 20

2020. “Living with beauty”

Question 21

What is the Stirling Prize?

Answer 21

RIBA’s top award for design/architecture.
2022: New Library, Magdalen College, Cambridge.

Question 22

What is Urban Design?

Answer 22

The art of designing cities.
Mass scale architecture to design spaces and places.
Emphasises human psychology in placemaking.

Question 23

How do you design public spaces to a high quality?

Answer 23

Think about movement and flow. Eh shared surfaces around a pos area.

Question 24

What is a serviced site?

Answer 24

Sure prepared for development: access to public highway, utility connections

Question 25

How did the narrow parcel in Huntingdonshire affect back to back distances?

Answer 25

HDC’s policy was minimum 21 meters

Question 26

What solutions did you use to increase density at Linmere?

Answer 26

2.5 story units that utilised more vertical space with smaller footprints.
Link detached units to incorporate on plot parking.
Efficient road design.
Using FOGS to access parking courts

Question 27

Does a current policy trump a design code or opp persmission?

Answer 27

No, policy at time of consent is king.

Question 28

What is a landscape led design approach?

Answer 28

Over delivering POS, landscaping and maximising green infa opportunitie.

Question 29

In Huntingdon, how did you reflect a similar built form and materiality to create the fluid urban design solution between parcels?

Answer 29

Architecturally relating to Bellways design.
Brick work/window alignment/balcony design/3 storeys.