Design Guide
Brownlow Road and Bould Street Regeneration Scheme
Mansfield, Nottinghamshire
Status of the Design Guide
This document sets out guidance for the design principles to be employed in
planning the redevelopment of the Brownlow Road and Bould Street site. It
refers to and should be read in conjunction with adopted guidance produced
by Mansfield District Council (MDC) and Nottinghamshire County Council and
should underpin proposals for the redevelopment of the site.
The site and land ownership
Please refer to the site plan provided and note also that numbers 203 to 207
and 209 to 221 Chesterfield Road South and the Methodist Church are
excluded from the site.
The site is located approximately one mile to the north west of Mansfield town
centre. Immediately to the north is Chesterfield Road South (A 617) that links
the town centre to the M1. To the south of the site, Broomhill Lane provides
an alternative route to the town centre. Both roads have local bus services.
The site has an area of approximately 4.8 hectares and includes Brownlow
Road, Bould Street, Nos 1-49 (odd) Broomhill Lane (now demolished) and
part of the adjoining allotment land currently owned by a Trust. It is
anticipated that the Trustees will be able to reach agreement with MDC so
that this land can be included in the redevelopment in order to facilitate a
comprehensive scheme.
Brownlow Road and Bould Street originally comprised approximately 200
primarily residential properties nearly all of which have been acquired by
negotiation and demolished by the Council. The 3 remaining properties on
Bould Street have also been acquired and will be demolished during 2011.
The surrounding area is predominantly residential with local shops and
amenities, open space, schools and churches.
Vision for the site
The vision is to achieve a high quality design led scheme which responds to
the site’s character and context. The development should provide an
environment which is safe and accessible and which integrates well with the
surrounding area. High quality public realm should be incorporated within the
scheme and the use of appropriate energy efficiency measures should be
included to create a sustainable form of development.
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It should be an exemplar development that enhances the image of the area
and encourages a diverse, family oriented community in order to support the
economic prosperity of the district.
Minimum Standards for development
1. The Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4
Mansfield District Council will be expecting developers to aim for high
standards in respect to the Code for Sustainable Homes and should be
aware that properties must achieve Level 4 as a minimum on all
properties across the development or be consistent with Building
Regulations at the time of development, if they demand a higher standard.
2. The Lifetime Homes Standard
This standard has not been adopted by MDC but the Council views the
adoption of this standard for at least 10% of each house type of the
development as a desirable objective
3. Building for Life
The Council is keen to see ‘very good’ developments becoming the norm
as opposed to the exception with good as the absolute acceptable
minimum. The Council defines ‘very good’ as those proposals which meet
a minimum of 16 of the Building for Life criteria, as such are also deemed
by CABE (the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment) to
constitute ‘very good’ design – and are subsequently consistent with
Planning Policy Statement 1 - Delivering Sustainable Development (PPS1)
and Planning Policy Statement 3 – Housing (PPS3). ‘Good’ are those
proposals that achieve a minimum of 14 of the Building for Life criteria.
4. Local employment and supply chains
MDC encourages developers to utilise local procurement, recruitment and
to provide training opportunities when developing the site.
5. Local Housing Need
Based upon the latest Housing Needs data in the possession of MDC, the
required mix of house types for social rented is – 10% 1 bed (houses or
flats), 30% 2 bed houses (a mix of 3 and 4 person), 30% 2 bed
bungalows, 20% 3 bed houses (a mix of 4 and 5 person) and 10% 4 bed
(a mix of 6 and 7 person).
For intermediate housing the required mix is – 10% 1 bed, 45% 2 bed (a
mix of 3 and 4 person) and 45% 3 bed (a mix of 4 and 5 person)
For the open market housing, the requirement is 2 bed, 3 bed and 4 bed
homes in a 20:50:30 mix. Variation from the mix for open market housing
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may be permitted if, in the view of MDC a satisfactorily evidenced case is
made for such a variation.
Design Principles
A Design and Access Statement will be required which must set out the
principles behind all development proposals.
The Council is committed to supporting vibrant, well designed places where
people are not only content with their homes, but proud of the
neighbourhoods in which they live – creating environments which people
choose to move to and stay. It is essential that new residential developments
create places for people, where people are offered every opportunity to
succeed in their lives.
A townscape/visual analysis has been undertaken and the following design
principles for new development have been identified:

Promote high quality of development, which in terms of design, layout
and allocation of space create a sense of place;

Focus on the quality of the places and the living environments being
created in terms of both buildings and open spaces, to create attractive
places with a human scale;

Promote innovative building design incorporating the latest best
practice in energy efficiency whilst remaining visually sympathetic to
the built characteristics of the immediate surrounding areas;

Protect and maximise use of natural landscape and existing features;

Provide pedestrian priority rather than the dominance of private
vehicles, exploring the potential of 'Home Zones' within residential
development;

Incorporate parking provision in a manner that does not dominate the
streetscene

Create a street pattern which encourages walking and cycling,
including convenient access to public transport;

Create mixed, tenure blind and inclusive communities, which offer a
wider choice of housing to reflect the local housing needs as set out
above. It should ideally also includes some housing provision to fulfil
the needs of the older people and households with a disabled family
member;

Avoid the creation of housing with monotonous design and
characteristics.
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Access
Three main points of access into the site are envisaged: one from
Chesterfield Road South at the junction with Bould Street and two from
Broomhill Lane where the accesses are likely to require realignment from the
existing Brownlow Road and Bould Street junctions. The Brownlow Road /
Chesterfield Road South junction will be retained as a local access.
Proposals for a new access to the allotment land are unlikely to be acceptable
due to highway constraints.
Layout and form
A successful scheme will create a new neighbourhood with a strong identity
and sense of place, but which will also integrate successfully within its
surroundings.
This may include use of landmarks, buildings and spaces to improve the
legibility of the area, to make it easier for people to find their way around.
MDC has produced residential development guidelines (see Planning Policy
and Guidance section below), and specifically has a long established
Development Control Policy Guidance note, ‘’Space about dwellings and
floorspace standards for residential accommodation”.
These should be taken into consideration along with Secured by Design
principles.
Nottinghamshire Police’s Architectural Liaison and Crime
Reduction Manager can advise on Secured by Design and should be
contacted early in the design process. Whilst consideration must be given to
all applicable policy and guidance, MDC does however encourage
imaginative design solutions and may accept flexible approach, where the
context justifies, to achieve a high quality scheme.
Due to the advent of waste recycling, wheelie bin storage space has become
an important design consideration and developers are advised to take this
into account at an early stage within the design process.
Construction materials
Materials should be locally sourced and reflect the local context in terms of
scale, texture and colouration.
Density
It is expected that the density of the new development should be in the region
of 40 dwellings per hectare, which should reflect the character of the local
area and the local needs for housing referred to in 5 above.
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Routes and Permeability
The Council is keen to support schemes that actively promote and encourage
social interaction and reduce reliance on cars, particularly for short distance
journeys, through the inspired design of the public realm and excellent
pedestrian/connectivity, especially to access points to public transport.
Proposals should design out through motor vehicular movement that might
create “rat-runs”.
The accesses and route-ways should be provided in accordance with the
requirements of the Department of Transport’s Manual for Streets and
Nottinghamshire County Council’s 6Cs Design Guide Highways,
Transportation and Development.
Car parking standards
Developers should consider the temporary residential parking standards
outlined in its interim parking standards as amended in January 2010
(Nottingham County Council Report to Cabinet Member for Transport and
Highways, 12th January agenda item 3.1).
Section 106 requirements
Affordable housing
For developments of over 30 dwellings, on site provision of affordable housing
will be required. The level of provision will be 20% Affordable dwellings
based upon the gross number of dwellings provided on site. One-third of the
affordable housing will be provided as intermediate housing and the
remaining two-thirds as social rented units.
The development should be tenure blind with affordable homes distributed
throughout the site as far as is practical.
Affordable dwellings must meet the Housing Corporation’s Development
Standards and National Housing Federation’s good practice guide ‘Standards
and Quality in Development’.
MDC is working with LHA-ASRA to achieve the regeneration of the site and it
is anticipated that LHA-ASRA will become the Registered Provider for the
affordable homes delivered.
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Public Open Space
On-site open space should be provided in accordance with the requirements
of MDC’s Interim Planning Guidance Note 3 (Recreation Provision on New
Residential Developments).
Similar detailed consideration will need to be demonstrated in the design of
public spaces as in the design of the buildings.
Standards, Planning Policy and other guidance to be considered within
the Design Process
Proposals for the re-development of the site should take account of the
following policy and guidance documents:
1. MDC Planning Policy
use the link:- http://www.mansfield.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=495
2. Development Control Policy Guidance note, ‘Space about dwellings
and floor-space standards for residential accommodation’ contact
MDC’s Development Control Section on Mansfield (01623) 463207 .
3. MDC Interim Planning Guidance (IPG)
use the link:- http://www.mansfield.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=905
IPG1 Community Safety by Design
This document is to be used as a design guide by developers when drawing
up new development proposals, with the aim that the physical environment as
a whole can be improved with regard to the needs of community safety.
The document offers a combination of detailed guidance and best practice on
community safety design related issues and is structured into topics: -safer
residential development, -safer street layout, -safer parks and opens spaces, safer town centres and commercial areas, -safer industrial development, safer car parks. There is also a general principles chapter which advises on
the issues which are common for all types of development.
IPG3 – Recreational Provision on New Residential Developments
This guidance sets out the Council’s requirements towards the provision or
improvement of public open space, recreation and sports facilities and
explains the methods by which the Council will secure these facilities.
IPG7 – Affordable Housing
The document sets out guidance for the requirement of affordable housing on
sites. For developments of over 30 dwellings, on site provision will be
required. The level of provision will be 20% Affordable dwellings based upon
the gross number of dwellings provided on site. One-third of the affordable
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housing will be provided as intermediate housing and the remaining two-thirds
as social rented.
4. Department for Transport – Manual for Streets and Nottinghamshire
County Council’s adopted 6Cs Highway Design Guide Highways,
Transportation and Development (Htd) which is available at
http://www.leics.gov.uk/htd
5. MDC Equality and Diversity Policy
http://www.mansfield.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1591
6. Sherwood Forest Area Housing Strategy 2008 -2018
http://www.newarksherwooddc.gov.uk/pp/gold/viewgold.asp?idtype=page&id=18758;
7. The Lifetime Homes Standard - This standard has not been adopted by
MDC but it views the adoption of this standard for at least 10% of each house
type of the development as a desirable objective.
8. The Building for Life Standard This standard has not been adopted by
MDC but it views the adoption of this standard to achieve a “very good”
standard as a desirable objective.
Building for Life: is a scheme led by CABE and the Home Builders Federation.
It is supported by the Government as the standard for the design quality of
new homes and is increasingly being adopted by local authorities as a
measure of ‘good’ housing design.
Details of the criteria can be found at http://www.cabe.org.uk/
Other General information about the site
Archaeology
There is no above ground evidence of any archaeological remains present on
or adjacent to the site.
Conservation Area and listed buildings
The site does not lie within a Conservation Area. No listed buildings are
contained within the site.
Tree Preservation Orders
There are no trees subject to Tree Preservation Orders within the site
boundary.
Misrepresentation of information
The information contained in this document is based on information currently
available but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. The details are not intended
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to form part of any contract. All liability in negligence or otherwise from any
loss arising from these particulars is hereby excluded. Developers and
designers must rely on their own investigations and due diligence.
Mansfield District Council (Strategic Housing) December 2010
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