WDC - Design and Urban Design Consultancy Advice - Kenilworth Development - AWARD

The Council does not employ an urban design officer and therefore it is necessary to seek this resource externally. Whilst a modest budget has been committed for the preparation of the Development Brief, this falls significantly short of the estimated costs to ensure a robust document with the necessary specialist input. Therefore, as noted above, an application has been made to the Design Quality Fund of the Planning Delivery Fund for funding in 2017-18 and 2018-19 to cover the costs of this design work. This commission is therefore subject to receipt of funding from Central Government for which a decision is expected to be made by the end of January 2018.

Design input requirements

To inform the Brief, expert design advice is required to identify and analyse the existing character of the town to understand the prevailing characteristics which define local distinctiveness.

Work is also required to provide design principles that development within the Development Brief area should follow and plans to be included within the Development Brief.

A final piece of work is the preparation of site briefs/masterplans for two smaller allocations, H09 (Kenilworth School) and H12 (Kenilworth Sixth Form).

The 4 main areas of work and outcomes are as follows:

• A)A character appraisal assessment of the existing character of Kenilworth to understand the prevailing characteristics which define local distinctiveness.
• oThe analysis shall consider characteristics such as: typology; street pattern; rhythm of streets (building lines, plot widths); dwelling type; scale and key dimensions; notable architectural features; landscaping including boundary treatment; fenestration; residential density; roofing and wall materials.
• oPhotographs of key features shall be included
• oProvide a summary of characteristics in the town and recommendations on which of those features should be incorporated into the new development and where applicable how best they could be incorporated.

• B)A 'Design Principles' report setting out recommendations for design principles to be included in the Development Brief.
• oThe report shall take into account design guidance from the national level and also Local level and provide an interpretation of what the guidance means for the Development Brief/Kenilworth sites. Local policy and guidance includes: WDC Local Plan 2011-2029; WDC draft Residential Design Guide (2018); Garden Towns, Villages and Suburbs - A prospectus for Warwick District Council (2012); Open Space SPD (2009); Sustainable Buildings SPD (2008); WDC Draft Parking Standards (2018); Draft Kenilworth Neighbourhood Plan (2017).
• oThe principles shall accord with Policy BE2 of the Local Plan 2011-2029
• oThe principles shall take into account existing constraints and opportunities
• oThe report shall refer to the 'Character appraisal assessment' and its recommendations shall be incorporated into the design princip...