National planning policy makes it clear that supplying large numbers of homes can often be best delivered as part of larger scale development, if they are well designed. The Government has provided a National Design Guide to demonstrate how quality should be enshrined in new developments and this has informed the work undertaken on WGC so far.
WGC offers a blank canvas - while the history of the local area should be taken into account as part of the emerging design, there is flexibility here to create innovative solutions that can assist in creating a more energy efficient and sustainable community, fit for the 21st century.
WGC will move away from layouts that utilise large estate roads, and instead prioritise narrower streets and pedestrians, including 'doorstep play' that encourages the use of side streets by children and others to reclaim these spaces from the private car. Different pedestrian and cycle routes for leisure and commuting will be provided that take users through a procession of green spaces.
The proposed new dwellings will meet demanding standards of energy efficiency including high standards of air tightness and insulation, to ensure that their baseline energy requirements will be minimised.
It is currently anticipated that the use of solar photovoltaic panels on the roofs of buildings, combined with air source heat pumps, will ensure that circa 80% of the development's energy requirements will be provided by on-site renewable energy generation - well in excess of the current national standards set out in the Building Regulations.
The high quality that we will be putting forward as part of any outline application will be guaranteed in terms of delivery. A Design Principles Framework will set out clear and tangible design quality targets that future developers of the various phases of the site will have to adhere to.
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