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Author: Wes Sedman

Milton Keynes Design Codes approved

Written by Wes Sedman on . Posted in Latest News.

Milton Keynes Council have approved two Design Codes produced by Define on behalf of our client, L&Q. The Whitehouse South and Whitehouse Town Centre Design Codes were approved in March 2024 to facilitate the ongoing delivery of the Milton Keynes Western Expansion Area (MKWEA).

Whilst being markedly different in their focus – the Whitehouse South Design Code addressing primarily residential development and the Whitehouse Town Centre Design Code planning for a mix of land uses – both Design Codes concentrate on high quality placemaking principles that were established in the original Outline Planning Permission to promote the formation of communal life with health and wellbeing at its heart.

When complete, Milton Keynes Western Expansion Area will provide 6,550 homes, employment land, primary schools, a secondary school, alongside new opportunities for health, retail, and other uses, all set within an expansive network of new open spaces for the new community.

Planning Permission Granted – Hawkhurst

Written by Wes Sedman on . Posted in Project Update.

Define, acting on behalf of Dandara Ltd, have achieved planning permission for 71 dwellings at Hawkhurst, Kent at appeal.

LPA Officers supported our application, in part due to its “exemplary design process”, however members overturned the recommendation due to highway impacts and AONB effects.

Define gave planning, urban design and landscape evidence alongside PJA (highways) and RPS (heritage) with Charles Banner QC’s guidance.

The appeal decision concluded that cumulative highway impacts are not severe, impacts on heritage assets would be on the very lowest of the less than substantial scale, that a housing supply of 4.61 years exists and that a net biodiversity gain of 10% was achieved.

Overall, exceptional circumstances were found to exist, the scheme is in the public interest and complies with the development plan as a whole. Importantly, the Inspector recognised the importance of good design as part of this balancing:

“I am of the view that the fact that the harm has been moderated to a significant degree through good design and does not go, in my view, any or much further than what the Council accept is inevitable from the development of a greenfield site in the AONB, to be a very important consideration.”