Sustainability is the central tenet of national planning policy. Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 1: Delivering Sustainable Development states that, “planning should facilitate and promote sustainable and inclusive patterns of urban and rural development."
In addition, a forthcoming Supplement to PPS 1 will make it clear that the Government wants the planning regime to play a pivotal role in meeting the challenge of climate change. For the first time, local planning authorities will have to ensure that all new development makes significant cuts in carbon emissions.
In PPS 3: Housing the Government has elevated the provision of family housing and access to gardens, play areas and parks as key policy objectives of the planning system for the first time. This policy places a requirement to ensure enough family housing is built, with a greater emphasis being placed on both the tenure and type of housing and a greater willingness by Local Authorities to reject poorly designed schemes.
People
We support these planning principles because we recognise that successful development is about more than bricks and mortar, it is about people. Our master planning therefore seeks to place people at its very heart. Whether we are regenerating an inner-city area or building on a greenfield site, we look to create places with their own character and identity.
We create attractive and functional living environments designed to meet current and envisaged future lifestyles. In many of our mixed-use schemes we are integrating mixed-tenure housing with recreational, retail, leisure and office uses to create vibrant, balanced communities. Indeed, we differentiate ourselves by being able to deliver all the ingredients required in developing such communities.
Information correct as at 04/09/2007