Walmer Design Statement - Dover District Council

The densely developed character of much of the parish, with the majority ofresidential properties dating from periods when off-street parking provision wasnot required or provided, has given rise to particular problems regarding parkingfacilities and traffic congestion in certain areas of the town. These include CanadaRoad, Gladstone Road, North Barrack Road, Walmer Castle Road and MayersRoad. Problems have been exacerbated where planning permission has beengranted for mews or backland developments. Parking opportunities have beenreduced to allow access into such sites. Inadequate parking facilities in somedevelopments have led to increases in on-street parking and traffic levels.WDS 9: The provision of adequate parking facilities is an important elementof the design and planning of new development. Given thedensely developed character of the parish of Walmer all planningapplications should demonstrate adequate off-street parkingprovision. Evidence should be provided to show that the impactof the additional traffic resulting from such new developments onthe amenity of surrounding properties and residents has beenaddressed and minimised.WDS 10 : In accordance with principle 5.9 of Kent Design (2000) adequatelinkages to the existing networks of footpaths and cycleways ofthe parish (including the planned cycle routes set out in theDistrict Council’s Cycling Action Plan) should be an integral partof new developments to encourage the use of non-vehicular formsof transport.________________________________________________________________Walmer, in common with many other parishes has seen an increase in street signageand furniture in recent years giving rise to a visual, and physical cluttering of thepublic realm. By Design (CABE 2000) advises that co-ordinating the design ofstreetscape avoids clutter and confusion. This includes all elements of the streetscene including signage, lighting, railings, litter bins, paving, seating, bus shelters,bollards, kiosks, cycle racks as well as sculpture, bandstands and fountains. Whilstthere is no uniform style for elements of the street furniture across the parish ofWalmer, it is recommended that attention should be drawn to the context andsetting of any proposed new items of street furniture and to opportunities to utilise36and complement existing elements of the street scene. The community is alsoconcerned with the visually polluting effects of increased provision of externallighting and therefore supports policies in the Local Plan and Kent Design toreduce light pollution in new development.WDS 11 : Where new street furniture is proposed every effort should be madeto reduce the cumulative impact of such elements on the streetscene through the use of existing fixtures such as signage postswhere possible. The provision of new street furniture shouldrespect their proposed setting and context and be of a design andquality commensurate with that settingWDS 12 : An appropriate level of lighting should be provided in newdevelopments in the parish to enhance safety and security inaccordance with the technical appendix to Kent Design whilsthaving specific regard to minimising the impact of light pollutionon the wider landscape. The use of full cut-off lanterns as requiredby Policy ER6 of the Local Plan is supported.________________________________________________________________With increased car ownership, supermarkets and out of town retail centres thecommercial element of Walmer has declined. Today only small groups of localshops remain along The Strand, Dover Road and in Upper Walmer. These localshops provide important shopping facilities for local residents, are popular with theparish’s many visitors and are considered by the community to be of considerableimportance to the character and economic and social well-being of the parish. Thevaluable service provided by such local shops is recognised in the Dover DistrictLocal Plan.WDS 13 : The social, economic and sustainability benefits to the parish of itslocal shops should be acknowledged and taken into account whenconsidering planning applications which would result in thechange of use and resultant loss of a local shop.________________________________________________________________