Apartments
Boundaries, Servicing and Plant
Introduction
Well-designed places clearly define the boundaries for private, shared and public spaces, making it more likely that occupants will use, value and take ownership of them.
The impact of a site’s boundaries on the immediate surroundings and the way in which the building(s) interact with the edges and ground around the site should be considered at the outset as an integral part of the design. Boundary treatments should be integral to the design of the building and landscape.
Practical aspects of the site layout should not be overlooked. Strategies for fire and emergency access, cleaning, repairs, waste collection, and rooftop plant and equipment should be considered when planning the site. The design impact of these aspects should be fully considered and sensitively incorporated into the building design.
Codes in this Section
Features of apartment boundaries
- In keeping with context
- Either brick or stone construction with soft landscaping
- Sensitive design of roof top plant and servicing
- Rear landscape boundaries such as hedgerow
- Concealed bin storage on public fronts
ABSP 1
Boundary treatments
Public facing boundaries must be constructed from either brick or stone walls and should incorporate soft landscaping.
Boundary treatments should be informed by high quality traditional examples in the surrounding area. In Trafford this will typically be a low brick or stone walls with hedges. In rural areas boundary treatments may vary and should be influenced by historic context. Use robust, high-quality for boundary treatments. Boundary treatments should be used to clearly define the public and private domain. Inclusion of landscape increases biodiversity and can soften edges.
Applicants should demonstrate in their submission how this element of the code has been complied with.
Development types:
- Where traditional boundary treatments remain on an infill development site, applicants should demonstrate how these will be retained and repaired, with any mature landscaping, including hedges, behind them.
Area types:
- In New Places (High Rise, High Density) this should be delivered in accordance with the masterplan, parameter plans or Design Framework for the site.
Documents required:
- Site plan
- Landscaping plan
- Elevation drawings
- Code requirement signposted in the Design and Access Statement.
Principles of public and private space definition
There is no requirement for a built boundary if ground floor active uses such as cafes have outdoor seating areas
The ground floor use is built to the property boundary and no need for a built treatment
The ground floor is set back and there is a commercial collonade along the property boundary
Examples
ABSP 2
Gates
Gate piers and gates must complement the boundary treatment, reflect the surrounding context in both design and height.
Gates should be side hung with apertures in the top half to allow visibility to enhance natural surveillance. Sliding gates should be avoided as they reduce the ability to adequately landscape a site.
Applicants should demonstrate in their submission how this element of the code has been complied with.
Development types:
- Where traditional boundary treatments remain on an infill development site, applicants should demonstrate how these will be retained and repaired, with any mature landscaping, including hedges, behind them.
Documents required:
- Site plan
- Landscaping plan
- Elevation drawings
- Code requirement signposted in the Design and Access Statement.
ABSP 3
Historic boundary treatments
Historic boundary treatments must be retained and new openings kept to a minimum.
Walls and associated planting should be repaired and enhanced where required. The retention of historic boundary treatments is important to ensure local distinctivenessThe positive features of a place and its communities which contribute to its special character and sense of place. More and protect the characterCharacter includes all of the elements that go to make a place, how it looks and feels, its geography and landscape, its noises and smells, activity, people and businesses. This character should be understood as a starting point for all development. Character can be understood at three levels; the area type in which the site sits, its surroundings and the features of the site. More of the streetsceneAll spaces and features which form the street environment, including buildings, street furniture, fittings and finishes and green infrastructure and open spaces. More.
Applicants should demonstrate in their submission how this element of the code has been complied with.
Documents required:
- Site plan
- Landscaping plan
- Elevation drawings
- Heritage Statement if required by the Council’s adopted Validation Checklist.
- Code requirement signposted in the Design and Access Statement
ABSP 4
Roof top plant and equipment
The design of lift overruns, rooftop plant and rooftop safety systems must be integrated into the design of the building at the outset and ensure that they are well screened.
Lift overruns, roof top plant and roof top safety systems will often terminate higher than the building’s roof line detracting from the appearance of the building. Applicants should consider how this is resolved at the outset. Solutions, such as the use of parapets must be well designed.
Applicants should demonstrate in their submission how this element of the code has been complied with. Roof top plant and equipment must be shown clearly on planning drawings.
Documents required:
- Roof plan
- Elevational drawings
- Code requirement signposted in the Design and Access Statement.
Examples of integrating lift overruns and vertical circulation in elevation design
ABSP 5
Servicing
Waste collection vehicles must be able to get within 10 metres of the waste collection point.
Routes for handling bins should be level or gently sloping over a smooth and continuous surface
Applicants should demonstrate in their submission how this element of the code has been complied with.
Documents required:
- Site plan
- Landscaping plan
- Vehicle tracking plans, if relevant
- Code requirement signposted in the Design and Access Statement.
ABSP 6
Substations
The siting and appearance of infrastructure such as sub-stations and pumping stations must be carefully considered and integrated into the design of the building or landscape.
Consider the need for additional infrastructure, such as substations and pumping stations early in the design process. Planting should be used to screen and soften larger utility buildings and structures.
Applicants should demonstrate in their submission how this element of the code has been complied with.
Documents required:
- Site plan
- Floor plans
- Elevations
- Landscaping plan
- Code requirement signposted in the Design and Access Statement.
ABSP 7
Bin storage
Bin stores must be integral to the design of the building, located internally and screened from the public realm.
Adequate and dedicated space for the storage of waste and recycling must be included within proposals from the outset and set out in a waste management strategy. Where separate bin storage structures are unavoidable they must be well designed, practical and in keeping with the buildings design. Bin stores must be concealed from the public realmThis is the space between and within buildings that is publicly accessible, including streets, squares, forecourts, parks and open spaces. More. DetailsThe details of a building are the individual components and how they are put together. Some are a deliberate part of the appearance of a building, including doors, windows and their surrounds, porches, decorative features and ironmongery. Others are functional, although they can also contribute to the appearance of a building. These include lighting, flues and ventilation, gutters, pipes and other rainwater details. Detailing affects the appearance of a building or space and how it is experienced. It also affects how well it weathers and lasts over time. More should be provided as part of the planning application and they should be designed in complementary detail and material to the main development.
Applicants should demonstrate in their submission how this element of the code has been complied with.
Documents required:
- Site plan
- Floor plans
- Elevations
- Landscaping plan
- Code requirement signposted in the Design and Access Statement.
