Trafford Design Code

Help Guide

Which sections should you read

Introduction

Trafford’s Design Code has been split into a variety of sections, relevant to development types. This ensures that you can find the relevant design code for your project easily and quickly. For examples of how this works, please see below.

Understanding the Design Code Chapters

Not all of the Design Code chapters will be relevant to your project. For a single building with no areas of public realm, you can focus on a single chapter. For larger projects involving multiple buildings, streets and spaces you will be expected to comply with a wider range of code chapters.

External Spaces

Trafford’s Design Code embraces a landscape-led approach as one of its guiding principles to realise a more abundant and attractive landscape.  All developments are expected to deliver a high quality hard and soft landscaping scheme appropriate to its context and applicant’s must refer to the Landscape and Nature chapter.

 

Any project that includes external space for use by the public, either as an open space or a street should refer to these chapters. If streets are present within your project you will also be expected to comply with the Streets and Public Realm code. 

This chapter is relevant to all development proposals.  No matter what size development is proposed, it must be landscape led and accompanied with a landscaping strategy.

This chapter is relevant to any development that incorporates new or existing streets and the development of areas of open space. 

Multiple building development sites

Trafford’s Design Code sets out requirements for multiple building development projects covering a larger area than a single building. This may range from a row of apartments in a street to a much larger housing site or mixed use urban development. These developments are likely to include public realm and streets on larger projects. Applicant’s must also refer to the specific guidance for individual building types that are present within the project scheme.

This chapter applies to all residential development which comprises more than one dwelling, such as houses and/or apartments.

This chapter applies to all developments located within the ‘New Places’ identified on the Area Coding Plan.  ‘New Places’ can be low rise, low density or high rise, high density.

Single buildings

This chapter applies to all residential development which comprises more than one dwelling, such as houses and/or apartments.

Single dwellings uses for residential purposes, built on land and typically up to three stories in height.

Apartment buildings (or ‘flats’) contain multiple individual residences with shared circulation other facilities.

Commercial or non-residential building uses such as offices, education and public facilities.

This section applies to commercial, residential and mixed use tall buildings over six  storeys in height.

Innovation

General guidance chapters to inspire and enable innovation and sustainable development. Should be read in all project example scenarios as seen below.

Innovation

This chapter provides guidance relating to innovative design and sustainability.

Project example scenarios

To see which codes are relevant to your project, see the example development projects below. Click on the button to see the chapters.

The Sub-chapters

Each chapter contains sub-chapters  relevant to that building type or external space.  The example below shows the different sub-chapters within the Houses chapter. . The current page will be highlighted and there are scrolling arrows allowing you to scroll to the next or previous sub-chapter.

Example taken from houses chapter

Type, Form and Profile

Plan and Layout

Accessibility

Elevation and Proportion

Materials and Detail

Parking and Garages

Threshold and Boundaries

Permeable paving options