Introduction
Landscape and Nature
Design codes for all developments
Introduction
Nature contributes to the quality of a place, and to people’s quality of life, and it is a critical component of well-designed places. Natural features are integrated into well-designed development. They include natural and designed landscapes, high quality public open spaces, street trees, and other trees, grass, planting and water.
Well-designed places:
- integrate existing, and incorporate new natural features into a multifunctional networkIn landscape and nature, a multifunctional network integrates existing, and incorporates new natural features which support quality of place, biodiversity and water management, and addresses climate change mitigation and resilience. More that supports quality of place, biodiversity and water management, and addresses climate change mitigation and resilience;
- prioritise nature so that diverse ecosystems can flourish to ensure a healthy natural environment that supports and enhances biodiversity;
- provide attractive open spaces in locations that are easy to access, with activities for all to enjoy, such as play, food production, recreation and sport, so as to encourage physical activity and promote health, well-being and social inclusion.
Features of landscape and nature
- Hedgerow used on boundaries whenever possible
- Small front gardens
- Landscape used to hide dominance of car parking
- Trees used whenever possible
- Paved accessible routes to entrances
- Hidden bin storage areas
The Council is committed to achieving high quality landscapes and nature provision in developments within the Borough.
Beautiful places within the Borough have been created in the past through bold visions by previous generations. By requiring a high quality approach to landscape and nature design, the Council can help to deliver the beautiful places of the future.
Trafford Borough is home to a high quality natural and built environment which is diverse and includes high, medium and low density suburbs, rural villages, industrial parks, open countryside and greenbelt.
The landscape-led approach advocated in this Code recognises the well-established benefits that nature brings to a place, and therefore seeks to provide a green environment – to achieve an appropriate level of greenspace, to protect and enhance the landscape 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, recreational and biodiversity value of the Borough’s natural environment in both urban and rural areas and to provide for the growing community.
The landscape (i.e. those ‘soft’ areas of land under soil or water), comprises a significant area of theBorough by area and it has the most important role to play in determining 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 and quality of the environment across the whole Borough, and therefore, the well-being of those that live there.
There are a wide range of individual elements that make up the landscape:
- Street Trees
- Parks
- Gardens
- Sports Complexes
- Water Park
- Woodlands
- River and Canal Corridors
- Roadside and Rail Verges
- Fields and urban interface
- Wildlife Sites
By virtue of their condition, these elements have the ability to make a full contribution to the success of the overall environment, or to fall short.
The Trafford Design Code embraces a landscape led approach as one of its Strategic Design Principles to realise a more abundant and attractive landscape.
This will be achieved by:
Trees; Valuing and maintaining existing trees and delivering a significant new generation of tree planting.
Boundaries and Edges; Promoting green boundaries, with a strong element of nature and appropriate scale relative to all contextsThe context includes the immediate surroundings of the site, the neighbourhood in which it sits and the wider setting. The context may include the physical surroundings of topography, movement patterns and infrastructure, built form and uses. An understanding of the context, history and character of an area must influence the siting and design of new development. More.
Protecting Existing Landscape Features; Protecting the existing landscape features that make a fundamentally important contribution to the Borough.
Drainage and SUDs; Wherever possible, using natural systems to help with sustainable drainageSuDS are a natural approach to managing drainage in and around properties and other developments. Sustainable drainage measures are ones which avoid adding to flood risks both at a development site and elsewhere in the catchment by replicating natural drainage processes. SuDS work by slowing and holding back the water that runs off from a site, alleviating flooding and allowing natural processes to break down pollutants. More.
Biodiversity; Increasing habitats and vibrant ecosystems, essential for a healthy Borough.
Gardens and Small Spaces; All private amenityThe desirable or useful features of a building or place which support its ongoing use and enjoyment by building occupants, residents, visitors, workers etc. It is usually understood to mean visual and aural amenity. Factors relevant to amenity include the general characteristics of the locality (including the presence of any feature of historic, architectural, cultural or similar interest), daylight, sunlight, outlook, privacy, air quality, effects of wind, odour, noise and vibration. Amenity should be preserved, so potential impacts need to be assessed and managed. More spaces have the opportunity to deliver green spaces and additional structural planting.
Management and Maintenance; Effective management of all manner of landscape infrastructure is essential to ensure long-term success.
The Design Code will set the minimum standards required to achieve these aims.
The Landscape and Nature Chapter of the Code will set out standards and some simple techniques to help to deliver high quality landscape led development.
This Chapter of the Code deals with different opportunities to ensure that the landscape will contribute to its full potential. It should be seen as best practice code and guidance to achieving baseline landscape standards and it is expected that a qualified landscape specialist will be involved in the delivery process to achieve the best possible outcome.
