This guide was produced in collaboration with PJA

Design Criteria

These design principles underpin both, the assessment of new streets being delivered through new developments, and any changes planned or made for existing streets.

1. CONCEPT DESIGN STAGE

1.1 Placemaking

This refers to designing streets with full consideration of its broader impact on Place, both in present and in future. Also, it refers to including stakeholders and end users in the design process as mush as possible from the outset and acknowledging the impact of street design on society.

1.2 Good structure

This relates to the overall form of the proposal, including the size, position and shape of roads, streets, paths and public places that are defined to result in a movement infrastructure.

1.3 Good connections

This refers to how well connected the place is with, services, infrastructure and the surrounding areas, and with the rest of the city.

1.4 Walkable

This relates to how the street infrastructure helps reduce the need for cars, especially for short journeys, and how the design encourages people to use public transport, and cycle and walk more.

1.5 Inclusive, safe & healthy

This refers to how the design caters for the many different needs of people, bringing them closely to nature and preventing crime and antisocial behaviours.

1.6 Legible

This relates to how the design makes it easier to navigate the area, assisting people to find their way round with distinctive streets that work in coordination with the architecture and landscape.

2. DEVELOPED DESIGN STAGE

2.1 Well defined streets & spaces

This refers to how well the design forms enclosed, inviting, easy to read spaces that can be understood intuitively.

2.2 Distinctive streets & spaces

This relates to how the design helps achieve a sense of identity for each street so that residents and users can develop a sense of pride and belonging.

2.3 Materials & detail

This refers to the provision of footways, crossing, edges, cycling tracks, etc. and how these are delivered in the manner that was intended at design stage.

2.4 Designed speed

This relates to how well the design eliminates or reduces the need for signage and engineered speed control measures.

2.5 Well designed car parking

This refers to how the design provides adequate levels of parking with mixed modalities, creating an interesting environment that is pedestrian friendly and not dominated by cars.

2.6 Drainage, trees & services

This relates to how the design incorporates trees, landscape, SuDS features and service runs in a future-proof way and minimizing the need for retrofitting.