Design Guidance
This page provides information of the urban design requirements
for new development in Thurrock.
Urban design is the part of planning concerned with the physical
form of development in the context of the wider area.
Good urban design ensures new development:
- works well;
- uses land efficiently;
- has character;
- relates positively to its surroundings and;
- is enduring.
The Development Corporation works with landowners, developers
and the community to ensure new development is well designed for
the benefit of all.
The Development Corporation promotes high quality design by:
- Producing design and development briefs for key sites or groups
of sites to supplement area based masterplans and to guide
development proposals.
- Requiring new residential development to achieve
Code for Sustainable Homes level 3. Code level 4 from April
2010 and Code level 6 from April 2014.
- Requiring new residential development to achieve at least
10% of its energy from renewable or low carbon resources.
- Encouraging developers and designers to use established best
practice in the formulation of development proposals. This
includes; By Design,
Urban Design Compendium,
Manual for Streets, The Essex
Design Guide and its Urban Place
Supplement.
- Welcoming pre-application discussions with parties considering
major development.
- Using Building for Life criteria to
assess scheme quality at pre-planning and planning application
stage.