Proctor and Matthews was commissioned to produce a Strategic Sites Design Guide jointly for St Albans and Dacorum Borough Council. The councils’ vision is to create a vibrant place to live and work, whilst protecting the surrounding countryside and historic quality of the existing urban fabric. The guidance, created alongside David Lock Associates, sets out design principles and a masterplanning process for the high quality design of new settlements across the two Local Planning Authorities for substantial town extensions. We proposed a contextual approach, inspired by the historic landscape and built-form, specific to this part of Hertfordshire. The guidance forms Supplementary Planning Documentation for Decorum Borough Council.
A further Employment Uses Guidance, was provided in order to secure contemporary employment development which adheres to best practice in environmental sustainability, offers a diverse and flexible range of high quality commercial spaces for different businesses, and coherent, attractive public spaces and streets which encourage healthy working lifestyles and social interaction. The document consists of two parts: ‘Employment Design Principles’ that apply to any employment area regardless of its size or use classes, and ‘Building Typologies’ which provides design solutions, tailored to large and small business and industrial units, which address commonly encountered challenges of parking, servicing and relationship to the public realm and ensure that these units can meet the employment design principles. Both sections are illustrated with case studies demonstrating best practice examples.
The commission follows Proctor and Matthews work on the Design for Ebbsfleet design guide and associated website commissioned by Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, where the practice developed a series of design narratives and strategies to create a distinctive character for Ebbsfleet Garden City.
The supplementary planning guidance for Decorum Borough Council was adopted in February 2021 and can be found in the link below.
