Housing stories in Little Shelford

Little Shelford Village Design Guide gets green light

A new guide which sets out how future development in Little Shelford must enhance the village has being adopted by South Cambridgeshire District Council.

The new Little Shelford Village Design Guide is due to become a Supplementary Planning Document, meaning it will be taken into account when future planning applications in the area are determined. Members of the local community, including the Parish Council, have helped develop the guidance, which identifies what is distinctive in the village and aims to raise the quality of development locally. The adoption of the Guide is subject to the Council’s usual decision call-in processes.

The Village Design Guide has been developed by Greater Cambridge Shared Planning, a partnership between South Cambridgeshire District and Cambridge City Councils, to provide additional design guidance in support of the adopted Local Plan policies.

The guide draws on extensive research and evidence gathering by the local community over several years. New planning applications will be now expected to demonstrate how they reflect the guidance.

​

A Village Design Guide helps communities and planners shape the character of new development in a specific area, in response to community priorities. It is a way to provide more locally specific detail, which augments and amplifies Local Plan policies. The Little Shelford Village Design Guide is the ninth to be adopted in recent years by South Cambridgeshire District Council, following the award of funding to the Council by central government to develop community-led design guidance.

​

Councillor Dr. Tumi Hawkins, Lead Cabinet Member for Planning at South Cambridgeshire District Council added: “I am delighted we are formally adopting this Village Design Guide to strengthen and improve the quality of new development in our rural areas. We have an exemplary track record in developing locally specific design guidance with our village communities. This one is no exception and draws on outstanding research by local residents. We look forward to seeing how this influences the quality of architecture in Little Shelford over the coming years.”

For more information visit www.scambs.gov.uk/villagedesign

Posted Dec 22 2021