Local Plan Issues and Options (Regulation 18)

Comment

Representation ID: 3489

Received: 22/08/2025

Respondent: VELUX Company Ltd.

I&O_3663
Yes, we broadly support the suggested policy approach towards sustainable development. However, we believe it is important to strengthen the policy by incorporating additional environmental and social requirements. In particular, new developments should be required to create well-designed places that ensure adequate indoor environmental quality. This should include a competent analysis of external constraints and objectives to achieve healthy, sustainable, and resilient outcomes.

Comment

Representation ID: 3491

Received: 22/08/2025

Respondent: VELUX Company Ltd.

I&O_3665
We would like to suggest that future Green Belt policy takes account of the potential benefits of land-efficient design approaches. For example, making use of existing roof volumes to create additional habitable floors can help to minimise the need for further land take while still providing spacious, high-quality living environments. This enables the delivery of more homes on smaller plots, thereby preserving open countryside and encouraging compact, sustainable development. The relatively low visual impact of such design solutions helps to maintain the character of existing communities, while allowing for gentle intensification. In this way, they can play an important role in reconciling housing growth with the imperative to safeguard green spaces.

Comment

Representation ID: 3492

Received: 22/08/2025

Respondent: VELUX Company Ltd.

I&O_3666
Protecting rural character requires focusing growth within urban areas through land-efficient design solutions. Making use of existing building volumes—such as roof space to create additional habitable floors—allows more people to be accommodated within a modest building footprint and height, enabling gentle densification while retaining gardens and green space. This approach supports compact, sustainable neighbourhoods that maintain local character, reduce the need for new land take, and help preserve open countryside. By making better use of existing urban and suburban sites, such design strategies provide a practical way to deliver diverse, high-quality housing in line with local needs, while protecting the rural environment from urbanising pressures.

Comment

Representation ID: 3493

Received: 22/08/2025

Respondent: VELUX Company Ltd.

I&O_3667
Yes, we broadly support the suggested policy approach. However, we believe it could be strengthened by recognising the opportunities presented by denser, more compact forms of development. These can: support more active, inclusive communities by prioritising human-scaled, accessible infrastructure and community facilities; contribute to carbon-neutral living by reducing the amount of infrastructure required and lowering embodied carbon in construction; and help preserve valued green spaces. Design solutions that make more efficient use of existing building volumes—for example, by expanding living space within the roof structure—allow additional bedrooms or habitable areas to be delivered on the same land plot, without compromising room sizes or overall living conditions. This approach provides flexibility to accommodate a wider range of housing needs while maintaining quality and protecting open land.

Comment

Representation ID: 3494

Received: 22/08/2025

Respondent: VELUX Company Ltd.

I&O_3668
Yes, we support the suggested policy approach towards delivering affordable housing. We would, however, recommend strengthening the policy by emphasising the role of denser, more compact forms of development as an opportunity: to increase the supply of affordable homes by making more efficient use of land and existing infrastructure, reducing both development costs and long-term pressures on public services; to deliver higher densities while retaining gardens and green space, thereby preserving community character and avoiding unnecessary land take; to provide diverse, good-quality housing types and tenures that respond to local demand, while lowering household energy costs through improved daylighting, thermal performance, and natural ventilation; to align housing delivery with climate objectives by reducing embodied carbon, minimising infrastructure needs, and supporting more sustainable neighbourhoods.

Comment

Representation ID: 3495

Received: 22/08/2025

Respondent: VELUX Company Ltd.

I&O_3669
We would like to suggest that the Local Plan recognises the potential of land-efficient design solutions as appropriate forms of development within the Green Belt. For example, making use of existing roof volumes to create additional habitable space enables homes to expand without significant increases in building footprint or height. This approach reduces the need for further land take while still providing spacious, high-quality living environments. It allows more people to be accommodated on smaller plots, preserving open countryside and encouraging compact, sustainable development. With a relatively low visual impact, such design solutions help maintain the character of existing communities while enabling gentle intensification. In this way, they can play an important role in balancing housing growth with the imperative to safeguard green spaces.

Comment

Representation ID: 3496

Received: 22/08/2025

Respondent: VELUX Company Ltd.

I&O_3670
Yes, we support the suggested policy approach towards health and wellbeing, but believe it could be strengthened by placing greater emphasis on design quality and the creation of healthy living environments. In particular, design solutions that make more efficient use of existing building volumes can contribute positively to the healthy homes agenda by enabling: improved daylighting and outward views, particularly in upper-floor spaces, which enhance mental wellbeing and reduce reliance on artificial lighting; better thermal performance, through compact building forms with smaller external envelopes, helping to reduce energy use and maintain comfortable indoor temperatures; and natural ventilation strategies, such as stack-effect ventilation from low to high openings, which improve indoor air quality and resilience to overheating. In addition, design approaches that make efficient use of building form can: deliver higher densities while remaining in keeping with the scale and character of existing urban and suburban areas; reduce exposure to street-level noise and airborne pollutants; and enhance security by providing greater privacy and limiting direct access from the street. By integrating these considerations into policy, new development can deliver homes that actively support health, comfort, and wellbeing alongside sustainability goals.

Comment

Representation ID: 3497

Received: 22/08/2025

Respondent: VELUX Company Ltd.

I&O_3671
Yes, we support the suggested policy approach towards high-quality design, but recommend that it be strengthened by placing greater emphasis on indoor environmental quality (IEQ) from the earliest stages of development layout and design. Key considerations should include: provision of passive ventilation through dual or multiple aspects, including opportunities for stack ventilation; adequate daylighting achieved through careful orientation and management of overshadowing; passive solar gains where useful; mitigation of overheating through measures such as fixed and dynamic solar shading. Building on these principles, compact design solutions that make efficient use of building form can further reinforce quality outcomes by: delivering higher densities while remaining in keeping with the scale and character of existing urban and suburban areas; reducing exposure to street-level noise and airborne pollutants; and enhancing security through improved privacy and more controlled access from the street. More broadly, denser and more compact neighbourhoods present an opportunity: to support more active, inclusive communities by prioritising human-scaled, accessible infrastructure and community facilities; to create carbon-neutral communities by using less infrastructure and reducing embodied carbon associated with construction; and to help preserve valued green spaces. Together, these measures ensure that new development achieves not only high design quality but also robust standards of comfort, health, and sustainability.

Comment

Representation ID: 3498

Received: 22/08/2025

Respondent: VELUX Company Ltd.

I&O_3672
We support the suggested policy requirements and would highlight the importance of land-efficient, compact design solutions in helping to deliver on energy and carbon objectives. Such approaches contribute in several key ways: Improved thermal performance: compact homes with a favourable ratio of floor area to external surface area minimise heat loss, strengthening the building envelope and supporting fabric-first energy efficiency strategies. Lower operational energy demand: by reducing energy required for space heating, compact design facilitates the transition to fossil-free and renewable energy sources. Renewable integration: roof forms can be optimised to enhance opportunities for solar gain and to support the effective integration of renewable technologies, while still maintaining good daylight access. Passive design opportunities: efficient building layouts support strategies such as stack ventilation, natural daylighting, and solar shading, which in turn mitigate overheating risks, improve indoor environmental quality, and enhance occupant comfort. Reduced embodied carbon: by making better use of land and existing infrastructure, compact development helps to avoid sprawl, preserve green spaces, and lower the embodied carbon associated with unnecessary land take and infrastructure provision. By embedding these design principles, the Local Plan can deliver development that aligns with Government technical standards while simultaneously advancing environmental priorities and housing needs.

Comment

Representation ID: 3499

Received: 22/08/2025

Respondent: VELUX Company Ltd.

I&O_3673
Yes, we support the suggested policy approach towards climate adaptation, and believe it should place stronger emphasis on prioritising passive design solutions. These strategies can deliver resilience while reducing energy demand and improving occupant wellbeing. Examples include: Passive cooling through stack ventilation: even in more constrained layouts, using openings at different heights can facilitate natural airflow, promote better indoor air quality, and provide resilience against overheating. Enhanced daylighting: particularly in upper-floor spaces, good daylight access reduces reliance on artificial lighting and contributes positively to mental health and wellbeing. Dynamic solar shading: sloped roof windows and carefully designed openings can allow for more effective shading solutions, helping to control solar gain and maintain comfortable indoor environments. By embedding these passive measures, developments can achieve climate resilience in a way that is both efficient and sustainable, while also contributing to healthier living environments.