Aylesbury Vale Area Design Supplementary Planning Document

It is important that the design of buildings and in particular their form, proportions, roofscape and overall appearance is borne from the place and therefore contributes positively to the character of the existing settlement. All too often new development is built which fails to contribute to the distinctiveness of a place resulting in standard development that could be found anywhere. Being responsive to the character of the existing built form should not result in poor pastiche replicas, instead the emphasis should be placed on contemporary interpretation of traditional building forms to suit today's needs.

This chapter outlines the important principles to consider in designing new buildings. Housing makes a significant contribution to CO2 emissions in the UK. The construction industry utilises substantial volumes of non- renewable resources and generates pollution and waste. The need for sustainable approaches to building design is therefore fundamental if the challenges associated with climate change, resource depletion and pollution are to be addressed.