Creating a Better & Beautiful Oldham

Proposed Approach

National planning policy places great importance on design as a key aspect of sustainable development and an essential part of good planning.

This is demonstrated through the National Design Guide^[1] (NDG), and the National Model Design Code^[2] (NMDC) , which illustrate how well-designed places that are beautiful, healthy, greener, enduring and successful can be achieved in practice.

The need for good design applies in all areas of the borough, whether in a sensitive village or countryside setting, on the periphery of Oldham, or within our town centres. Given the scale of development proposed in the borough – especially in and around Oldham town centre – greater emphasis needs to be placed on place-making, of which delivering high-quality design is an essential component.

• Policy D1 - A Design Led Approach to Residential and Mixed-Use Development in Oldham
  • The policy introduces a design-led approach for residential and mixed-use development in Oldham in relation to Layout, Orientation & Form; Quality & Character; Inclusive Design; Outside Space and Usability & Ongoing Maintenance.
• Policy D2 - A Design Led Approach to Non-Residential, Commercial and Employment Developments
  • The policy introduces a design-led approach for Non-Residential, Commercial and Employment Developments in Oldham, in relation to Layout, Orientation & Form; Quality & Character; Inclusive Design; Outside Space and Usability & Ongoing Maintenance
• Policy D3 - Design Scrutiny
  • The policy creates a framework for the use of Building for a Healthy Life in major residential-led schemes and sets out thresholds as to when schemes must make use of a Design Review Panel.
• Policy D4 – Creating Better Views, Gateways and Taller Buildings
  • The policy will define where existing views, panoramas and gateways should be designated/protected in Oldham and where the council believes that taller buildings can be accommodated in the borough.
• Policy D5 – Improving the Quality of Advertisements and Signage in Oldham
  • The policy identifies the key requirements for the display of advertisements and signage in Oldham
• Policy D6 – Creating a Better Public Realm in Oldham
  • The policy establishes the requirements for new and improved public realm in Oldham to ensure that it is inclusive and user friendly. It will apply to all new developments that include an element of public realm within them and complement's policy T2 - Creating Sustainable Streets.
• Policy D7 Development within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse
  • The policy establishes the criteria that will apply to development within the curtilage of an existing dwelling house in terms of extensions, replacement dwellings, annexes and extensions to gardens.

To read the policies in full, please download the chapter extract which is available in the "downloads" section of this project page.

If, once you have read the policies and supporting information, you wish to comment on the proposed policies, then please use the survey below, to do so.