Section 4.0 - Urban Design

High quality urban design within the Town Centre will be critical for achieving an urban environment with a compact built form, a wide range of different uses, a convergence of high order transit routes, and a strong civic identity for South Nepean. The framework for urban design within this Secondary Plan consists of both urban design policies and urban design guidelines. Appendix C graphically illustrates the potential ultimate build out of the Town Centre based on the urban design policies and guidelines in this Section. Appendix D illustrates this potential for the different phases of the Strandherd Retail District’s evolution.

4.1 Urban Design Policies

The following urban design policies apply to all development within the Town Centre, except where certain design policies would contradict Section 3.2(7) and 3.3(5) regarding the Strandherd Retail District. They express the general objectives covering broader issues that must be met by all development. The policies are general in nature to permit flexibility during the design process while ensuring a minimum urban design standard is met.

Policies

  1. Buildings must maximize the coverage of lots.
  2. Buildings must be at least two fully functioning storeys in height, with different areas having greater minimum building heights as per Section 4.0.
  3. Buildings must be functionally and visually oriented to the public street and sited to be parallel to the public street and generally aligned with neighbouring buildings.
  4. Principal building entrances must be oriented to the public street and not to rear parking areas or lanes.
  5. Building design must address issues of adequate sunlight, sky views, and wind conditions.
  6. Buildings must be developed with a substantial portion of any visible front façade from a public street within 5.0 metres of the respective property line.
  7. Building frontage must be maximized along all public streets.
  8. At-grade uses must be flush with grade and provide an active use at grade in order to promote pedestrian activity.
  9. Spaces between the building wall and the street must provide an appropriate transition from the private realm to the public realm.
  10. Buildings must have dynamic façades with limited areas of blank, featureless walls.
  11. All parking, including surface, below-grade, and above-grade, must not detract from the aesthetic appearance of any public streetscape.
  12. Buildings and structures located at key locations must be designed and massed to emphasize their locations.

4.2 Urban Design Guidelines

The urban design guidelines provide specific design guidance on particular issues and elements within the Town Centre. The design guidelines are not considered a “design checklist”, but instead are to be applied on a case-by-case basis. While not considered policy, the City will use these guidelines during the review of development applications.

Policies:

  1. All development must have regard to the urban design guidelines in Section 5.2 of the South Nepean Town Centre Community Design Plan.
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