Humans are consuming the natural resources of the planet more than ever. The number of people living on earth is at its peak, and the planet simply doesn’t have the capabilities to regenerate resources that fast. Accommodating the principles of good sustainable design at an early stage need not automatically increase your project costs particularly when lifecycle costs are considered. Leading green belt architects understand that the area to which a policy applies, or an area subject to a planning constraint defines every decision you make. From Green Belt, to flooding or housing allocations, the data you require can be overlayed on one map and provide an invaluable tool to be used at every stage of the planning process. For conversions of buildings and replacement buildings in the green belt, an applicant will be required to carry out a survey of any protected wildlife species6 and its habitat which may be present in the existing building and its curtilage. Mitigation measures or replacement provision may be required in order to secure the future of any population found to be present. You may be asking yourself how does
New Forest National Park Planning fit into all of this?
Development Mix And Quantum
Sustainable development challenges architects to produce smart designs and use available technologies to ensure that structures generate minimal harmful effects to the ecosystem and the communities. Most green belt architects' practice provides advice and services across all areas of planning from strategic land promotion and major development schemes to small domestic planning matters. As architects, green belt planners work collaboratively with people, whether individual clients, community groups, educational establishments, companies, builders or developers, to support them in creating new buildings and to improve existing ones. Many a team of expert and approachable green field planning consultants have been providing informed, effective and considered planning support to developers, commercial clients and householders for many years. Without the Green Belt designation it is likely that a proportion of land would have been lost to urban development and associated infrastructure. Green Belt landscapes have been fragmented by development in a number of locations over time, however, and there may be a correlation between this and the relative lack of large and/or nationally important nature conservation sites. Thanks to justification and design-led proposals featuring
Net Zero Architect the quirks of Green Belt planning stipulations can be managed effectively.
The Green Belt is one of the most politically emotive topics in town planning. People’s understanding of the Green Belt helps fuel this political heavyweight today, but to what extent does this understanding reflect reality? Put simply, the Earth has a finite number of resources. The rise in construction developments, from new builds to office buildings and the need for new habits has seen natural resources and habits dwindle, with our planet being unable to match the pace of modernisation. Where it is shown that appropriate buildings are not available to accommodate the needs of a business, new build development may be acceptable where it is shown to integrate within an established building group or it involves the redevelopment of previously developed land. As you’d expect, green belt architects design and construct buildings from initial concept sketches and feasibility studies, and see projects through the planning and building regulations stages to the finished building. There are different options for the future of the Green Belt that do not destroy it, but rather accommodate it in a different relationship with the city. In the context of rapid and potentially disastrous climate change, the Green Belt offers a reservoir of potential. My thoughts on
Green Belt Land differ on a daily basis.
Green Belt Land Isn't Hugely Effective
Green Belt would be better defined as being structured by well managed Green Ways: pathway, woodland, park, trail, green system, park system, green industry- following natural or human made routes. There is no clearer example of the relationship between urbanism and nature than along the green belt, which was created to protect against London sprawl. However, some people believe it has become a stranglehold on development. Green belt architecture is underpinned by a philosophy that advocates sustainable energy sources. Where feasible, steps are taken to design for energy efficiency, including the use of renewable energy sources such as wind, geothermal and solar. Rather than have green belts used for just major cities we should have a more inclusive, ubiquitous and positive zoning that applies to large towns and major settlements. Rather than a impose a rigid presumption against development we should aim for zones that encourage innovative uses that generate investment in environmental and community benefits in keeping with the principles of sustainable development. No two green belt sites are the same, but many specialist architects have developed a strategy to tackle these difficult plots. Their initial feasibility study delves into ecological studies and site history investigations, helping to inform decisions in the future stages. Professional assistance in relation to
Green Belt Planning Loopholes can make or break a project.
Development opportunities in the largely undeveloped parts of the UK are increasingly scarce and the ever increasing emphasis that the Government places on sustainable development allied with the protection of the countryside and landscape has the potential to result in the stagnation and ultimate decline of our rural communities. Pressure for development within the Green Belt is strong, although this varies from one type of development to the next and also from one part of the Green Belt to the other. However, recent evidence suggests that pressure is greater on the edges of the established urban centres than the more rural part of the Green Belt. When determining planning applications, substantial weight should be given to any harm to the Green Belt and ‘inappropriate development’ should be approved only in ‘very special circumstances’. Not all development, however, is inappropriate. The NPPF sets out that specific types of development, such as small residential extensions and the replacement of buildings, are not inappropriate provided they meet a number of conditions. Building in the Green Belt is the worst possible option. It is a ‘lose-lose’ scenario. We sacrifice our precious green spaces, losing access to nature and fresh air, and, instead of building sustainable communities or meeting genuine local needs, we end up with unhealthy, high-carbon, car-dependent housing estates. Anyone involved during the design, construction, operations or maintenance timelines serves to gain valuable knowledge and understanding about net zero-energy and energy efficiencies. Even those who use the facility are able to make connections, and learn to limit their personal energy use. Key design drivers for
Architect London tend to change depending on the context.
Towards A More Sustainable Approach
It is important that development which is appropriate, or where very special circumstances exist, is not harmful to the visual amenity of the green belt and proposals should have regard to all other relevant polices in the plan. These include the use of high quality materials, a design that is sensitive to its green belt setting, consideration of the amenity of neighbours and in all cases that any impact on openness is kept to a minimum. One example of a green belt application revolved around development within the green belt, discussions with the local authority over what is considered to be within the residential curtilage, avoiding a nearby root protection area and delivering a sizeable extension which accorded with local policy. With green belt architects, every project is designed with sustainability in mind - it is Green belt architectsa part of a design process and fundamental to creating smart design solutions that are well integrated and economically viable. You can get extra particulars on the topic of Architects on this
House of Commons Library article.
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London architects
