22375H urban design MASTER:22375H urban design MASTER
3 creating the urban structure
01/08/2007
10:23
Page 46
3.3 density, facilities and form
Recent moves towards the creation of more sustainable towns and cities that offer a high quality of life whilst minimising resource consumption (such as energy, land and water), have reawakened interest in the concept of density. The benefits of seeking higher density levels in overall terms are well-recognised (see Table 3.2) - especially in the context of delivering mixed use development where a minimum housing density is required to sustain non-residential uses.
What current set-back and parking standards can give you: low density, suburban house types out of place with their setting and forecourts dominated by parking
Some people continue to equate higher densities with poor urban quality, such as overcrowding and reduced space standards. This misses a fundamental point. Density is only a measure. It is a product of design, not a determinant of it. The aim should therefore be not to achieve a given residential density, but to generate a critical mass of people able to support urban services such as public transport, local shops and schools. Research has shown that there is no correlation between urban quality and density (DETR, 1998). Developments driven by average densities and shaped by blanket standards (relating to privacy, open space, parking and highway geometry, for example) stultify design and tend to produce lowestcommon-denominator blandness. The recommended approach is design-led, concentrating on sustainable urban quality. Market considerations influence many of the housing forms and this, together with the design-led approach, makes density a measure of the product, not a determinant of it.
Applying standards with more flexibility and parking on-street increases site potential and creates strong street frontage
Car free urbanism (perhaps with only some on-street parking) with strong links to nearby public transport facilities can provide high quality city living without town cramming
Table 3.2 The benefits of higher densities Social • Social proximity encourages positive interaction and diversity • Improves viability of and access to community services • Enables more and better integrated social housing Economic • Enhances economic viability of development • Provides economies of infrastructure Transport • Supports public transport • Reduces car travel and parking demand • Makes undercroft or basement parking economically viable Environmental • Increases energy efficiency • Decreases resource consumption • Creates less pollution • Preserves and helps fund maintenance of public open space • Reduces overall demand for development land – avoiding sprawl
3.3.1 density and facilities Focus on activity centres Higher densities focussed on urban centres ensure that they remain lively, with local facilities close at hand. Giving people the choice to use public transport, by siting bus/tram stops or railway stations within walking distance also helps underpin viability by significantly increasing potential custom. This not only applies to residential uses, but to industry, commerce and shopping. The better served and connected a site or development is, the stronger the case for considering higher densities and lower car parking provision. 46
urban design compendium