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New guide for developers encourages positive streets not soulless roads
16/11/2021
Document prioritises walking, cycling, and public transport whilst reducing the need to use cars
A new guide has been published which aims to steer house builders towards the County Council’s vision of new development, with the aim of improving the quality of life for local people.
The first ever Oxfordshire Street Design Guide has been approved by Oxfordshire County Council, following a debate at its September cabinet meeting.
The foreword says the guide has “drawn on the best current thinking and practise to produce a guide that looks at how different designs will suit the needs of residents – prioritising walking, cycling, and using public transport”.
The guide encourages “positive streets” not “soulless roads” and looks to a future where less car ownership could lead to tarmac being reclaimed from vehicles for community use.
Amongst the key design guidelines is a desire to “Prioritise sustainable and active travel to help reduce congestion – Design streets and places in a way that reduces car use while promoting sustainable active travel modes to help combat the climate emergency. This means creating streets that are linked, well connected, safe and attractive for walking and cycling.”
Councillor Duncan Enright, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Travel and Development Strategy said: “Oxfordshire’s new Street Design Guide gives developers the instructions they need to bring forward plans to meet our objectives: tackling the climate emergency, improving health, and cutting transport inequality.
“We will achieve this by building beautiful and sustainable new places to live and work. By putting walking and cycling first, and encouraging great public transport, new neighbourhoods made this way will massively improve quality of life.
“We have already begun work on the second edition of this living document, which will constantly improve street design and support healthy lives.”
You can see the Oxfordshire Street Design Guide here.
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam