Urban Design Guide - Section 2 Enhance and ... - Islington Council

2.2 HEIGHT AND SCALE
A sensitive intervention that marginally rises
above its neighbours at a bend in the road.
Example of uneven development - this
block has no respect for the height, scale
or proportions of the uniform terrace or the
topography.
However, variations in building heights, do
not in itself provide a justification for height
increases. An alteration or extension to the
existing roofline may still be unacceptable in
the following circumstances:
• Where the existing street frontages and
roof profile have historical and / or
architectural importance and / or
contribute to an area’s individual
character. This will include listed buildings,
conservation areas and sometimes other
buildings that do not have this status.
• Where the alteration to a façade or
roofline impacts adversely upon the
architectural integrity and quality of the
existing or neighbouring buildings.
• Where a change to the roofline or façade
would be out of scale with its neighbours,
especially if it starts to inappropriately
dominate the street, and undermines the
rhythm of the street frontage.
• Where change adversely impacts on views
and landmarks.
• Where it impacts adversely on the
topography of the street.
• Where it causes a canyon effect and / or
unduly overshadows the street.
• Where it impacts adversely on the
character of an open space or the public
realm.
• Where it creates an imbalance in height
between opposite sides of the street. This
may not be relevant where there is
potential future scope for the
redevelopment of the opposite side too,
or on wide streets.
The two sides of the street are unbalanced.
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Islington Urban Design Guide December 2006