Development Management Policies - Direction of ... - Islington Council

5 Housing
5.0.25 Every home needs to provide spaces, both inside and outside, for occupants to gather
and to be apart from each other. Homes should have sufficient storage, space for work
and study, and circulation spaces to provide for the needs of all potential occupants and
their visitors. The quality of housing is affected by space as well as design, and good
housing cannot be made from spaces that are too small. Space requirements aim to ensure
rooms are large enough to take on a variety of uses and allow homes to be used in a
variety of ways.
5.0.26 New homes need to be built to be accessible and adaptable to meet changing
circumstances over a person's lifetime, in developments that are attractive to, and safe
for, all. New minimum space standards and homes that are adaptable to change as new
occupants move in, families grow, and occupants age, or experience ill health, lie at the
heart of London's new design standards for housing. Good space standards are particularly
important in higher density housing, such as that in Islington, which is usually occupied to
the maximum occupancy. Issues that need to be addressed include accessibility and
adaptability, privacy, safety and security, daylighting, access to open space, play space,
car use and climate change adaptation and mitigation.
5.0.27 Flexible and adaptable housing design enables families to stay put, reduces unwanted
moves and allow sustainable communities to develop. It can also avoid unsightly
adaptations and extensions to accommodation and costly ancillary aids and services.
5.0.28 Choices made about the organisation and design of circulation can significantly affect the
social dynamics of a building, management and security requirements, and the satisfaction
of residents. Security and management become issues when higher numbers of people
use the same space. Residents sharing access with a smaller number of others on their
floor tend to enjoy greater privacy, and a greater sense of ownership of the space. As a
result they may take more responsibility for the upkeep of shared spaces. By contrast,
increasing the number of dwellings sharing access on each floor increases the need for
security and management.
5.0.29 Housing must be designed to be safe and secure, welcoming and accessible for all and
contribute to a sense of belonging. The entrance to a house/flat marks an important
transition between the public and private domain. Design of shared circulation is an
important consideration. The design of the how the shared circulation space will operate
is important to the overall. For major developments details are required to be provided in
the Design and Access Statement demonstrating how shared circulation spaces will operate
satisfactorily, including details about the security and servicing arrangements, such as
access control systems and mailbox locations. Mailboxes for buildings with common/shared
entrances should preferably be provided so they can be accessed without compromising
the safety and security of the private domain (i.e. deliveries made without accessing the
interior of the building so the internal shared circulation space is not compromised by
unauthorised entry).
Development Management Policies - Direction of Travel Islington Council
67