Deposit Draft Local Development Plan - Rhondda Cynon Taf

5.29. Within residential areas, B1 business uses will generally be acceptable. Itis preferable for buildings to be used appropriately rather than to standwholly or partly empty. A flexible approach will be encouraged to enablesuitable re-use or new uses where this might contribute to the preservationof a building or to townscape enhancement. Such development wouldalso be valuable in fostering new and smaller businesses, in providing jobsfor people in the locality and in achieving environmental improvements.The Council recognises that some uses, such as crèches, training centresand enterprises within the social economy, fall outside of the B1 useclasses. Such proposals may be acceptable within settlements and will beconsidered against the above policy.Policy AW 6 - Design and PlacemakingDevelopment Proposals will be supported where :-1. They are of a high standard of design, which reinforcesattractive qualities and local distinctiveness and improves areasof poor design and layout;2. They are appropriate to the local context in terms of siting,appearance, scale, height, massing, elevational treatment,materials and detailing;3. In the case of extensions to buildings, they reflect, complementor enhance the form, siting, materials, details and character ofthe original building, its curtilage and the wider area;4. In the case of proposals for new and replacement shopfrontsand signage, they make a positive contribution to the streetscene;5. In the public realm and key locations such as town centres,major routes, junctions and public spaces, the character andquality of the built form is to a high standard of design;6. They include public art;7. Landscaping and planting is integral to the scheme andenhances the site and the wider context;8. They include an integrated mixture of uses appropriate to thescale of the development;9. They include an efficient uses of land, especially high-densityresidential development on sites in proximity to local amenitiesand public transport;Preserving Our Heritage, Building Our Future49