Residents are being urged to help develop a new design code for Wychavon.

The district council has teamed up with social enterprise Create Streets to come up with a code which will set out expectations for future developments.

The codes will outline in detail what is required from developers, housebuilders and architect’s proposed plans before they are submitted.

Wychavon say this should help guarantee standards are upheld and remove uncertainties which can delay the planning process.

Councillor Bradley Thomas, leader of Wychavon District Council, said: "We want our new homes and places to improve our towns and villages and to nestle within the landscape.

“This design code is critical in helping us create beautiful new homes and places to support prosperity and sustainable and neighbourly living.

“I encourage residents to take up this opportunity to directly influence how their street, neighbourhood or community is going to look and develop in the years to come."

The design code can include everything, from the type of material that can be used to whether buildings should avoid being north-facing in order to make it easier to install solar panels.

Such a code will not replace the need for planning permission or remove the rights of residents to object or comment on individual planning applications.

However, by requiring developers to build to the design code, it means planners can ensure new development is better suited to towns and villages and is good quality, sustainable and helps communities flourish, says the district council.

Input from residents is critical to creating the code and consultations are now open across the district, which has been divided into north, south and central areas. 

Using the interactive map for their area, residents will be able to click on a selection of buildings and give their views on whether they would like to see more or less similar looking buildings in their area in the future.

If there is a street, building or feature somebody thinks has been particularly well designed, they can also click on any part of the shaded area within the map and give their views on it.

The consultations run until 31 March 2023.

To take part visit www.wychavon.gov.uk/consultations.