Public Spaces

“The quality of the spaces between buildings is as important as the buildings themselves. Public spaces are streets, squares, and other spaces that are open to all.” – The National Design Guide

VISION

Kent’s future public spaces will work for people and the environment. They will be attractive, resilient and usable areas providing benefits for nature, resilience to climate change and capacity to sequester carbon, as well as opportunities for residents to interact and lead active and healthy lifestyles.

WHAT DO WELL-DESIGNED PUBLIC SPACES LOOK LIKE?

We want to see multifunctional, well-located and connected public spaces. They should include shops, cafés, sustainable travel hubs and activities that promote social interaction, health and well-being and social and civic inclusion. They will also encourage wildlife and biodiversity net gain and reduce the development’s carbon footprint.

Your plan should feature both large strategic and small local spaces, including parks, squares, water, greens, pocket parks, verges and pedestrian areas. These should be linked by walking and cycling routes, providing a green network within and around the development, and connected to the community beyond where possible.

• See our Pavement & Specification page for more details about Street Design.

WHAT WE WANT TO SEE NOW

Well designed public spaces, including streets, will:

• Be multifunctional, with well-located and connected public spaces supporting services including shops, cafés, sustainable travel hubs and activities that promote social interaction, health and well-being and social and civic inclusion. They will also encourage wildlife and biodiversity net gain and reduce the development’s carbon footprint.
• Feature both large strategic and small local spaces, including parks, squares, water, greens, pocket parks, verges and pedestrian areas. These should be linked by walking and cycling routes, providing a green network within and around the development, and connected to the community beyond where possible
• Feel safe and secure, so people are encouraged to use them. Making them well-overlooked helps discourage antisocial behaviour.
• Include benches and play equipment in parks, and good quality surfaces on tracks and paths, so they can be used and enjoyed safely by all
• Fully integrate natural features and green spaces to mitigate the impacts of climate change and air pollution by providing shade, flood water storage and carbon sequestration, as well as providing places for people to enjoy
• Take cues from and be sympathetic to the local area and context, complementing not detracting from the character of Kent’s natural environment. Incorporating existing village greens, common land, river corridors and public squares will make new spaces recognisably part of the local identity. Provide public spaces with variation in the landscaped environment that provide interest and draw the eye around the space.
• Enable cultural activity in streets, squares and parks that activates them and helps create a sense of community. You should consider practical requirements including power and water supplies, sight lines and audience access. Public art should be commissioned in consultation with a small, diverse group of advisors and stakeholders

More on the Kent Design Guide:

• Soft Landscaping
• Designing Out Crime
• Pavement & Specification (Street Design)
• Biodiversity

Sustainability Checklist:

This characteristic is particularly important for Natural Capital, Sustainable Connectivity, and Biodiversity.