New Design Standards for Garden City Homes

An Important Message for Letchworth Garden City Residents*

Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation announces New Design Standards for Garden City Homes

• Following extensive research, the ‘Design Standards’ are changing. This article will tell you why and how.
• Find out what this means for Letchworth Garden City residents.
• Read how the Heritage Foundation can help residents contemplating making changes to their Garden City homes.
• See how these changes will be publicised.

* please note if you live on the Jackmans or Grange Estates, these 'Standards' do not apply.

Visit the new Design Standards' website at www.lgchf.com/designstandards

What it means – setting the standard...

1. Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation operates a ‘Scheme of Management’ as Freeholders of the Garden City Estate.

2. This means if you want to make external changes to your Garden City home, you must obtain ‘Consent’ from the Foundation.

Important notes:

• Many residents living in leasehold properties have Covenants under which they are required to obtain the Foundation’s ‘Consent’ for works to their property.
• This requirement is separate from the need for you to obtain planning permission from North Hertfordshire District Council.

Announcing important changes for those residents who need to obtain the Foundation’s ‘Consent’ in the future...

3. Up until now, the Foundation has published detailed ‘Design Guidance’ to advise and support residents making external changes to their Garden City homes.

4. Following extensive independent research involving a large number of residents, local architects and organisations with an interest in the Garden City, the Foundation’s ‘Design Guidance’ is now changing.

What you told us!

5. The research told us how residents feel about living in Letchworth Garden City, how the Foundation’s ‘Design Guidance’ is used and how it might best be updated.

• 93% of residents surveyed agreed that the greenery of Letchworth Garden City is important to them.
• 78% agreed that they are proud to be a resident of the Garden City.
• 75% agreed that the character of houses in their street is important to them.
  
  Source: Ipsos MORI research, 2008

What did people say about the Foundation’s ‘Design Guidance’?

6. Residents surveyed by Ipsos MORI questioned why the same ‘Design Guidance’ applied to all homes in Letchworth Garden City*, regardless of the age or style of properties.

7. Residents felt that stricter rules should apply in the more historic areas of the Garden City, but believed that less stringent standards should apply in more modern areas.

What are we going to do about this?

8. We listened. Following detailed analysis of the research, the Foundation is delighted to announce three distinctive ‘Character Areas’ within Letchworth Garden City, each with its own set of ‘Design Standards’.

How can I find out which ‘Character Area’ applies to my home?

9. Visit our website at www.lgchf.com/designstandards or call 01462 476017.

If you are contemplating making changes to your Garden City home, visit our website or call us on 01462 476017 to obtain the ‘Design Standards’ brochure that applies to your home.

What are the ‘Character Areas’?

10. The three ‘Character Areas’ are:

Early Garden City
The ‘Early Garden City Character Area’ represents the oldest and most historically important homes in the town. Built predominantly between 1900 and the 1920s, these pioneer homes played a pivotal role in defining the character of the Garden City.

To obtain a copy of this ‘Design Standard’ visit www.lgchf.com/designstandards or call 01462 476017.

Later Garden City
Homes in the ‘Later Garden City Character Area’ were predominantly built between the 1930s and 1950s. Set around street blocks, houses vary in design, from brick built terraces to detached and semi-detached houses.

To obtain a copy of this ‘Design Standard’ visit www.lgchf.com/designstandards or call 01462 476017.

Modern Garden City
The ‘Modern Garden City Character Area’ is represented by contemporary homes, built from the 1960s to the present day. The modern nature of these homes allows for less prescriptive ‘Design Standards’.

To obtain a copy of this ‘Design Standard’ visit www.lgchf.com/designstandards or call 01462 476017.

Important note:

• The design of some homes will be different from their ‘Character Area’. For example, where individual modern properties have been built within the ‘Early Garden City Area’ or, indeed where older Garden City homes reside within more modern areas. In these cases, each home will be considered on its own merits albeit within the context of the ‘Standards’ relevant to that area.

From when does all this apply?

11. The new 'Design Standards' apply now.

What if I have already sent my application for ‘Consent’ to the Foundation or I’m just about to submit one?

12. For the rest of 2008, two sets of rules will apply. Whether you have used the previous ‘Design Guidance’ or the new‘Design Standards’ to complete your ‘Consent’ application, provided it meets the requirements of one of these, ‘Consent’ will be given.

13. From 1 January 2009, the new‘Design Standards’ will be used exclusively.

Is the Foundation going to continue to give financial assistance to help home owners meet the costs of their alterations?

14. Yes. However, as part of a major review of the Foundation’s ‘Design Guidance’, changes to the existing Architectural Heritage Grants structure will take effect from 1 December 2008.

15. If your grant application is submitted prior to, but not determined by, this date, you will be invited to choose whether your application is considered using the existing or the new grants structure. Details of the Foundation’s new Architectural Heritage Grants regime will be published in late November.

What is the Foundation doing to ensure everyone is made aware of these changes?

16. Over the next few weeks, copies of a small booklet detailing the main changes will be delivered to homes across the Garden City*. Look out for this arriving on your doormat soon. A digital copy of this document is available online now at www.lgchf.com/designstandards

17. Please note if you live on the Jackmans or Grange Estates* you will not receive this booklet as your home is not subject to the ‘Scheme of Management’ or lease covenants.

18. Garden City residents who make changes to their Garden City homes normally hire professional help to get the job done. Later this month, the Foundation will be bringing together an audience of local architects, builders, contractors, estate agents and solicitors to explain the changes in more detail.

19. Further information and feedback on the new ‘Design Standards’will appear on the Foundation’s website at www.lgchf.com/designstandards and in other Foundation publications such as ‘Insight’.

If I am still confused who can I talk to and when should I ask for help?

20. The earlier you come to talk to our Estates team the more help we can provide. If you are contemplating making changes to your Garden City home, contact us now to arrange a meeting. We’ll come and visit you, talk through your ideas and see, first hand, what changes you would like to make.

Tel: 01462 476017
Email: home@lgchf.com
Web: www.lgchf.com/designstandards

* please note if you live on the Jackmans or Grange Estates, these 'Standards' do not apply.