Designing for Local Character

Understanding Local Character

Bridlington and the surrounding East Riding of Yorkshire have a distinctive architectural character shaped by history, geography, and local building traditions. New residential development that respects this character tends to be more successful in planning terms and creates places where people want to live. Understanding what makes an area distinctive is the first step in designing appropriately.

Local character is not just about architectural style. It encompasses: building heights and massing, roof forms and pitches, materials and textures, street patterns and layouts, boundary treatments, and the relationship between buildings and landscape. In Bridlington, coastal influences, Victorian terraces, and post-war housing all contribute to the town's character.

Researching the Area

Before designing, it is important to understand what already exists. This means: walking the area, reviewing historic maps and photographs, understanding local planning policies, and identifying patterns in existing development. In East Riding of Yorkshire, the Local Plan and design guides provide useful context, but site visits reveal nuances that documents cannot capture.

Key questions to consider: What are the typical building heights? What roof forms are common? What materials are used? How are buildings set back from the street? What garden sizes and layouts exist? How do buildings relate to each other? These observations inform design decisions.

Design Principles

Good design for local character does not mean copying historic buildings. Instead, it means understanding the principles that make existing places work and applying them in a contemporary way. This might include: respecting existing building lines, using familiar materials in new ways, maintaining similar roof pitches, and creating similar relationships between public and private space.

For schemes in Bridlington, this often means: considering coastal weathering in material choices, respecting views to the sea, maintaining the scale of existing streets, and providing gardens that match local expectations. Contemporary design can still feel appropriate if it respects these principles.

Materials and Details

Material choices significantly influence how new development relates to existing areas. In Bridlington and surrounding villages, brick, render, and slate are common. Using similar materials, or materials that complement them, helps new development feel integrated rather than imposed.

Details matter too: window proportions, door styles, boundary treatments, and landscaping all contribute to character. While modern homes need modern performance standards, details can reference local traditions without being pastiche. Good architects understand this balance.

Scale and Massing

New buildings should respect the scale of their surroundings. This means considering: building heights relative to neighbours, overall massing and bulk, and how buildings sit in the landscape. In Bridlington, this often means keeping heights modest and breaking up larger developments into smaller elements that relate to existing patterns.

Massing also affects how residents experience the development. Buildings that are too large or too small can feel out of place. Understanding existing patterns helps determine appropriate scale for new development.

Street Layout and Public Space

How streets and spaces are laid out significantly influences character. In Bridlington, existing streets often have: clear front doors facing the street, defined front gardens, consistent building lines, and safe pedestrian routes. New development should reinforce these patterns rather than contradict them.

Public space, whether streets, squares, or green areas, should feel like natural extensions of existing areas. This means considering: how routes connect, how spaces are defined, and how they relate to surrounding development. Good layout reinforces local character while providing modern amenity.

Working with Planning Authorities

Planning authorities in East Riding of Yorkshire expect new development to respect local character. This is set out in local policies and design guides. Early engagement with planning officers helps understand their expectations and identify potential issues before detailed design work.

Design and access statements should explain how schemes respond to local character. This includes: analysis of the area, identification of key characteristics, and explanation of how the design responds. Clear explanation helps officers understand the approach and supports positive decisions.

Benefits of Respecting Character

Development that respects local character tends to: gain planning permission more easily, create places where people want to live, maintain or enhance property values, and contribute positively to the area. For developers, this means lower risk and better outcomes. For residents, it means homes that feel part of the place rather than imposed upon it.

As a developer working in Bridlington and East Riding of Yorkshire, we aim to create schemes that enhance local character while meeting modern standards. This approach supports successful planning outcomes and creates lasting value.