23. Type Selection
23.1. Structure of this section
This section splits Lewisham’s small development sites into five types and provides advice on each. Within each type there are a series of sub-categories, and specific guidance is provided for each.
The constraints on each type varies, with differing levels of complexity, and so the level of information provided is proportionate to the challenges that are likely to be faced when considering development on each.
Everyone working – or considering – a small site development in Lewisham should use this section to help identify which category their development site falls into and consult this section for specific guidance.
The guidance describes key guidelines for how homes might be laid out on these sites and some of the key constraints likely to be faced. These guidelines are not hard-and-fast rules, however, and developments may be given permission where advice is not followed provided that the application demonstrates exceptional design quality or achieves the policy objectives in a creative way. However, for the most part, developments that follow the guidelines in this section are much more likely to be supported at planning.
23.2. How the site types work
The site types have been defined following extensive mapping of the borough to identify where the majority of potential for small sites development exists. Therefore this is not an exhaustive list, but rather represents the majority of small sites in Lewisham.
Every condition is different. The site types in this document are generalised versions of real sites, and therefore will not be exact matches for every situation, but rather have corresponding qualities and characteristics. It is likely that your site may fall into more than one category. If so, you will benefit from the advice in multiple parts of this section.
23.3. How to navigate this section
In the following pages, the key characteristics of each site are described. You should use this to identify what types and subcategories your site falls into. With this information you should then turn to the relative page indicated.
