This is a term little heard of by anyone who doesn't work in Planning!
Public Realm is any free space open to anyone including streets and parks and is an umbrella phrase used to describe street furniture such as benches, street signs, railings, planters and grass verges. It is the quality of the public realm and street furniture which contributes to "Place Making" giving a town character and improving the human experience.
Peacehaven and Telscombe Towns can also be improved by unified designs set out as "Design Codes". These codes inform future development within the towns and will be achieved by setting out some general design principles based on national guidance. Then, different character areas are defined and a brief character area assessment carried out which underpins the design codes that respect and enhance the existing character. These objectives were agreed with Peacehaven and Telscombe Town Councils at the outset of the project.
Currently in Peacehaven and Telscombe we have a mish-mash of different signage (particularly along the South Coast Road) which is ugly and unco-ordinated. Within the scope of the Neighbourhood Plan, there is an opportunity to adopt design codes for our streets to improve the visual effect and currently the Steering Group is working on a set of Design Codes to be approved. Thereafter, developers will be required to conform to those standards for any building that takes place and gradually improvements will be made.
The Design Codes will form part of the Neighbourhood Plan which is currently being drafted.