Design Code Pathfinder Programme

St Cuthbert's Garden Village has been chosen by the Government to be part of the national Design Code Pathfinder Programme. As one of only 25 areas in England, St Cuthbert's has been awarded national funding to create a Design Code to be used by people wanting to build within the garden village. Design codes are a collection of principles offering guidance to developers to help deliver more beautiful and sustainable places and communities.  

The design code pathfinder programme is aimed at helping to improve design quality and design standards within new developments. The programme offers support and funding to local authorities to produce local design codes intended to ensure that communities will benefit from beautiful homes in well-designed neighbourhoods. The programme will seek to involve local communities as part of the production of the St Cuthbert's Design Code to ensure it reflects local aspirations for good design.  

The aim of the Design Code Pathfinder Programme is for Local Authorities to work with their communities and the Office for Place (created by DLUHC to support the implementation of design codes across England) to develop good practice design codes and processes that can serve as exemplars to others in the creation of local design codes.

Further information is available on the Government's Design Code Pathfinder Programme website. 

Developing the Design Code:

What features and assets of this area are particularly special to you ?

Landscape character This part of Carlisle enjoys a world class landscape setting. There are a variety of different environments which come together to give the area a unique landscape structure and appearance.

The character of the area and its setting have been assessed and mapped to ensure a landscape led approach to planning for new development within St Cuthbert’s. A green and blue infrastructure delivery strategy is nearing completion which will inform this design code work along with your views.

Why is this important?

The new and existing communities at St Cuthbert’s, driven by the core guiding principle of ‘Start with the Park’, will be set within a high-quality landscape that includes farmland, woodland, parkland, wetlands, trees and hedgerows, as well as the proposed St Cuthbert’s Greenway.

The design of new development should aim to complement the landscape characteristics and features that make this part of Carlisle special.

Streets and roads

Streets and roads are not only essential for the movement of people and goods but are important public spaces which affect our quality of life and the attractiveness of our built environments.

Well-designed streets and roads help to create a strong sense of place that can guide patterns of movement and the experience of getting around.

Why is this important?

We believe all new development should create new streets and enhance existing routes in a way that supports easier movement and opportunities for active travel, whilst also providing people-friendly public spaces.

The network of new streets created in St Cuthbert’s should help new development to integrate with its surroundings, and could include design characteristics that reflect existing, locally distinctive streets and pathways.

Built form

As a city that has evolved over many centuries, buildings in Carlisle display a wide variety of different characteristics, in terms of height, density, land use, materials and layout.

This is influenced by different uses and functions, periods of growth, technological advancements, changing styles and fashions over time, and different environmental constraints.

Why is this important?

The Strategic Design Supplementary Planning Document requires new residential development to be well integrated, both with existing environments in Carlisle and a mix of new environments. This will include new homes alongside community buildings such as schools, local centres and a new district centre.

This mixed and integrated approach needs careful design coordination to maintain a balanced and attractive character.