5.1.5 Building lines and set backs

Building lines and set backs influences street character, privacy and how buildings relate to the public realm. Set back is the distance between a building and the edge of its plot, usually measured from the back of street or pavement to the building.

SHOULD

Building lines and set backs should respond to area type and context. Town centres, high streets, local centres and urban neighbourhoods should have continuous frontages with set backs typically between 0 to 2m. A suburban or village setting should have a more informal arrangement with a varied frontage and setbacks typically between 2 and 6m.

Fig 5.16 Set back is the distance between edge of the street and the building façade (Credit: NMDC).

Fig 5.17 An example of a street in a high street or urban neighbourhood (top) with minimal variation in the building line and continuous frontage. The suburban or village street (bottom) has mixed set backs and greater distances between homes creating a varied frontage.

Fig 5.18 Varied set backs and building line can help create a varied and organic layout that is in keeping with a historic high street or village context.

Fig 5.19 Diagram of a 'formal' residential block with a continuous frontage, regular building arrangement and uniform building set backs.

Fig 5.20 Diagram of a 'semi-formal' residential block with varied building setbacks and an internal mews court.

Fig 5.21 Diagram of an 'informal' residential block with varied building set backs and looser arrangement of buildings.