The policy for housing design in the emerging Local Plan for West Dorset is:

ENV 12. THE DESIGN AND POSITIONING OF BUILDINGS

Development will achieve a high quality of design. It will only be permitted where the siting, alignment, design, scale, mass and materials used complements and respects the character of the surrounding area or would actively improve legibility or reinforce the sense of place. This means that: • The general design should be in harmony with the adjoining buildings and the area as a whole • The position of the building on its site should relate positively to adjoining buildings, routes, open areas, rivers, streams and other dominant features that contribute to the character of the area. • The scale, mass and positioning of the building should reflect the purpose for which the building is proposed. •  The quality of the architecture is appropriate to the type of building with particular regard to its architectural elegance, symmetry and rhythm, and richness of detail • Materials are sympathetic to the natural and built surroundings and where practical sourced locally. • The quality of the architecture should be appropriate to the type of building with particular regard to its architectural elegance, symmetry and rhythm, and richness of detail • Any alterations to or extensions of buildings should be well related to, and not overpower, the original building or neighbouring properties, unless they achieve significant visual enhancement to both the building and surrounding area. Do you feel: a)  This policy deals satisfactorily with housing design for our parish? b)  We should do more to encourage development to be more characteristic of the older buildings in Buckland Newton area? e.g. o Buildings should be built towards the front of the site, not in the middle of the plot o A variety of materials should be encouraged both within different houses on the same site, and within details of individual homes / discourage developments using a single or limited palette of materials o Discourage houses within a development being all the same size, shape and form