Aim

9.29    The City Council aims to protect and enhance short and longer distance views which contribute to Westminster's townscape and historic character.

Reasons

9.30    Strategic Planning Guidance, paragraph 70, states that "Boroughs should include in their UDPs policies to protect their local views as appropriate." The City Council considers that local views of important listed and other landmark buildings or groups of buildings, monuments and statues are worthy of protection, not to mention views through and from the Royal Parks, London Squares and along or across the River Thames and canal. The City Council will therefore resist any redevelopment that will have a damaging impact on local views in addition to the strategic views described in para 9.21 above, of the Palace of Westminster and St. Paul's Cathedral. The City Council will seek to ensure that any building proposal is compatible with the character of local views in terms of setting, scale and massing. Development will not generally be acceptable if it impinges on locally important views or skylines, or if it would appear too close or high in relation to a landmark or historic feature or building, or behind it so that its silhouette is marred.

POLICY DES 3 - Local views

The City Council will normally refuse permission for any development which will have a detrimental effect on local views of listed or other landmark buildings or groups of such buildings and monuments, in their setting and/or against the skyline. Views through and from the Royal Parks, London squares (including Covent Garden Piazza), River Thames, Regent's Canal and Grand Union Canal are particularly sensitive.

Policies DES 1, DES 4, DES 5 and DES 6 may also apply.