Village Design Statement (VDS) is a term of English rural planning practice. A VDS is a document that describes the distinctive characteristics of the locality, and provides design guidance to influence future development and improve the physical qualities of the area. Due to the rural bias of many communities and the large urban majority in the UK its often considered in the context of urban planning although it was developed for the rural setting.
Drawing up the VDS provides an opportunity for communities to describe how they feel the physical character of their parish can be enhanced.
Rural Community Councils support local communities in the production of Village Design Statements.
Originally the VDSs focused on only the built environment, but due to development in the surveying methods they began to include elements of service provision and have largely been superseded by Village Action Plans.
Famous quotes containing the words village, design and/or statement:
“Tom was a glittering hero once more—the pet of the old, the envy of the young. His name even went into immortal print, for the village paper magnified him. There were some that believed he would be President, yet, if he escaped hanging.”
—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)
“The reason American cars don’t sell anymore is that they have forgotten how to design the American Dream. What does it matter if you buy a car today or six months from now, because cars are not beautiful. That’s why the American auto industry is in trouble: no design, no desire.”
—Karl Lagerfeld (b. 1938)
“The honor my country shall never be stained by an apology from me for the statement of truth and the performance of duty; nor can I give any explanation of my official acts except such as is due to integrity and justice and consistent with the principles on which our institutions have been framed.”
—Andrew Jackson (1767–1845)