21 August 2008 Chapter 10 - Urban Environments These qualities are the principal reason for the attractiveness of the residential areas. Particular amenities which contribute to that character and which the community seeks to protect include: • Relatively quiet background noise levels (day and night); • Privacy between individual residential properties; • Ample sunlight to buildings, private open space areas; • Views to the sea and surrounding hills; • Low building height; and • Open streetscape. The Plan seeks to maintain these residential amenities by requiring the management of adverse effects on these amenities arising from activities within and adjoining residential areas. The Plan seeks to maximise opportunities for views through and across residential properties to the sea and other landscape features by maintaining a generally low building height and low-to-medium building coverage although the Plan will not guarantee views from individual properties. New sites created by subdivision have, historically, been required to comply with minimum area, frontage, and access standards. The creation of sites by cross-lease has involved a different legal mechanism and in some areas different site area standards have applied. New sites, whether created by title subdivision or cross lease or any other legal mechanism, should all meet the same standards. Those standards should provide sufficient area, shape, and access to enable reasonable future development for residential purposes and will maintain a low-to-medium urban density throughout the settlements. The Plan also recognises that at Picton, the port areas have played and will continue to play an integral part in the development of the town. This historic close association between place of work and living has led to the current land use pattern where residential properties are often very close to port areas. Port areas are vital for the economic wellbeing of the community. Accordingly, the amenity values of the residential areas in Picton need to be balanced against the need to provide for the efficient and effective functioning of the port and rail operations. Residential activities adjoining the port zone may have their amenity compromised by noise levels arising from existing port and rail activities. Sounds Residential Areas - Marlborough Sounds The character of the Sounds Residential Areas within the Marlborough Sounds varies greatly. This is also very different to the character and amenities found in the urban residential areas. The character of particular Sounds Residential areas depends to a large extent on location factors. These include such things as the general locality, access, vegetation on and around the sites, view and proximity to the water. The consultation process revealed that prospective purchasers of ‘Sounds Residential’ properties place the most value on the following factors: • Foreshore Frontage; • Road Access; • Privacy; • Location; • Anchorage; and 10 - 11