Drewitts Farm
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Drewitts Farm CHURCH RD., AMBERLEY, WEST SUSSEX - BN18 9ND HERITAGE STATEMENT DESIGN & ACCESS STATEMENT SARAH SULLIVAN BA(Hons) MCIAT December 2020 DipBldsCons(RICS) for and on behalf of:- O’Brien Homes, BOSHAM, West Sussex PO18 9DN 1 CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction…… ................................................................................................................. 2 2.0 Description of the site and surrounding area....................................................................... 2 3.0 Planning Considerations ..................................................................................................... 5 4.0 Design Considerations ........................................................................................................ 7 5.0 Access Statement ................................................................................................................ 8 6.0 Use, Amount and Space Compliance .................................................................................. 9 7.0 Site Layout, Scale, Landscape, Appearance ....................................................................... 9 8.0 Access and Boundary Treatment ........................................................................................ 9 9.0 Refuse, Recycling and Cycling Strategy ........................................................................... 11 10.0 Sustainability Statement .................................................................................................. 11 11.0 Lifetime Homes .............................................................................................................. 12 12.0 Crime Prevention Statement ........................................................................................... 12 13.0 Maintenance and Cleaning .............................................................................................. 13 14.0 Ecology and Landscape .................................................................................................. 13 15.0 Water Regulations Framework 2011 .............................................................................. 14 APPENDIX A – Photographs and maps Listing Descriptions REFERENCES & SOURCES: Amberley Conservation Area Conservation and Design Advice Leaflet No1 December 1997 Horsham District Council Parish of Amberley Design Statement (PADS) 2005 Bury Hundred: - National Archives Kew SC 5/SUSSEX/CHAPTER/1 1779 Window Tax Amberley West Sussex Records Office (WSRO) Acc2725 - Window tax assessment [The Window Tax was first granted by virtue of 7 and 8 William III, c. 18 (1695). It was charged on the occupiers of property and levied at three rates. The tax was abolished in 1851] WSRO MF 625 Land Tax Assessments Amberley 1780-1832 WSRO PH 9084 - South West & Mid Sussex: Volume of enlarged photographs, c1900 WSRO Ep/VI/26/1 Enclosure Acts, awards, maps of Amberley, Rackham and Coldwaltham 1828 Buildings of England: Sussex I. Nairn & N.Pevsner (Penguin) 1965 2 SITE ADDRESS: Drewitts Farm, Church Road, AMBERLEY, West Sussex BN18 9ND 1.0 Introduction: The application proposal is an amendment to an existing permission to build within the existing farmyard. Reference: DC/10/1158 | Erection of 6 (2 x 2-bed, 1 x 3-bed, 1 x 4-bed and 2 x 5-bed) dwellings with garages and parking together with access road. The permitted planning permission exists for a pair of semi-detached cottages (Plot 8 & Plot 9). The only matter to be considered is the reduction in length and broadening of Plot 9, and whether this materially affects the planning considerations that led to the previous decision to approve. 2.00 Description of the Site and Surrounding Area The village of Amberley is located within the Central Scarp Footslopes (Sheet WG8 Wealden Greensand) as identified on the West Sussex Landscape Character Areas map. The area extends between Amberley and Steyning at the foot of the adjacent chalk escarpment. There are complex field and vegetation patterns lying over sandstone and clay. Large straight edged arable fields contrast with a pattern of smaller, irregular pastures and arable fields, and narrow linear woodlands near the streams, creating sudden transitions. The key characteristics are dramatic views of the chalk escarpment to the south with glimpsed views of settlements through woodland and trees, with picturesque traditional spring-line villages and settlements. Varied building materials including flint, brick, local sandstone and some chalk are found within the villages. Amberley has its Castle and gardens as well as a medieval church. The application site lies within the boundary of the built up area of Amberley and relates well to the properties that are located on the south side of Church Street. The land, formerly a farmyard is relatively flat but has extensive views towards the Downs to the south beyond the adjoining fields. Background history The name of Amberley possibly derives its origins in the old English word amber meaning a measure of volume. The suffix Ley probably refers to a field, so the name may possibly come from a description of agricultural output from one particular field. During the Roman times, this part of the Arun valley the settlement at Amberley was probably just a farmstead, serving the Bignor Roman Villa that lies four miles to the west. Church Street is named after lane leading to the Saxon church; originally a small wooden church was erected on top of the ridge above the Wildbrooks, surrounded by the hovels, topped with turf as roofs. The land, a low ridge of upper greensand rock above the flood plain of the swift flowing river Arun, was gifted to Bishop Wilfrid in 683 AD by Caedwalla, King of Wessex. This rock is pale yellowish sandstone, deposited some 100 million years ago. After the Norman invasion 1066, the Saxon church was replaced by a stone structure by Bishop Luffa in 1103 who also built a timberframed hunting lodge which is now the site of Amberley Castle. The church was enlarged around 1150-1160. The chancel arch dates from this period with its shallow blank arches carved in the Purbeck marble. The manor of Amberley was held by the Bishops of Chichester who enjoyed the benefits of Amberley as one of their palaces. Earlier buildings, which served as a Manor House, were enclosed by a wall in the late 14th Century, intended not to protect against raids by French pirates, but to safeguard the 3 sacred person of the Bishop from the surrounding peasants. In 1377 he was given licence to crenellate and permission to build battlemented walls, just before the Peasants' Revolt. The crenellations, battlements and a portcullis transformed it into a fortified manor house. Here the walls were built up to 60ft high in Caen stone from Northern France. With the English reformation and the now newly formed Church of England, many Church estates and religious houses were dissolved and fell into crown ownership. The estate of Amberley still belonged to the church, but was no longer used as a summer palace. Therefore, Bishop Sherborne was the last Bishop to use Amberley as a home. Figure 1: 1806 map of Amberley showing Church Street leading to the church and castle to the west of Drewitts Farm The census documentation for 1861 shows the population of Amberley as 650; around just 150 more than it is currently. Vine House in Church Street, was a beer house called the Golden Cross in the 19th Century. Amberley then had eight beer houses or inns. Next door is the Malt House and was connected with the adjoining beer house. Figure 2: 1847 Tithe map detail of Amberley showing Drewitts Farm [West Sussex Records Office] 4 Drewitts Farm adjacent to the Malt House was one of nine farms located within the village during the 19th century. It was the last farm to have an active dairy herd into the late 20th century based within the village itself. With the changing of farming practices and changes within the village it was unviable to run the dairy herd down Church Street in conflict with residents. 2.0 Planning Considerations The site has been cleared of buildings and none of the works proposed has any physical effect on the nearby listed buildings. Indeed Plot 1 was completed under the previous planning permission is the only dwelling that is close to the Malt House C17 (Grade II) and Vine House c1830 (Grade II). Drewitts Farmhouse (Grade II listed) and its curtilage is clearly delineated with a walled garden to separate it from the incursion of any farming activities and from what was once this working farm. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2012 supports sustainable development in rural areas to support the rural economy. NPPF p 131 states that local planning authorities should take into account of: the desirability of sustaining and enhancing the significance of heritage assets (which includes a conservation area) and putting them to viable uses consistent with their conservation the positive contribution that conservation of heritage assets can make to sustainable communities including their economic viability; and the desirability of new development making a positive contribution to local character and distinctiveness. The proposal does not detract from the character or setting and is respectful of the special historic and architectural character of the village and its rural setting outside the Amberley Conservation Area and accords with NPPF p131. Other considerations include Horsham District Planning Framework 2015 and the relevant policies within that are to be addressed in Polices 33 Development