THE VIPER PUBLIC HOUSE

Design, Access and Heritage Statement February 2021

Contents

1.0 Introduction 2.0 Site Description 3.0 Site Context 4.0 Site History & Listing 5.0 Local and National Planning Policy 6.0 Proposal 7.0 Access 8.0 Arboriculture 9.0 Biodiversity 10.0 Statement of Community Involvement 11.0 Flood Risk Assessment 12.0 Conclusion

THE VIPER PUBLIC HOUSE P a g e 1 | 15

1 Introduction 2 Site Description

Ingatestone This document has been prepared in support of a Planning Application and Listed Building Consent for The Viper Public House. The building was completely run down is a village in which retains a rural atmosphere and lies within the and in a deteriorated state, with the décor allowed to rot, the roofs allowed to leak Metropolitan Green Belt land 20 miles (32 km) north-east of London. The built-up area and the beer pumping equipment allowed to disintegrate. The property was then is largely situated between the A12 trunk road and the Great Eastern Main Railway Line. purchased by Mr R Cherryman in 2018, with the goal to revitalise The Viper Public The villages within Ingatestone are surrounded by farmland, ancient hedgerows and House back to its former glory. The application site has previously had a pre-planning woods. There are two conservation areas in Ingatestone containing several listed application submitted under reference 20/06031/PLB, to review emergency repair buildings. works required as requested by Brentwood Borough Council. These works will be included as part of this Listed Building Consent Application. The proposal also seeks permission to replace several outbuildings, minor alterations and external landscaping in order for the business to function efficiently. The applicant seeks to keep all the 1970’s features and has programmed a comprehensive schedule of structural repairs, redecoration and modernisation of the catering equipment, in order to re-open the pub as a working business.

To support the application, a qualified structural engineer has been appointed to produce a schedule of works in relation to the emergency repair works. The report identifies the main areas of concern to be the existing roofs to the lean-to additions and deteriorating timber to the sole plates and external walls. This can be found in the attached documents.

Additionally, to support the application a qualified consultant has been appointed to record and analyse the archaeological fabric of the building. The report adheres to Historic Level 3 as outlined in Historic England – Understanding Historic Buildings – A guide to good recording practice 2016. Page 22. The report aims to provide some clarity on the historic of the pub and its origin, as the listing contains some material errors of description and is vague in determination of dates and events. Aerial View of Ingatestone This can be found in the attached documents.

THE VIPER PUBLIC HOUSE P a g e 2 | 15

Fryerning Village Mill Green

To the immediate south lies the village of Fryerning, and together the two form the civil Mill Green is a hamlet in the Brentwood District and north of Ingatestone and the parish of Ingatestone and Fryerning. Fryerning is the smaller village and, apart from Village of Fryerning. Mill Green currently has two pubs, The Cricketers and The Viper. some changes to properties, has remained largely unchanged for many years. The network of public footpaths and bridleways makes it easy to enjoy this picturesque area.

THE VIPER PUBLIC HOUSE P a g e 3 | 15

3 Site Context

The rural setting comprises extensive woodland and agricultural land interspersed by clusters of development (hamlets, farm buildings and larger country houses). The immediate area consists mainly of woodland with pockets and clusters of residential and agricultural development which ‘nestle’ into their surroundings.

The site is located within the Metropolitan Greenbelt north-east of London. The Viper sits nestling in thick woodland, camouflaged with wallflowers and hanging baskets, and identifiable by its distinctive roughcast render and black outlined sash windows.

The site is accessed directly from Mill Green Road which connects to a network of country roads following historic routes defined by boundaries and topographical features.

Site Location

Metropolitan green belt

THE VIPER PUBLIC HOUSE P a g e 4 | 8

4 Site History & Listing

The Viper Public House is listed at Grade II and is thought to be listed for the following principal reasons:

Historic interest: * Rarity: as an increasingly rare example of the development of a significant building type in which the core elements of the transformation from private house to public house may be clearly identified.

Architectural interest: * Intactness: for the survival of key external (Front Elevation) and internal characteristics which reflect both the original form of the building as a pair of cottages, and its subsequent development as a public house, in terms of plan form, fixtures and fittings

The change of use presumably involved alterations to the interior at ground floor level and subsequently, the addition of single-storey learn-to extensions to both ends of the building. Several C20 additions to the rear of the building were constructed to provide additional (Viper, Mill Green, Ingatestone | pubwiki-EssexPubs) service areas and a toilet facility however, these are excluded from the listing.

Previous Planning History 1996 - 2004 At some stage in the early C20, the public house became part of the estate of the Trumans Brewery, which by 1873 had become the world's largest brewer. Between 1917 and 1990, Formation Of Car Park First Floor Extension At The Rear. The Viper was managed by two families - that of George Hall between 1917 and 1937 and The Viper Public House Mill Green Road The Viper Public House Mill Green Road Fryerning Essex Mill Green Fryerning Essex then by the Beard family up until 1990. Trumans Brewery closed in 1989, and the building Ref. No: 04/01308/FUL | Validated: Thu 23 Dec Ref. No: 00/00795/FUL | Validated: Wed became privately owned. 2004 | Status: Approved 04 Oct 2000 | Status: Approved

(The Viper public house, Ingatestone and Fryerning - 1460278 | Historic England) Store Building Erection Of First Floor Extens ion At The The Viper Mill Green Road Mill Green Rear.

Ingatestone CM4 0PT The Viper Public House Mill Green Road Through its recent history The Viper Public House is best known for its annual beer festivals Ref. No: 04/01095/FUL | Validated: Mon 25 Mill Green Fryerning Essex Oct 2004 | Status: Approved Ref. No: 00/00486/FUL | Validated: Tue and local stock however, a now struggling business has left the building neglected and 13 Jun 2000 | Status: Approved deprived and is in need of management and restoration. In 2018 The Viper Public House was acquired by Mr Rupert Cherryman with the aim to bring the once vibrant Public House to Replacement Store Building Single Storey Extension At The Rear To The Viper Public House Mill Green Road Provide Elderly Persons Annexe. life with the opportunity to clear away some of the existing ramshackle outbuildings and Fryerning Essex The Viper PH Mill Green Fryerning Ref. No: 03/00212/FUL | Validated: Fri 07 Mar Ingatestone Essex provide a warm and welcoming setting whilst being sympathetic to the heritage. The 2003 | Status: Approved Ref. No: 96/00798/FUL | Validated: Thu character and appearance which are part of what gives The Viper significance and value 05 Dec 1996 | Status: Approved would be improved or no more than neutrally affected by the proposed works.

THE VIPER PUBLIC HOUSE P a g e 5 | 8

5 Local and National Policy

At the local level Policy LT11: ‘Retention of Existing Local Community Facilities’ of the Both national and local level planning policy positively accommodate for development Brentwood Replacement Local Plan (BRLP) 2005 seeks to prevent community facilities, which sustains and fosters economic activity and social inclusion in rural areas. The including Public houses, from being lost to redevelopment because it is recognised that development project for ‘The Viper’ is a natural candidate to benefit from the latitude they are a vital part of the glue which holds society and individual communities together. afforded by this policy approach. Obviously the application proposal is not proposing loss of ‘The Viper’ pub and so this

policy is not strictly applicable. However, the spirit and purpose of the policy give it The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2019 states at paragraph 7 “The purpose of relevance in that it indicates that the project accords with the Council’s positive thinking the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development.” It in wanting community facilities to be retained and of a quality to attract continued use. goes on at paragraph 8 to state that this will be achieved by meeting three intertwined

objectives: economic, social and environmental. At part ‘b’ of paragraph 8 the social objective includes the need or the planning system to “…support community’s health, social The emerging but as yet un-adopted Brentwood Local Plan 2016-2033 has several policies which carry forward the themes of support for economic development and social inclusion and cultural well-being…” At paragraph 10 the “…presumption in favour of sustainable in rural areas. These are Policy PC01: ‘Cultivating a Strong and Competitive Economy’, development” is advanced. It is then stated at paragraph 38 that: “Decision-makers at Policy PC06: ‘Supporting the Rural Economy’ and Policy PC14: ‘Protecting and Enhancing every level should seek to approve applications for sustainable development where Community Assets’. possible.”

There is specific section in the NPPF titled ‘Supporting a Prosperous Rural Economy’ which urges Local Planning Authorities’ to be positively enabling in their plan and decision-making practices in this regard. At paragraph 83, four aspects for support are listed. These are: “a) The sustainable growth and expansion of all types of business in rural areas, both through conversion of existing buildings and well-designed new buildings; b) The development and diversification of agricultural and other land-based rural

businesses;

c) Sustainable rural tourism and leisure developments which respect the character of the

countryside; and d) The retention and development of accessible local services and community facilities, such as local shops, meeting places, sports venues, open space, cultural buildings, public

houses and places of worship.”

THE VIPER PUBLIC HOUSE P a g e 6 | 8

6 Proposal With regards to a Planning Application the proposal is to replace several outbuildings, With regards to Listed Building Consent, the proposal is to revitalise the existing building undertake minor alterations to the external fabric and alter the external landscaping in by addressing the following features: order for the business to function efficiently, whilst being sympathetic to the heritage. The following has been addressed:  Undertake the essential emergency repair works – As demonstrated in the attached structural engineer’s report,  Demolish four existing ramshackle outbuildings and construct four new outbuildings with timber cladding using the existing concrete hardstanding’s – As demonstrated  Redecorate existing rooms using heritage friendly colours – As demonstrated in the on drawing A2079 203 Proposed 3D View 1 and A2079 303 Proposed Block Plan, attached indicative finishes schedule,  Repair the existing concrete hardstanding’s,  Upgrade existing mechanical and electrical fittings by using existing service locations – As demonstrated in the attached M&E plan,  Replace existing timber fences – As demonstrated on drawing A2079 203 Proposed 3D View 1,  Provide essential fire alarm and detection system using existing locations where

possible – As demonstrated in the attached M&E plan,  Provide new close boarded timber fencing to separate the public area from the private and kitchen area – As demonstrated on drawing A2079 203 Proposed 3D  Remove the false ceiling to the left-hand side single storey extension to a vaulted View 1, mono-pitch ceiling to follow the natural slope of the roof. The roof will be repaired

in lath and plaster.  Provide new stairs to allow customers to safely access the rear gardens from the raised ground levels – As demonstrated on drawing 2079 203 Proposed 3D View 1,  Alter the existing 1970’s condemned fireplace to create a dual aspect and use a

double fronted multi-fuel unit.  Replace the existing window to the rear single storey extension with a door to allow access to the refuse area from the kitchen – As demonstrated on drawing 2079 203 Attached drawing numbers: Proposed 3D View 1,

 A2079 101 Existing Ground and First Floor Plan  Remove an existing window and replace the deteriorated door to the side  A2079 102 Existing Elevations  A2079 103 Existing 3D View 1 elevation (south) to match the existing – As demonstrated on drawing A2079 102  A2079 104 Existing 3D View 2 Existing Elevations and A2079 202 Proposed Elevations,  A2079 201 Proposed Ground and First Floor Plan

 A2079 202 Proposed Elevations  Install the necessary (future proofed) extraction system on top of the single storey  A2079 203 Proposed 3D View 1  A2079 204 Proposed 3D View 2 rear extension with privacy screening to reduce its visual impact – As demonstrated  A2079 205 Proposed M&E Plan on A2079 203 Proposed 3D View 1,  A2079 301 Existing Site Plan  A2079 302 Site Location Plan  A2079 303 Proposed Block Plan  Remove an existing door and window to the side elevation (east) – As demonstrated on A2079 202 Proposed Elevations.

THE VIPER PUBLIC HOUSE P a g e 7 | 8

7 Access 12 Conclusion

The proposal aims to seek permission to revitalise this existing Public House back to its The site is accessed directly from Mill Green Road. No changes to this access are needed former glory, by undertaking necessary repairs and improvements to provide a or proposed. Waste and recycling provision at the site would be unaffected by the substantial business. No interests of acknowledged importance would be harmed proposed works. therefore a grant of planning permission, subject to relevant conditions as reasonable

is considered appropriate. 8 Arboriculture

No trees or other valued landscape features would be affected or lost as a consequence of the proposed works.

9 Biodiversity

The proposed works will not dimmish the quality of any wildlife habitat value. There are no specifies of protect flora and fauna known or suspected to exist on site.

10 Statement of Community Involvement

The occupiers of the nearby residential property have been considered with the objective being to ensure that their residential amenities would not be affected to a material and harmful degree and that they remain the same. No formal consultation with neighbours has taken place in the knowledge that all adjoining property owners/occupiers will be directly consultation for their views by the council as part of the planning application process.

11 Flood Risk Assessment

The property does not site within a Flood Risk Zone based on a search on the Environment Agency data base. No special protection or amelioration measures are necessary.

THE VIPER PUBLIC HOUSE P a g e 8 | 8