PLANNING, DESIGN AND HERITAGE STATEMENT

Proposed Residential Development

at Theddingworth Road, Husbands Bosworth

JUNE 2017

Document Control Sheet

Project Name Land at Husbands Bosworth Client Alice Constable Maxwell Project Reference 1381 Project Lead Jon Millhouse (JM) Team Members Gosia Chomka (GC)

Version File Name Description Prepared Checked Date 01 1381 Planning, Final JM MB 27/06/17 Design & Heritage Statement

Produced by:

Planning Design Practice Ltd 3 Woburn House Vernon Gate Derby DE1 1UL

www.planningdesign.co.uk

Planning, Design and Heritage Statement, Theddingworth Road, Husbands Bosworth

1 Introduction

1.1 Outline planning permission is sought for a residential development scheme on a site situated off Theddingworth Road on the eastern edge of the village of Husbands Bosworth.

1.2 This report provides an appraisal of the site’s architectural, historic and landscape context, and explains how these factors have informed the submitted design.

1.3 The report also sets out the pre-application consultation that has been undertaken, and assesses the scheme against relevant planning policies.

2 General location

2.1 Situated at the southern end of , Husbands Bosworth lies 6 miles west of , and 6 miles east of and the M1. The village is situated at the crossroads of the A4304 which runs broadly north-south, connecting Leicester and Northampton. The passes just to the north west, including through a 1133 yard tunnel. The site itself lies north east of the junction of the A4304 and Honeypot Lane.

Planning, Design and Heritage Statement, Theddingworth Road, Husbands Bosworth

Figure 1: The Settlement of Husbands Bosworth

3 Landscape context

3.1 Husbands Bosworth is situated on a ridge, close to the watershed of two rivers, the Avon flowing westwards and the Welland flowing eastwards. The village is located within the Laughton Hills Landscape Character Area. The Council’s Landscape Capacity Assessment (2014) identified the site as having ‘medium’ capacity for development.

3.2 Being a rural village surrounded by open countryside, an important consideration for any development proposal on the periphery is how the proposals are likely to affect the setting of the village, and of designated heritage assets. Being on the eastern side of the village, beyond which land falls away into the Welland Valley, views from the east are an important consideration. The site is well screened from Theddingworth Road by hedgerow planting and trees however, and a further tree belt exists along the site’s north eastern boundary. To the north west and north, the site is also shielded by existing agricultural buildings at Honeypot Farm.

Planning, Design and Heritage Statement, Theddingworth Road, Husbands Bosworth

Figure 2: Husbands Bosworth in Context

3.3 The site itself comprises of open pasture land. There are a couple of standalone trees close to the south eastern boundary, and a copse in the south eastern corner. In the southern part of the site are the remains of a substantial brick wall which separates a rectangular area of land from the remainder of the site. At the western end of this rectangular area is a dilapidated brick and slate tile building.

Figure 3 :Rear of Properties along Honeypot Lane within the Conservation Area

Planning, Design and Heritage Statement, Theddingworth Road, Husbands Bosworth

Figure 4: Disused Barn

Figure 4: Views from the Site looking East

Planning, Design and Heritage Statement, Theddingworth Road, Husbands Bosworth

Figure 5: Wall forming the Conservation Area Boundary

4 Historical context

4.1 Much of Husbands Bosworth is designated as a Conservation Area. The boundary follows the aforementioned wall, therefore the site lies outside, but adjoins, the Conservation Area. There are a number of Listed Buildings in the village. There are 3 Grade II* buildings: Bosworth Hall and nearby Chapel of St Mary (south of the site) and Church of All Saints (west of the site). The nearest Grade II Listed buildings are situated on Honeypot Lane (numbers 18, 20, 34 and ‘The Old House’).

4.2 Bosworth Hall (now comprising 2 dwellings) includes several different phases: a tudor phase (probably incorporating an even earlier core) comprising of 5 west-facing 2.5 storey brick gables, a Georgian phase, comprising of a south and east facing 3 storey brick house constructed in 1790, a Regency bay constructed in 1832, and Victorian Gothic link section constructed C. 1870.

Planning, Design and Heritage Statement, Theddingworth Road, Husbands Bosworth

Figure 6 :Bosworth Hall

4.3 Bosworth Hall sits in substantial landscaped grounds, including a courtyard of outbuildings and the Chapel of St Mary. The Chapel was constructed in 1873 of limestone with ashlar dressings, in a French Gothic style, to the designs of A J Purdie, a pupil of Pugin.

Planning, Design and Heritage Statement, Theddingworth Road, Husbands Bosworth

Figure 7: Courtyard of Outbuildings at Bosworth Hall

Figure 8: Chapel of St Mary

4.4 The Church of All Saints was constructed in the early 14th Century and extensively restored in 1861 and 1867, of Ironstone rubble with limestone dressings. The tower has a distinctive square, squat shape, topped with a pointed spire.

Planning, Design and Heritage Statement, Theddingworth Road, Husbands Bosworth

Figure 9: Church of All Saints

4.5 18 Honeypot Lane is an early 18th Century red brick cottage situated hard up against Honeypot Lane. 3-light casement windows are arched on the ground floor and tucked under the eaves on the first floor. The roof is steeply pitched and some timberwork is visible on the gable.

Planning, Design and Heritage Statement, Theddingworth Road, Husbands Bosworth

4.6 Figure 10: 18 Honeypot Lane

4.7 20 Honeypot Lane is a mid-18th Century red brick house with a Welsh slate roof, and a formal fenestration; again fronting the lane.

Figure 11: 20 Honeypot Lane

4.8 No. 34 is set back slightly from the lane, and comprises a symmetrical red brick late 18th Century/early 19th Century house with sash windows and decorative architrave around the doorway. A distinctive wall and outbuildings to the right also form part of the Listing.

Planning, Design and Heritage Statement, Theddingworth Road, Husbands Bosworth

Figure 12: 34 Honeypot Lane

4.9 The Old House has a 17th century core with alterations dated 1712. A timber frame is evident with brick panel infill on a nibble plinth. An attached 18th Century wall also forms part of the Listing.

Figure 13: The Old House

5 Morphological pattern

5.1 As the 1884 and 1900 Ordnance Survey maps of Husbands Bosworth illustrate, the main road through the village (now the A4304) has been straightened adjacent to All Saints Church. Reference to those maps allows the present day morphological pattern to be more clearly understood.

Planning, Design and Heritage Statement, Theddingworth Road, Husbands Bosworth

Figure 14: Husbands Bosworth 1884

Figure 15: Husbands Bosworth 1884 - Zoomed

Planning, Design and Heritage Statement, Theddingworth Road, Husbands Bosworth

5.2 At the turn of the 19th/20th Centuries, the wide High Street was a focus for high density frontage development. At the western and eastern ends were open areas where adjoining routes converged. At the west end, the Northampton Road from the south met with the Leicester Road from the north. At the eastern end, High Street culminated in front of the Church, with Church Street (containing some further high density development) spurring to the left and the road to Bosworth Hall Lodge spurring to the right. After the Hall entrance the latter route then turned 45 degrees and continued north eastwards towards Theddingworth. This alignment resulted in an approximate square, with All Saints Church and the (now demolished) Rectory on the south side, and the church yard (formally laid out with paths and trees) to the north. This formal planting appeared to continue north of Honeypot Lane towards the site. The rectangular area to the south of the development site appeared to contain two glass houses and the surviving brick building had a penfold-type enclosure to the south.

5.3 Honeypot Lane continued in a northwest direction, eventually meeting Mowsley Lane, which in turn looped back around to meet High Street. Thus a further ‘square’ was created, dissected in the middle by Church Lane. Along these lanes were tight clusters of buildings (presumably farmsteads) with undeveloped land in between. Where lanes met, informal areas of open space were present.

Figure 16: Husbands Bosworth 1900

Planning, Design and Heritage Statement, Theddingworth Road, Husbands Bosworth

5.4 The pattern described above has largely survived until the present day, albeit incorporating additional infill development and this helps to give Husbands Bosworth its distinctive character.

6 Architectural Context

6.1 Husbands Bosworth is architecturally mixed, with buildings of different status, age and style. This provides texture and variety. There are certain shared characteristics however, and this ensures visual harmony. Red brick is a dominant building material for example, and the majority of buildings are of a human scale and simple in form.

Figure 17: Chaplains House

Planning, Design and Heritage Statement, Theddingworth Road, Husbands Bosworth

Figure 18: Honeypot Lane

Figure 19: High Street

Planning, Design and Heritage Statement, Theddingworth Road, Husbands Bosworth

6.2 The eastern end of the village retains an estate-like character, evidenced by the features associated with the Hall, (the Hall itself, its outbuildings and parkland landscape, the long brick boundary wall alongside the A4304, the lodge and green next to the entrance). This character even appears to extend onto the site (the long brick wall and outbuilding with its decorative date inscription).

Figure 20: Original Entrance to Bosworth Hall

7 Views

7.1 In terms of distant views, the site is not particularly prominent from public vantage points. Although the land falls away to the north east, there are relatively few publicly accessible locations from which to see the site from the north east. From Mosley Road north east of the village, the site is generally well screened by hedgerows and by Honeypot Farm. The Grand Union Canal and towpath run in a cutting, with tree planting either side. As such views towards the site are not available.

Planning, Design and Heritage Statement, Theddingworth Road, Husbands Bosworth

Figure 21: Grand Union Canal Towpath

7.2 Occasional views back towards Husbands Bosworth are available from gaps in the hedgerows which line Mosely Road at Theddingworth, however given the long distance and amount of tree planting in and around Husbands Bosworth, it is not easy to pick out the site itself.

Figure 22: View Towards Husbands Bosworth from Mosely Road

Planning, Design and Heritage Statement, Theddingworth Road, Husbands Bosworth

7.3 The undulating landform prevents views back towards the site from Hothorpe Road between Theddingworth and Sibbertoft (south east of the site), and the site cannot be easily seen from Welford Road between Sibbertoft and the airfield. Views back towards the site from the public footpath which extends south of the village from Butt Lane are blocked by Lodge Spinney (dense tree planting around the Hall).

Figure 23: View Towards Husbands Bosworth from Hothorpe Road

7.4 From the A4304 immediately south of the site, filtered views of any new development would likely be possible, through the existing roadside hedge. A new vehicular entrance off this road would obviously require some hedgerow removal, thus opening up an unobstructed view into the site.

Planning, Design and Heritage Statement, Theddingworth Road, Husbands Bosworth

Figure 24: View from the A4304

8 Conclusions of the context analysis

8.1 Following the above analysis it was decided that the design should reflect the following principles:

Observations Design Suggestions

Rural setting of the village contributes to its character Ensure that the development has a rural village character and that the eastern approach to the village remains rural in character

High concentration of designated heritage assets Ensure that any new development preserves / enhances their setting

Planning, Design and Heritage Statement, Theddingworth Road, Husbands Bosworth

Traditional road pattern consists of parallel lanes creating Reflect this characteristic with the internal roughly square shaped blocks, with open areas where lanes road layout converge

Built development on north eastern side of village Reflect this characteristic with the traditionally comprised of clusters of buildings with spaces arrangement of buildings in between

The village is architecturally mixed, but with some shared Reflect this variety, but utilise similar materials characteristics and basic forms

Estate-like character to the south east of the village Reflect this character in both architecture (e.g. estate cottages) and landscaping (e.g. a green space alongside the entrance).

Filtered views of the site from the A4304 are available Consider supplementary planting and siting new buildings back from the main road

A new vehicular entrance to the site would create an Ensure an attractive view is created which unobstructed view of the site adds positively to the scene. Preferable if the entrance does not appear over engineered

9 The Proposed Scheme

9.1 Outline planning permission is sought for 24 new dwellings, a new access onto Theddingworth Road and public open space. Although submitted in outline form, the only matter to be reserved is landscaping. The fixing of design details at this stage is at the request of the planning officer and is to ensure that the quality of the proposed scheme is brought forward through the reserved matters stage.

Planning, Design and Heritage Statement, Theddingworth Road, Husbands Bosworth

9.2 The submitted design was developed over many months. As well as being informed by the analysis provided in earlier chapters of this report, it was also heavily influenced by consultation with the Council’s planning officer.

9.3 Draft plans were also presented at a meeting of the Husbands Bosworth Parish Council on 2/5/17. Feedback received included a request for bungalows in the scheme (which was subsequently incorporated into the design),

9.4 The submitted scheme is designed to have a rural village character, as befits its location. The form, style and layout of buildings is influenced by existing buildings on the eastern side of the village. Reflecting the site’s links with Bosworth Hall, the proposals also have a rural-estate character, with houses overlooking generous amounts of open space mature trees and the brick wall along the south western boundary. The gables on the front façade of some of the houses is a subtle reference to Bosworth Hall itself.

9.5 A new vehicular and pedestrian entrance is proposed off Theddingworth Road. The pedestrian access would link with the existing pavement along the road. The vehicular access would be served by a new right turn lane. It is proposed that the 30mph zone through Husbands Bosworth is extended to incorporate the site access. New road markings and a gateway feature would draw attention to the new limit.

9.6 Although landscaping is a matter to be reserved for subsequent approval, an indicative tree planting scheme is proposed. A new tree belt is envisaged along the boundary with the neighbouring farm, to facilitate good relations between the two land uses.

10 Assessment and Conclusions

10.1 The site currently lies outside but adjacent to the Husbands Bosworth Development Boundary as defined within the Adopted Core Strategy.

10.2 However, Husbands Bosworth has been identified by the District Council as a “Rural Centre” in its Settlement Hierarchy. These are described as “settlements capable of sustaining expansion, infill and re-development to provide a focus for new housing and employment development in rural parts of the District due to their level of services and facilities”.

Planning, Design and Heritage Statement, Theddingworth Road, Husbands Bosworth

10.3 The Council is currently preparing its new Local Plan and it is understood that the village of Husbands Bosworth has been identified through the Plan preparation process as being potentially suitable for some level of housing growth.

10.4 Paragraph 49 of the NPPF advises that housing applications should be assessed in the context of the presumption in favour of sustainable development. It states that “policies for the supply of housing should not be considered up-to-date if the Local Planning Authority cannot demonstrate a five year supply of deliverable housing sites”. The Council cannot currently demonstrate a five year supply of deliverable housing sites.

10.5 Paragraph 14 of the NPPF makes it clear that in the context of decision taking the presumption in favour of sustainable development means that planning permission should be granted “unless any adverse impacts of doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits, when assessed against the policies in this Framework taken as a whole”.

10.6 The site lies on the edge of a sustainable settlement where a range of services and facilities would be accessible to future occupiers without the need to resort to using the private car. The site lies within walking distance of a bus stop on a route connecting the towns of Lutterworth and Market Harborough. The location of the site is therefore sustainable in environmental terms. The proposed development would bring about the social and economic benefits of broadening the choice of family homes, providing a proportion of affordable housing to meet local needs, supporting local services and contributing positively towards the local community. It is therefore concluded that the proposed development is sustainable, and acceptable in principle.

10.7 Owing to the contextually appropriate design and extent of screening, it is considered that the proposed scheme will protect the setting of the Conservation Area. Indeed, it is considered that the development will add positively to the quality and variety of the village.

10.8 The proposed scheme is also set a comfortable distance from nearby Listed Buildings so as to protect their settings. Owing to separation distances to nearby houses the proposal should not affect the privacy of neighbouring residents or have an overbearing impact upon them.

Planning, Design and Heritage Statement, Theddingworth Road, Husbands Bosworth

10.9 A variety of house types and sizes are proposed, including two, three and four bedroom houses, detached, semi-detached and terraced houses, and bungalows. This will add to the variety of housing available locally.

10.10 The offsite highway works proposed are considered to be acceptable by the highway consultant who’s assessment accompanies the application. Within the site itself, roads are designed to an adoptable standard (except for small areas of private drive), but are not ‘over-engineered’. Off street parking is provided for every property, as discreetly located as possible.

10.11 For the reasons set out above it is considered that the proposed scheme is acceptable in planning terms and should be approved.

Planning, Design and Heritage Statement, Theddingworth Road, Husbands Bosworth

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