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Design & Access Statement

On behalf of: Kennedy Financial Services Limited

Site: Lynchet Barn, Fyfield, , , SN9 5JS Proposal: Erection of new dwelling (to replace that lost by fire), with associated parking, turning, and landscaping.

Fowler Architecture & Planning Limited 19 High Street, Pewsey, Wiltshire SN9 5AF www.faap.co.ukContents [email protected] 01672 569444 Lynchet Barn, Fyfield Fowler Architecture and Planning Ltd

Contents

1. Introduction

2. The Application: Site, History and Proposal

3. Design and Access Statement

4. Planning Issues and Material Considerations

5. Conclusions

Site: Lynchet Barn, Fyfield, Wiltshire, SN9 5JE Report For: Kennedy Financial Services Limited Documents PC Details Checked By Date No. 140502 Submission MP 13/2/15 Copyright – The contents of this document must not be reproduced in whole or in part within the written consent of Fowler Architecture and Planning Ltd

Lynchet Barn, Fyfield Fowler Architecture and Planning Ltd

1. Introduction

1.1 This Design & Access (Heritage) Statement has been prepared by Fowler Architecture and Planning Ltd (FAAP) on behalf of Kennedy Financial Services Limited, in support of the submission of a Full Planning Application for, ‘Erection of new dwelling (to replace that lost by fire), with associated parking, turning and landscaping,’ at Lynchet Barn, Fyfield, Wiltshire, SN9 5JS.

1.2 The purpose of this Statement is to explain the history and context of the application proposal, to set out the relevant Design and Access considerations and to then consider the planning issues and material considerations in respect of the proposal.

1.3 Section 2 of this Statement describes the application site, its planning and wider history and the Application Proposal. Section 3 then sets out the design and access considerations (a formal part of this planning application). Section 4 details the planning issues and material considerations and Section 5 provides the Conclusions.

2. The Application Site, History and Proposal

2.1 Lynchet Barn is located within the hamlet of Fyfield, which is itself located approximately 1 kilometre due east of Pewsey. The site is bordered to the north, south and west by agricultural land; to the immediate east the site is bordered by the curtilage of the Manor Coach Houses, beyond which is the unnamed road which runs south through the hamlet from Milton Street, with Fyfield Manor itself being located on the opposite side of the road at this point.

2.2 Fyfield is a tithing of the parish of and is typical of the strip tithings on the northern edge of Salisbury Plain. The hamlet reflects this, being of loose-knit, linear built form, characterised by large detached dwellings. Historically the hamlet was dominated in design terms by Fyfield Manor which dates back to the 15th Century.

2.3 The application site lies within the Fyfield Conservation Area and also within the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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Lynchet Barn, Fyfield Fowler Architecture and Planning Ltd

2.4 A search of Wiltshire Council’s public access database reveals that there have been a total of five planning applications on the site previously. Summary details of each of these planning applications is as follows:

App. No. 14/02632/LBC; ‘Demolition of the barn following destruction by fire.’ Approved, 24/3/2014

App. No. K/30354; ‘Change of use to a dwelling.’ Approved, 26/8/1994

App. No. K/17816; ‘Change of use to dwelling.’ Approved, 8/3/1993

App. No. K/17814/L; ‘Change of use to a dwelling.’ Approved, 5/12/1991

2.5 The most recent of these applications introduces the unique nature of this application proposal. Lynchet Barn is noted as being a, “beast stalling of the 16th Century” (Conservation Area Statement), after being derelict for much of the 20th Century it was carefully converted into a residential dwelling in 1998. Up until December 2013 it was a Grade II listed, timber framed, thatched barn conversion. However, in December 2013 that building was destroyed by fire to such an extent that its demolition was the only viable alternative.

2.6 Accordingly, in February 2014 a request for pre-application advice was submitted to Wiltshire Council in respect of the site; in particular seeking advice as to any design constraints that a new (replacement) dwelling would be likely to be subject to. The response to that request included the following points:

 the principle of erecting a replacement dwelling on the site was accepted (as it ‘has not been abandoned’);

 some reference to the ‘lost’ building and reference to the historic context would be appropriate;

 careful consideration of design, the site and its setting would be necessary;

 a farm style building would be ‘sympathetic and respectful’ of the site history and area;

 there is minimal scope for extending the ridge height, to avoid an ‘overtly domestic’ appearance; and Lynchet Barn, Fyfield Fowler Architecture and Planning Ltd

 the proposal would be assessed against the Conservation Area Statement and Wiltshire Council's Farm Building Guidance.

2.7 Concurrently with that request for pre-application advice, listed building consent was sought through application 14/02632/LBC for the: “Demolition of Lynchet Barn, Fyfield, and clearance of the site;” this being approved on 24 March 2014. The site was subsequently cleared in line with this approval.

2.8 In tandem with this, on the basis that it no longer existed, permission was sought from the Secretary of State (through English Heritage) for removal of the (former) building from the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest; this was formally agreed on 27 November 2014.

2.9 This full planning application follows these previous submissions and, where appropriate, reflects the advice given. Based on the response to the pre-application enquiry, an analysis of the history of built form on the site is appropriate. A review of on-line historic maps seems to suggest that the built form on the site at the end of the 19th Century (this plan was dated 1888) was ‘courtyard’ in style (see below).

2.10 More recently, the plan below from 1997 shows that at that date, there appear to be two buildings (assumed to be barns) on the site, situated perpendicular to each other.

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Lynchet Barn, Fyfield Fowler Architecture and Planning Ltd

2.11 A further on-line map suggests that in between these two periods the footprint of the barn destroyed by the fire was much larger, extending further westwards. This is recognised in the Conservation Area Statement which states, “Once of several bays longer, there would have been a hipped roof at both ends.”

2.12 The Conservation Area Statement acknowledges that Fyfield itself was once a larger settlement, with farms having amalgamated, the number of farm buildings declining with some being demolished. What is clear, is that the scale and layout of buildings on the site has remained far from static over time.

The Application Proposal

2.13 The application proposal is for a replacement dwelling on substantially the same footprint as the former dwelling. As with the previous dwelling, the proposed dwelling is a three-bed, one-and-a- half storey building. In addition, a garage block is proposed to the east of the replacement dwelling.

Lynchet Barn, Fyfield Fowler Architecture and Planning Ltd

3. Design and Access Statement

3.1 This Section explains the design and access considerations which set the context for the proposal.

Design Principles

3.2 Firstly, the constraints set by the response to the pre-application enquiry in terms of scale and layout have been important considerations. Coupled with this, reference has been given to the Fyfield Conservation Area Statement (dated June 2004) and Wiltshire Council’s Farm Building Guidance. Analysis of these shows that it is clear that any new development within the hamlet should be of a high quality of design and execution, and be well related to its historic context.

3.3 A set of design principles was arrived by an understanding of the following principles:

 an analysis of the site and surroundings;

 consideration of the character, form and style of the former dwelling on the site and the more historic built form;

 the design of other dwellings in the locality, drawing on local characteristics and policy advice;

 consideration of relevant planning policy and guidance; and

 pre-application advice and comments from Wiltshire Council.

3.4 A number of fundamental guidelines were formulated. The new dwelling should:

 have a comparable ridge height to the former dwelling;

 be similar in scale to the former dwelling and not adversely impact the openness of the site;

 be sited to reflect both the historical analysis and the layout of the former dwelling;

 be constructed in a style and with materials that follow local characteristics;

Design Components

3.5 The design of the proposed development has aimed to follow the fundamental guidelines outlined in the Design Principles above.

USE

3.6 Up until the building was destroyed by fire the site was in residential use. That former dwelling has since been completely removed, partly for health and safety reasons and the site is currently vacant, awaiting re-development.

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Lynchet Barn, Fyfield Fowler Architecture and Planning Ltd

SCALE, LAYOUT AND SITING

3.7 The scale of development has been defined to reflect the former dwelling. As part of the pre- application advice request, the Council responded that the scale of any replacement dwelling should reflect the scale of the lost dwelling. Furthermore, in respect of siting and design issues, the Wiltshire and Swindon Farmsteads Guidance advises that new buildings should be sited on the footprint of lost buildings; this was reflected during pre-application stage. Accordingly, this replacement dwelling is one-and-a-half storey form, with a footprint almost identical to that of the lost dwelling.

APPEARANCE

3.8 The replacement dwelling is to be constructed of plain brick under a slate roof. The appearance has been designed to both reflect the design of the previous converted barn, and also take into account policy guidance in terms of ensuring the replacement dwelling is as sustainable as possible. In this regard, and in particular given the context of Policy 41 in the Wiltshire Core Strategy, some additional glazing has been introduced into the southern elevation.

3.9 Overall in terms of appearance, the building balances these sustainability aspirations with the need to maintain a ‘barn’ style form and scale. In respect of the use of appropriate materials, the Conservation Area Statement refers to the use of red-brick as being quite common from the beginning of the 18th century. Whilst less detail is given in terms of roofing material in the Statement, slate is considered to be an appropriate material in this location.

LANDSCAPING

3.10 Following the fire in December 2013 the site was cleared. However, the ‘clearance’ relates largely to the footprint of the former dwelling; much of the landscaped setting remains. The site is relatively open in aspect, reflecting its wider landscaped setting; no additional landscaping is proposed to that which was in place prior to the fire.

Access and Parking Statement

3.11 Access to the site is to remain as per the previous dwelling and the application proposal is not considered to give rise to any issues of access or movement. A new garage block is proposed, this to be located between the replacement dwelling and the existing neighbouring property such that it is ‘tucked away’ in terms of its visual impact on the surrounding area.

Lynchet Barn, Fyfield Fowler Architecture and Planning Ltd

4. Planning Issues and Material Considerations

4.1 The application proposal is for a replacement dwelling. The application raises two particular planning issues – the principle of development on the same site and design, layout and appearance.

The Principle of Development

4.2 In planning policy terms, this application proposal is relatively unusual. Whilst the site is not within the built up area (Fyfield does not have a defined settlement boundary), the application proposal is for a single replacement dwelling on a site previously occupied by a single dwelling. In this context, the response to the pre-application enquiry confirmed that the principle of establishing a dwelling on this site was accepted, that response stating, “At the current time, any application for a replacement dwelling on the site would be judged primarily against policy HC25 of the Kennet Local Plan 2011. In essence, this would allow for the replacement of an existing dwelling which has not been abandoned where: the siting is closely related to the footprint of the dwelling it replaces and, the scale is not significantly larger than the original structure. Given the short time period that has passed since the fire and the ongoing work to secure the future of a building on the site, the Council would not consider the dwelling to be abandoned for the purposes of policy HC25 at this time.”

4.3 Given that this policy has continued to be Saved (alongside the recently adopted Wiltshire Core Strategy), this acceptability in principle remains fully applicable.

Heritage and Conservation Considerations

4.4 In conservation terms there is merit in having a replacement dwelling on the site. Indeed the Conservation Area Statement acknowledges that, in respect of the hamlet, “Its history records a steady clearance of buildings along the lane particularly of agricultural buildings and labourers’ cottages on the west side. It is important to avoid any further demolitions of traditional buildings even those that are unlisted.” Recognising the lost dwelling through its replacement is therefore entirely appropriate; and the proposed scale and footprint respect the former dwelling.

Design, Layout and Appearance

4.5 The Design and Access Statement (Section 3 above) confirms that the application proposal has responded appropriately to the pre-application advice, the Fyfield Conservation Area Statement and the Wiltshire and Swindon Farmsteads Guidance. In particular, the footprint of the replacement dwelling is substantially similar to that of the lost dwelling; and in proposing a one-and-a-half storey

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Lynchet Barn, Fyfield Fowler Architecture and Planning Ltd

building, the proposed dwelling mirrors the scale of the lost dwelling. Accordingly, there is no ‘additional’ adverse impact on the AONB than that of the former dwelling.

4.6 The use of red-brick underneath a slate roof represents an appropriate use of materials. In this respect, the proposed replacement dwelling respects is location within the Fyfield Conservation Area.

5. Conclusions

5.1 This Design and Access Statement has been prepared in support of the submission of a Full Planning Application which seeks approval for: “Erection of new dwelling (to replace that lost by fire), with associated parking, turning and landscaping,” at Lynchet Barn, Fyfield, Wiltshire, SN9 5JS.

5.2 Up until December 2013 Lynchet Barn was a Grade II listed, timber framed, thatched barn conversion. However, in December 2013 that building was destroyed by fire to such an extent that its demolition was the only viable alternative.

5.3 Accordingly, following that fire, a request for pre-application advice was submitted to Wiltshire Council in respect of a replacement dwelling on the site. Concurrently, permission was also sought for the demolition of the remaining structure and also its removal from the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest; this was formally agreed on 27 November 2014.

5.4 The application proposal is relatively unusual. Whilst in planning policy terms the site is not within the built up area (Fyfield does not have a defined settlement boundary), the application proposal is for a single replacement dwelling on a site previously (and recently) occupied by a single dwelling. Given the recent history of the site, in their response to the pre-application enquiry the Council fully accepted the principle of a replacement dwelling on the site.

5.5 The Design and Access Statement confirms that the application proposal has responded appropriately to the pre-application advice, the Fyfield Conservation Area Statement and the Wiltshire and Swindon Farmsteads Guidance. In particular, the footprint of the replacement dwelling is almost identical to that of the lost dwelling; and in proposing a one-and-a-half storey Lynchet Barn, Fyfield Fowler Architecture and Planning Ltd

building, the proposed dwelling mirrors the scale of the lost dwelling. Accordingly, there is no ‘additional’ adverse impact on the AONB than that of the former dwelling.

5.6 On the basis of the above, it is respectfully requested that planning permission is granted.

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