Planning for waterside bungalows/chalets Bure at Hoveton Planning for waterside bungalows/chalets This guide outlines the history of Early tourists waterside bungalow/chalets and the contribution they make within the Waterside bungalow/chalets are part of Broads, discusses their similarities the unique Broads landscape. Most of and differences, and suggests ways to the bungalow/chalets we see today stem maintain and alter existing bungalow/ from holidaymaking in the Broads from chalets and insert new bungalow/chalets the 1880s to the 1960s. They are a distinct successfully within their particular group of buildings which significantly historic and landscape setting. For contribute to our understanding of the the purposes of this guide, the term history of the Broads. In the late 1800s, Bungalow/chalet relates to small/ if you had some disposable income, what low light-weight buildings which are better way to dispose of it than on a generally at the water’s edge. waterside bungalow/chalet in the Broads? Waterside bungalow/chalets were initially Part 1: Changing perceptions built for this expanding holiday market consisting mainly of affluent city dwellers Waterside bungalow/chalets undoubtedly who sought refuge within the wild and make an impact on the character of the undeveloped Broads in the late 19th and riverbank. Historically there was concern early 20th century. The growth of tourism that in some locations this was starting in the Broads was closely linked to the to become negative. For example back in establishment of railway stations within 1982 the Broads Authority was keen to the Victorian period and some of the most remove some of the bungalow/chalets on popular areas for waterside bungalow/ the River Thurne at Potter Heigham and chalets were around villages with links to Martham. Residents disagreed and the major towns and cities, and those which bungalow/chalets remained. Over time the offered existing recreational facilities. contribution that the bungalow/chalets make to the character of the area began Entrepreneurs to be more widely appreciated. When in 2015 the Authority, in consultation with Opportunity existed and an influential local residents, wished to add waterside group of Broads entrepreneurs, boat bungalow/chalets to its Local List, 58 builders and hirers, started providing waterside bungalow/chalets, including a tourist facilities that offered alternatives number on the River Thurne, were given to boating. People such as John Loynes the status and protection of local heritage of Wroxham and Herbert Woods of Potter assets. Heigham had captured early tourists with their boat offer and unsurprisingly other tourist facilities, including bungalow/ chalets, were erected in areas in close proximity to the popular boat hirers. Planning for waterside bungalows/chalets Belaugh Wartime use of Bungalow/chalets Many local people of the time were not comfortable with seeing the bungalow/ The two world wars brought new uses chalets being developed and what was for the bungalow/chalets. On occasion then considered the local distinctiveness of people from some of the larger towns in the area being eroded. Wider social issues the area, such as Great Yarmouth, used such as divisions between the early tourists the bungalow/chalets as permanent and the less affluent local people may residences when their main homes were have exacerbated this divide in opinion. under greater threat from bombing. There is also evidence of a bungalow/ Location, location, location chalet in Wroxham, Closeburn, being used as a Red Cross unit for recuperating The bungalow/chalets are unevenly soldiers. Within this period the bungalow/ distributed throughout the Broads, with chalets in some areas also started to high densities in some villages such as be used more generally as permanent Wroxham, Hoveton, Horning, Potter residences, resulting in the mix of use we Heigham and Brundall. They are also see today, as both holiday and permanent predominantly a feature of the northern accommodation. broads. Several factors contributed to this, such as the location of early railway Controversial assets stations and main boatyards, and the distance to larger centres of population. As with many forms of development, Another important factor was one of the bungalow/chalets were not without aesthetics. It was the undulating and controversy. The bungalow/chalets were wooded landscape in the upper reaches of some of the original second homes – the Broads that was particularly attractive built not for local people, but for visitors. to tourists of the time. Planning for waterside bungalows/chalets Natural habitat included regular, well-proportioned features. The roof was usually the In some instances bungalow/chalets dominant feature with generously situated in a more natural habitat of reeds overhanging low eaves and overhanging and trees were surrounded by vegetation gables. The early bungalow/chalets were which allowed even quite large buildings generally were single storey and not to fit less conspicuously into the Broads raised off the land. As issues with flooding landscape. Individual or small groups became apparent (for example River of trees could be seen on the plots and levels at Potter Heigham have risen) the planting was typically natural, avoiding bungalow/chalets were raised on piles to regular spacing and formal borders. The avoid seasonal flooding. dominant surface on river frontage was grass. Bungalow/chalets were sometimes On the River Bure boathouses were set back from the water’s edge on their often integral to the design, sometimes plot allowing natural vegetation to develop with the boathouse below and the living at the waterside. This natural vegetation accommodation above. Treatment at the and untrimmed edges supported the waterside varied but often the banks were growth of wild flowers and contributed retained by timber quay heading or natural to a natural appearance which also had banks in the calmer reaches of the system. benefits for wildlife. Our Planning for Traditionally mooring was provided off- Biodiversity guide (available on our river, within the plot of each bungalow/ website) suggests ways in which new chalet. This offered more protection to developments can encourage wildlife. boats, with less potential for obstruction to navigation. Historically, many of the leased On the waterfront plots at Thurne had neither boat dock or The age and design of the bungalow/ bungalow/chalet on them. Our Mooring chalets varies across the Broad with the Design Guide (available on our website) more elaborate qualities of the bungalow/ will be helpful for new developments and chalets upstream at Wroxham and the modifications. smaller and simpler looking bungalow/ A sense of proportion chalets downstream at Potter Heigham. Bungalow/chalets siting right on the The scale and density of the bungalow/ waterfront, such as those on the River chalets varied significantly across the Thurne, were traditionally simple in shape; Broads, as did their design – they possess the size and shape of these properties certain characteristics across different was determined by the size and shape of areas. The bungalow/chalets at Wroxham, the rand (that piece of land between river Hoveton and to a certain extent Horning and soke dyke). Typical characteristics that were constructed with a thatched roof of bungalow/chalets across the Broads and false timber framing had a ‘romantic’ Planning for waterside bungalows/chalets character typical of the wider Arts and Simple and fun Crafts Movement. Larger, more elaborate examples were built at Wroxham, within The bungalow/chalets often had a lower densities, set in larger wooded plots, sense of fun, reflecting holiday use, and therefore exhibiting a more exclusive sympathy for the landscape and their feel. Simpler and smaller bungalow/ location close to the waterside. All of the chalets were built in settlements such as bungalow/chalets were lightweight in Potter Heigham, within higher densities construction and timber predominated and smaller plots. Simpler and smaller as a building material for many elements. bungalow/chalets which were cheap Some were constructed on piles driven to construct were built in settlements into the ground or conctrete pads to form such as Potter Heigham, within higher a foundation. Others were constructed densities and smaller plots. However they on timber rafts or concrete rafts e.g. were often still beautifully designed, Whiteselea lodge. Walls were often with hints of Arts and Crafts and Art constructed with a timber frame and were Nouveau detailing. A greater variety of clad with timber, painted white or stained design and styles can be seen at Potter dark. Planed tongue-and-groove boards Heigham and the bungalow/chalets in were used, or rougher timber featheredge this area are more individual; one is even or waney-edged boarding. On most early constructed from a helter-skelter from the examples the roofs were thatched in local Britannia Pier at Great Yarmouth. Horning, reed, but others had metal sheet roofs a settlement in the middle reaches, such as corrugated iron and later felt roofs displayed characteristics of both styles of were also used. Boundary fences were development. designed to blend with their surroundings and have a minimal impact. Traditional fencing materials included cleft chestnut fencing and hurdles made from close woven osiers, hazel wattle or reeds. Local sources Local manufacturers developed their own vernacular style of simple, lightweight timber buildings,