Woodland Road, Patney Heritage Assessment

PROPOSED DWELLING for Damien and Rebecca Thursby

WOODLAND ROAD, PATNEY,

March 2016

Ian Lund Dip Urban & Regional Planning, Dip Architectural Conservation, IHBC Heritage Professional Westbourne Cottage 21 Westbourne Road Wiltshire BA14 0AJ t 01225 765477 e [email protected]

Woodland Road, Patney Heritage Assessment

1. Introduction

1.1 I have been commissioned by Damien and Rebecca Thursby to provide a heritage assessment intended to inform and accompany an application for planning permission for a new dwelling at Patney. The proposed development includes the construction of a detached dwelling, driveway and garden area. The development will also include the construction of an access from Woodland Road. 1.2 National planning policy requires the applicant to describe the significance of heritage assets that may be affected, and an appropriate level of specialist expertise is expected to be applied to the decision-making process. The first step for all applicants is to understand the significance of any affected heritage asset and, if relevant, the contribution of its setting to its significance. The level of detail is expected to be proportionate, and no more than is sufficient to understand the potential impact of the proposals on their significance. This assessment follows the general approach advocated in Historic Environment Good Practice Advice in Planning Note 2 published by Historic following consultation with relevant professional bodies. The report however is not intended to provide a detailed historical record of the village. 1.3 I am a retired chartered town planner with 40 years experience of appraising development proposals in the historic environment. I am a member of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation and am a past member of the Central Council, and Chairman of the South West branch. I continue to serve the Institute on its regional committee. The report represents my professional opinion, and is largely based upon a visual assessment of the site supported by documentary research including an inspection of the Historic Environment Record.

2. Patney 2.1 Patney is a small village located in the close to the headwaters of the Christchurch Avon. Very little evidence of prehistoric or Roman settlement has been found in the parish, and Patney's assessments for medieval taxes were modest 1. The Census of 1801 recorded 130 people living in the parish. The population thereafter rose steadily to 196 in 1841 but following a decline a figure of 127 was reached by 1901. By 1921 the population had fallen to 85 until it grew again in the second half of the twentieth century, again reaching just over 130 residents by 1971.

1 Victoria County History for Wiltshire Woodland Road, Patney Heritage Assessment

The 2011 census indicates a parish population of 155. 2.2 The settlement is centred on a crossroads approximately 200m to the south of the site. However, turnpike improvements elsewhere during the eighteenth century led to the downgrading of the westwards lane, and now the crossroads is effectively only a T-junction around which the village green, and former parish church, school and shop are grouped. 2.3 A number of older properties, and converted farm buildings, are found on Manor Farm Lane which leaves the T-junction in a north easterly junction. The general layout here can be described as low density and low rise with well-spaced buildings. 2.4 Most of the more recent building in Patney, both local authority and private, has taken place at the northern end of the lane leading to – Woodland Road. This is now the main road, although development has not extended north of the railway line. The line first arrived in the 19th century but a station halt at Patney had closed by 1966. 2.5 Many of the modern properties are built of red brick beneath concrete tiles. Traditional building materials in the wider context of the Vale of Pewsey include timber framing, cob walling and the occasional use of malmstone or flint, in combination with wheat straw thatching. In Patney however the palette of traditional building materials can be characterised as mellow brickwork with thatch roof coverings or more commonly profiled Bridgwater tiles.

3. The Site 3.1 The site is situated in the corner of a paddock on the east side of Woodland Road. Access is obtained from a bridle path that runs along its northern boundary. The public right of way does not cross the site itself. The paddock has a low bank with a broken hedge and tree belt on the northern and western boundaries. The eastern and southern boundaries are open, overlooking land owned by the applicant. 3.2 On the east side of Woodland Road to the north is a ribbon of twentieth century houses. The west side of the road is also characterised by similar development.

Opposite the site itself lie Nos. 23-27 Woodland Road orientated with a gable facing the road. This was first conceived as a short terrace of farm cottages. It has several outbuildings one of which is a modern garage block accessed by a gravelled drive that meets Woodland Road opposite the junction with the bridle path.

3.3 To the south of No. 23, facing the lane, lies a multi-phase property known as No. 21 Woodland Road. This retains a small element of timber framing with painted brick Woodland Road, Patney Heritage Assessment

replacing wattle and daub panels. Externally most of the structure consists of brick walls, all beneath a straw thatched roof. 3.4 Further widely spaced dwellings continue after No. 21 down to the former church - now converted to a private dwelling - at the T-junction.

4. Legislative and Policy Background

4.1 The following outlines the legal and policy framework considered in the preparation of this assessment:

. Section 66 (1) of the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 – contains a duty to have special regard to the desirability of preserving a listed building or its setting or any features of special architectural or historic interest which it possesses. . The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) outlines government policy, including its policy in respect of the historic environment. Section 12 'Conserving and enhancing the historic environment' of the NPPF sets out the Government's high-level policies concerning heritage and sustainable development. Paragraph 126 notes that local planning authorities ”… should recognise that heritage assets are an irreplaceable resource and conserve them in manner appropriate to their significance …” and the approach set out in paragraphs 131 – 139 is of special relevance. . Historic Environment Good Practice Advice in Planning Note 2 “Managing Significance in Decision-taking in the Historic Environment”, and Note 3 “The Setting of Heritage Assets” both published by Historic England in July 2015. . “The National Planning Practice Guidance” published by CLG in 2014 is an additional web-based guidance resource. . “Conservation Principles – Policies and Guidance for the sustainable management of the historic environment” of 2008 provides policy and guidance for the “sustainable management of the historic environment” published by English Heritage. . “Understanding Place: Conservation Area Designation, Appraisal and Management” published by English Heritage in 2011. “Seeing History in the View – A method for Assessing Heritage Significance within Views” published by English Heritage in 2011. . “Wiltshire Core Strategy Core Policy 58 – Ensuring the conservation of the historic environment” requires development to protect, conserve and where Woodland Road, Patney Heritage Assessment

possible, enhance the historic environment, and states that designated heritage assets and their settings will be conserved.

5 Heritage Designations 5.1 There are written records referring to Patney at the time of King Edgar reign towards the end of the Saxon period1. However there is no physical evidence in the form of surviving heritage assets to found in the village. 5.2 The Wiltshire Historic Environment Record refers to the possibility of earthworks existing at Patney which may be the remains of the medieval phase of settlement. Most appear to have been ploughed out or levelled and those remaining appear to be centred on the west side of Woodland Road. The HER notes the site of a demolished farmstead dating from the 19th century in the paddock closest to the village green. A medieval shield-shaped stud, groat and belt attachment are also noted as being found at a findspot (MWI7314) at SU05NE452 in the paddocks west of Manor Farm. This seems to have been a stray find and the stud is now housed at the Wiltshire Heritage Museum at . 5.3 The layout of surviving lanes are testament to earlier times, and a small number of individual traditional buildings are found around the central T-junction and Manor Farm Lane but the quality of the place found today is fragmented. As a result the local authority has not identified the village, or part of it, as a Conservation Area where preservation and enhancement would be the overarching policy. The local authority weighed up ten years ago whether Patney had sufficient merit to be designated as a Conservation Area but found this was not justified, and I would concur with this conclusion. 5.4 Similarly the National Heritage List for England reveals neither are there any Scheduled Ancient Monuments or Historic Parks and Gardens found on the site or within the village.

5.5 Eight grade II listed buildings are located within the village. Apart from No. 21 Woodlands Road which is discussed below, none have any clear visual or functional relationship to the proposed development site The listed buildings located in Manor Farm Lane to the east of the site do not have historic formal settings, and the nearest – Manor Farm House – is separated from the site by fields, trees, changes in levels, and modern gardens and tennis courts. 5.6 In a recent planning decision relating to the proposed development site the local

1 Victoria County History for Wiltshire Woodland Road, Patney Heritage Assessment

planning authority did not raise any archaeological concerns or requirements. In reaching its decision the local authority identified only one heritage asset warranting consideration – 21 Woodland Road. The planning authority has not identified any further heritage assets in its development plan, or through a local listing exercise. I have considered if there might be any other non-designated heritage assets that may have relevance but was unable to detect any by studying old maps or by visiting the

locality. In this respect it is noted that Nos. 23-27, opposite the application site, were discounted as a heritage asset by the conservation officer when the Council granted permission for the demolition of the terrace and its replacement by three detached dwellings in 2015.

Fig. 1.

No. 21 Woodland Road, Patney

6 Significance 6.1 The significance of a heritage asset is the sum of its archaeological, architectural,

historic, and artistic interest. No. 21 Woodland Road has been listed as having architectural or historic interest against national criteria. An accompanying, non- statutory description published in 1986, notes it as a cottage having C17 origins. Since the date of the description a large two storey extension has been added to its northern end. In terms of the NPPF, as a building of Grade II status it can be regarded as having medium significance. 6.2 The Conservation Principles document identifies four types of heritage value that an asset may hold: aesthetic, communal, historic and evidential value. This is simply a way of analysing its significance. Understanding the extent of that significance is important because this can, among other things, lead to a better understanding of how adaptable the asset may be to change. In my view, the significance of No. 21 Woodland Road, Patney Heritage Assessment

lies in the historic value of its built fabric. There is an aesthetic relationship between the front elevation and the public realm but due to the narrow width of the lane, and the presence of adjacent hedges and trees, the visual correlation is limited and localised.

7 Impact on Significance

7.1 The proposed new dwelling clearly has no impact on the historic fabric of No. 21 Woodland Road, and is not considered further. Would the proposal, however, have some impact upon the relationship of the protected building to Woodlands Road or further afield?

7.2 There is no evidence to indicate that No. 21 has any intended visual or functional relationship with the development site. They are in different ownerships and there are

no relevant formal views or vistas. Even any fortuitous, or unintended, setting No. 21 may have is, in fact, very restricted. There is a glimpsed view of the development

site from the village green but No. 21 does not appear in this vista. Views of No. 21 from the south - and west - would not be changed by the proposed dwelling. The

sinuous alignment of the lane and adjacent greenery restricts visibility beyond No. 21.

The new dwelling (No. 17 ‘Downalong’) that has been constructed immediately to the south of No. 21, and the two storey extension added to No. 21 itself, would have had a far greater impact on the character of the surroundings. Although boundary hedges

will be maintained, once built the housing development to the immediate north of No. 21 (see 5.6 above) will also affect its setting more than the proposed single dwelling on the other side of the lane.

7.3 The view of No. 21 from the lane and paddock opposite No. 21, back towards the listed building, would also be largely maintained if the dwelling proposed by Mr and Mrs Thursby went ahead, and there may be opportunities to restore hedge boundaries.

7.4 The only case to answer in my opinion relates to views from the north of No. 21. The tree belt on the western boundary of the site, the alignment of the lane, and a tall

evergreen hedge separating Nos. 21 and 23 however determine that No. 21 is concealed when viewed from near the junction of Woodland Road with the bridle path – see Fig 2. The return view of the proposed development site is similarly very

Woodland Road, Patney Heritage Assessment

Fig 2.

Woodland Road in winter-time looking south towards No. 21 Woodland Road which is obscured. The pale painted building is No. 23.

restricted. In this respect it should be noted that the front elevation of No. 21 is angled slightly towards the south-east and thus away from the proposed site - see Fig 3 following.

7.5 In considering the setting of No. 21 when determining the earlier application for planning permission, the local authority did not comply with the advice in para 25 of Historic Environment Good Practice Advice in Planning Note 2 - Managing Significance in Decision-taking in the Historic Environment - “In most cases, to assess significance LPAs will need to take expert advice, whether in-house, from shared services or from consultants. It is good practice to use professionally accredited experts and to comply with relevant standards and guidance”. In my judgement, the Council seem to have equated change with harm. I do not think that the addition of a well-designed new property over 60m to the north, and on the opposite side of the lane, would cause harm to the setting on No 21. At worst, its impact would be negligible but more likely the affect would be neutral.

7.6 For these reasons, I conclude the proposal will not harm the setting of No. 21 Woodland Road, and can be considered to be consistent with national and local policy for heritage protection.

8. Mitigation

8.1 It follows that, in this case, the conservation of the historic environment does not necessitate any measures to offset any negative impact of the new development on Woodland Road, Patney Heritage Assessment

heritage assets. However, the NPPF encourages all development to have regard to the general character and distinctiveness of the locality in its widest sense. The design of local buildings, plot size and density, and landscaping are relevant matters to consider in the preparation of a Design and Access Statement.

8.2 The architectural character of buildings found within Woodland Road is far from homogenous. Accordingly there is no obligation to be dogmatic as regards the design and appearance of modern-day additions to the scene. Good practice would however suggest that any stand-alone new building should be respectful of the low-rise architecture found in the locality, visibly of its own age, and neighbourly. In order to ensure that the new development pays deference to the established character of the locality, including the setting on No 21 Woodland Road, I would recommend the development should seek to incorporate, or avoid as necessary, the following elements:

. The floor slab of the new dwelling should be set down as far as practical; . The footprint of the new dwelling should be located as close as possible to the northern boundary of the site; . The junction of the proposed access drive with Woodland Road should be as far north as possible, and the drive should be surfaced in gravel or rolled hoggin; . The form of the new dwelling should be traditional, with a front to back span no greater than found typically in the village; . External walling materials should be mellow in colour and have a ‘soft’ texture, roofed over with profiled clay tiles; . Any external lighting scheme should minimise the amount of any light spill beyond the site boundaries; . The finished scheme should be carefully landscaped with the aim of repairing and enhancing site boundaries and old hedgerows on land within the same ownership.

Woodland Road, Patney Heritage Assessment

Fig. 3 Theoretical vision zone drawn at 45o from No. 21 Woodland Road. Intervening vegetation is not shown.