WYCHAVON conservation area appraisal Offenham Adoption statement The Offenham Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Proposals were adopted by Wychavon District Council as a document for planning purposes. Minute 151 of the Executive Board meeting of October 2007 refers. Wychavon District Council Planning Services Civic Centre Queen Elizabeth Drive Pershore Worcestershire WR10 1PT Tel. 01386 565000 www.wychavon.gov.uk CONTENTS APPENDIX 1 page Part 1. CONSERVATION AREA Article 4(2) Direction APPRAISAL APPENDIX 2 Community Involvement 1 INTRODUCTION What is this Appraisal for? APPENDIX 3 Planning Policy Framework Adoption Statement 2 SUMMARY OF SPECIAL INTEREST APPENDIX 4 Sources & Further Information 3 ASSESSING SPECIAL INTEREST Location & Landscape Setting Historical Development & Archaeology Plan Form Spaces Key Views & Vistas Part 1. OFFENHAM CONSERVATION 4 CHARACTER ANALYSIS AREA APPRAISAL General Character Areas • Court Lane and Gibbs Lane 1 INTRODUCTION • Main Street and Church Street What is this Appraisal for? Buildings 1.1 Materials A conservation area is an area of special Local Details architectural or historic interest, usually the Boundaries historic part of a town or village, where we Natural Environment wish to preserve or enhance its character Negative Features & Neutral Areas or appearance. Part of Offenham is a conservation area. 5 ISSUES 1.2 NOTE Under Section 72 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 we must pay special attention to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of the conservation area. This appraisal Part 2. MANAGEMENT PLAN identifies the special interest and character of the Offenham Conservation Area, and 1 INTRODUCTION paragraph provides guidance on how the preservation What is this Management Plan for? or enhancement of its character or appearance can be achieved. The first 2 MANAGEMENT PROPOSALS part of the appraisal identifies its special interest and character. The second part sets out management proposals for addressing the issues identified in the APPENDICES appraisal. • the extension or alteration of a building 1.3 where the change would damage its The Offenham Conservation Area was character or appearance designated in November 1969. The • development which would be harmful to boundary was reviewed in 2007 during the its setting or character or appearance preparation of this appraisal. The current conservation area boundary is shown in • development which would adversely the appraisal. affect or result in the loss of historic plots, layouts and street pattern, important views, open spaces, tree cover or boundary features within the Planning Policy Framework conservation area 1.4 • signage which would be harmful to the This appraisal should be read in character or appearance of the conjunction with the national, regional and conservation area, the local planning policy framework, particularly: and requiring new development to: • Planning Policy Guidance Note 15 - • respect its context in design, including Planning and the Historic Environment scale, form, proportion and detailing (PPG15) which sets out Government • Use materials in accordance with those policy on the protection of conservation traditionally used in that particular part areas and other elements of the historic of the conservation area, and maintain environment; a similar mix • be located on their sites in a similar • Policy QE5 of The West Midlands way to the general pattern of building in Regional Spatial Strategy and Policies that part of the conservation area CTC19 and policy CTC20 of the • Boundary walls, railings and hedges adopted Worcestershire County should be incorporated in the Structure Plan 1996-2011, which seek development in a similar way to those to protect and enhance conservation already in existence in that part of the areas; and conservation area, and these should use similar materials and detailing, or • Policy ENV12 of the Wychavon District species, and Local Plan (June 2006) which is • Shop signs to respect the character of intended to ensure that development the buildings and quality of the historic preserves or enhances the character or environment in their siting, size, appearance of conservation areas. materials and design. 1.5 Broadly, these policies seek to ensure that 1.6 the conservation area is preserved by: In accordance with the new planning system introduced in 2004 we are Refusing permission for: preparing a Local Development Framework. This will contain conservation • the demolition of any building or area policies that will supersede the structure if its loss would damage its Structure and Local Plan from 2009. character or appearance 1.7 2.5 This appraisal supplements Structure Plan The mixture of cottages, farms and houses and Local Plan Policies CTC19, CTC20 give a clue to the history of the village. and ENV12 and was adopted by the Glimpses of gardens, trees and Council on 16th October 2007. countryside between dwellings and over boundary walls, together with the presence of significant areas of open space the market gardening structures and the flat 2 SUMMARY OF SPECIAL low lying countryside around the village, INTEREST enhance it’s rural tranquillity and confirm its continuing market gardening tradition. 2.1 Offenham is a large but quiet rural village 2.6 with considerable historic, architectural Notably, significant modern intrusion in the and archaeological interest. Evidence of form of obtrusive street lighting, road historic activity includes: prehistoric, markings and signage, which can Roman, Saxon and the still visible impacts undermine the character and appearance of medieval and post medieval settlement of an historic place, is largely absent from to the present day. the conservation area. 2.2 Offenham is set between the River Avon and Badsey Brook, in a flat landscape of The special interest of Offenham that historic water meadows and pasture. justifies its designation as a From the Conservation Area there are conservation area includes: distant views of the Cotswold escarpment, Bredon Hill and middle distance views of Its long history, still evident in its form, Green Hill. buildings and other structures 2.3 The strong survival of the medieval and Following its early foundation as a grange post-medieval street pattern and and deer park of the Benedictine Abbots of customs with the continuing tradition of Evesham Abbey in the 13th century, and the maypole and the wake continuing until the dissolution of the monasteries in the 16th century, Offenham Its significant archaeological potential prospered and expanded as a farming and market gardening community in the 18th, The survival of a clear demonstration of 19th and 20th centuries, with a strong historic social hierarchy within the market gardening tradition continuing to village, evident in the size, design and the present day. siting of buildings 2.4 The number and quality of historic The continuous settlement has left a buildings wealth of historic buildings and structures overlaying an early historic settlement with The consistency and high level of buried archaeological deposits. Principally survival of historic fabric, including a of 16th, 17th, 18th and 20th century date. significant proportion of thatch, and Offenham has an exceptional number of architectural detailing thatched dwellings. The strong visual and historic The railway line passes through the relationship between the village and its southern part of the parish. market garden setting. Landscape Setting The significant contribution of trees, 3.1 gardens, open spaces and views Offenham is set between the Avon and Badsey Brook in a flat landscape of historic water meadows and pasture, The conservation area boundary is drawn surrounded by distant views of the to reflect this special interest. Cotswold escarpment, Bredon Hill and middle distance views of Green Hill. 3.2 3 ASSESSING SPECIAL From Evesham the village is approached INTEREST by taking a left turn off the B4510. The flat landscape is predominantly market gardening, this is confirmed by the Location & Setting presence of glass houses and large cultivated fields. Location 3.1 3.4 Offenham is situated in the lower Avon The conservation area is approached from valley or Vale of Evesham a little way north the southern end of Main Street where the east of Evesham, it is bounded by the church is situated. Main Street is very River Avon to the west and north and straight and wide forming a T with Gibbs Badsey brook to the south. The Avon Lane at the northern end. The farming and banks in the north western corner of the market gardening character of the parish are low and liable to flood. conservation area is confirmed by views across farm land and the presence of The parish has an area of 1,215 acres glass houses and farm buildings. and a population of 1344. The only main road to Offenham is that from Evesham, no road runs through the parish. Probably the most important road Historical Development & in former times was that part of the old Archaeology road from Worcester to London, which, branching off from the Roman road, Buckle The Origins & Development of Street (Icknield Street), ran along the Offenham southern part of Offenham to the 3.5 Offenham boat or ferry across the Avon It is clear that there has been settlement of near the south western corner of the one kind or another from pre-historic times parish. A stone bridge known as in the area around Offenham. Offenham or Twyford bridge had formerly spanned the river but it was damaged by 3.6 flood water and replaced by a ferry in the The parish has been known by various 18th century. It was at this river crossing names through the centuries: Huffam (8th that Simon de Montfort's followers were century), Afanhamme (11th century) and killed during the Battle of Evesham in Uffenham (13th century). 1265. 3.7 By the mid 14th century Evesham Abbey It was given as a gift from King Offa to had established a flourishing wool trade Evesham Abbey in 709 and seized with with Flanders.