Tamworth Golf Club Heritage Desk Based Assessment Tamworth Borough Council
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Tamworth Golf Club Heritage Desk Based Assessment Tamworth Borough Council 21 November 2014 Tamworth Borough Council Tamworth Golf Course – Heritage Desk Based Assessment Notice This document and its contents have been prepared and are intended solely for Tamworth Borough Council’s information and use in relation to the assessment of the Tamworth Golf Course for potential redevelopment. Atkins Ltd assumes no responsibility to any other party in respect of or arising out of or in connection with this document and/or its contents. Document history Job number: 5129896.160 Document ref: Revision Purpose description Originated Checked Reviewed Authorised Date Rev 1.0 Draft KEN KRG AC AC 27/06/14 Rev 1.1 Draft KEN KRG AC AC 07/07/14 Rev 1.2 Final KEN KRG AC AC 22/07/14 Rev 1.3 Final JH AC AC AC 21/11/14 Atkins Heritage Desk Based Assessment | Version 1.3 | 21November 2014 | 5129896.160 i Tamworth Borough Council Tamworth Golf Course – Heritage Desk Based Assessment Table of contents Chapter Pages 1. Introduction 1 1.1. Outline 1 1.2. Structure of Report 1 1.3. Location 1 1.4. Proposed Development 1 1.5. Scope 1 1.6. Methodology 1 1.7. Guidance and Policy Context 2 2. Baseline Conditions 3 2.1. Site Conditions 3 2.2. Designated Assets 3 2.3. Non–designated Assets 4 2.4. Historic Landscape Character 5 2.5. Map Regression 5 2.6. Historic and Archaeological Background 6 3. Impacts on Heritage Assets 10 3.1. Potential impacts 10 3.2. Recommendations for further assessment and mitigation 11 4. Conclusions 12 5. References 13 Appendices 14 Appendix A. Historic Environment Map Appendix B. Historic Environment Record Gazetteer Atkins Heritage Desk Based Assessment | Version 1.3 | 21November 2014 | 5129896.160 ii Tamworth Borough Council Tamworth Golf Course – Heritage Desk Based Assessment 1. Introduction 1.1. Outline This report was commissioned by Tamworth Borough Council to inform masterplan development and outline planning constraints related to the proposed residential development of the Tamworth Municipal Golf Course (“the Site”). 1.2. Structure of Report This report describes the proposed development, the historic environment policy context within which development will take place, and the methodology used to assess the impact that the development may have on heritage assets (Section 1). A summary of the designated and undesignated heritage assets within a 1-kilometre Study Area of the Site is given in Section 2, and presented in tabular form in Appendix B. The potential impact from the proposed development on heritage assets is assessed on Section 3. Section 4 provides a summary of the assessment’s conclusions, and a statement on the need for further assessment or mitigation. 1.3. Location The Site is located on the existing Tamworth Golf Course, east of Tamworth, Staffordshire, and consists of c. 62 hectares of land, including the former Amington Colliery (1870-1965). The Site is centred on National Grid Reference SK 24230 03658. Appendix A includes an outline of the Site in relation to known heritage assets. 1.4. Proposed Development The nature and details of the proposed development have not yet been determined. However, it is anticipated to include primarily residential development, along with some commercial and civic facilities to support the residential developments. 1.5. Scope The aim of this assessment is to: • Identify designated assets (e.g. Listed Buildings, Scheduled Monuments, World Heritage Sites; Conservation Areas etc) and other known non-designated heritage assets (e.g. historic buildings and archaeological sites) present on the Site and within a 1km Study Area; • determine the potential for as-yet unknown archaeological remains on the Site; • comment on the likely impact of the proposed development upon existing and potential heritage assets; and • make recommendations for further assessment and investigation if necessary, and subsequent mitigation of significant adverse effects on heritage resources. 1.6. Methodology This desk-based assessment has considered a 1km radius Study Area centred on the approximate centre of the Site. All known heritage assets identified within this 1km radius have been considered in terms of their extent and significance. This document has been prepared in accordance with Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Desk-based Assessment, published by the Institute for Archaeologists (IfA 2011). Data was sought from the following sources: • The National Heritage List for England (NHL) for information on World Heritage Sites, Scheduled Monuments, Listed Buildings, Registered Parks and Gardens, and Registered Battlefields; Atkins Heritage Desk Based Assessment | Version 1.3 | 21November 2014 | 5129896.160 1 Tamworth Borough Council Tamworth Golf Course – Heritage Desk Based Assessment • The Warwickshire Historic Environment Record (HER) for non-designated heritage assets in Warwickshire, as well as historic landscape character (HLC) data; • The Staffordshire HER for non-designated assets in Staffordshire, as well as HLC data; • Tamworth Borough Council for Conservation Areas; and • Envirocheck for historic and Ordnance Survey maps; 1.7. Guidance and Policy Context Section 12 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out the government’s objectives for the management of the historic environment and establishes guidance for the consideration of the historic environment in the preparation of development plans and the development control process. National legislation relevant to this assessment includes the following: • Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 (AMAA) • Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 The saved policies of the Tamworth Local Plan, 2001-2011 are still in effect while the new Local Development Framework is developed and approved. With regards to the historic environment, the saved policies specify “[t]he Borough Council will continue its commitment to the preservation and enhancement of the historic environment and promote its positive conservation as the core theme to future development and regeneration” (Tamworth Borough Council, 2009). Atkins Heritage Desk Based Assessment | Version 1.3 | 21November 2014 | 5129896.160 2 Tamworth Borough Council Tamworth Golf Course – Heritage Desk Based Assessment 2. Baseline Conditions The section below provides an overview of the baseline conditions of the Site and Study Area, including the site conditions, geology, historic landscape character and a brief overview of the historic and archaeological background. Designated assets are referred to by their National Heritage List (NHL) number. Non-designated assets and other HER records are referenced by the number assigned by the relevant local authority: MST for Staffordshire HER records and MWA for Warwickshire HER records. These reference numbers are also used in the heritage map in Appendix A and the gazetteer of heritage assets in Appendix B. 2.1. Site Conditions The Site is located on the terraces of the River Anker, on the eastern edge of the market town of Tamworth. The northern limit of the Site is defined by the Coventry Canal. The western boundary of the Site is formed by existing development and the eastern boundary by the Staffordshire/ Warwickshire county border. The underlying bedrock of the Study area is primarily Halesowen Formation mudstone, siltstone and sandstone, formed from riverine deposits during the Carboniferous Period (309-307 million years ago). Soils are predominantly clayey to sandy loam, with some silt. A visit to the Site was undertaken on 24 April 2014 to assess the potential for archaeological remains. The majority of the Site has been substantially altered through the landscaping for the golf course. However, the route of the Amington and Glascote Colliery railway (MST18157) is still discernible on the edges of the golf course. The alignment is particularly noticeable on the northern edge of the Site, where the railway originally crossed the canal; the abutments of the original canal bridge remain at the location, just outside of the Site. A local resident, gleaning golf balls on the course, told the Atkins Heritage team that he worked for the colliery until it closed and confirmed the location of the railway, as well as telling of the club house being built directly over the mine shafts and the spoil heap having been incorporated into the golf course landscaping. The historical use of the Site as a colliery and railway is still legible in the landscape. No evidence of earlier historical land-use could be ascertained through the golf course landscaping, though subsurface remains may still exist. 2.2. Designated Assets There are no designated heritage assets within the proposed Site. There are 12 designated heritage assets within the 1km Study Area: one Scheduled Monument, nine listed buildings and two Conservation Areas: • NHL1020623: Alvecote Priory and Dovecote Scheduled Monument, c 800m east of the Site; • NHL1262207: The remains of Alvecote Priory (Grade II, part of the Scheduled Monument), c. 800m east of the Site; • NHL1252601: The remains of a dovecote east of Alvecote Priory (Grade II, part of the Scheduled Monument), c. 800m east of the Site.; • NHL1297341: Yew Tree House, Amington Green (Grade II), c. 450m west of the Site; • NHL1197035: Amington House (Grade II), c. 450m west of the Site; • NHL1297310: Askew Bridge, Coventry Canal (Grade II), c. 640m west of the SIte; • NHL1208033: Bridge No. 67, Coventry Canal (Grade II), c. 980m west of the Site; • NHL1197048: Tamworth Road Bridge, No. 65 (Grade II), 390m west of the Site; • NHL1208826: Former school (Grade II), c. 750m west of the Site; • NHL1197036: Church of St Editha, Amington (Grade II), c. 440m west of the Site; • DST5734: Amington Hall Conservation Area, c. 950m north of the Site; and • DST5651: Amington Green Conservation Area, c. 370m west of the Site. Atkins Heritage Desk Based Assessment | Version 1.3 | 21November 2014 | 5129896.160 3 Tamworth Borough Council Tamworth Golf Course – Heritage Desk Based Assessment There are no World Heritage Sites, Registered Battlefields or Registered Parks and Gardens of Historic Interest within the Study Area.