Farmsteads in Bromsgrove District
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WORCESTERSHIRE FARMSTEADS GUIDANCE FARMSTEADS IN BROMSGROVE DISTRICT www.worcestershire.gov.uk/archaeology/farmsteadsguidance PLANNING ISSUES Use the FARMSTEAD ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK’s four SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS Use the FARMSTEAD stages to identify and consider need and potential for change, at IN THE WORCESTERSHIRE ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK to the earliest opportunity, when considering the development or FARMSTEADS GUIDANCE demonstrate how development re-development of a traditional farmstead or farm building. proposals comply with national and local planning policy. SITE SUMMARY The National Planning Policy This comprises a brief description of the whole site and its landscape context, and WORCESTERSHIRE FARMSTEADS Framework stresses the identification of other key issues such as site access, services and designations. It importance of: 1 provides the essential first step and can be easily completed by the applicant or CHARACTER STATEMENT provides developer without specialist knowledge. fully-illustrated guidance on the county’s • Retaining and enhancing local traditional farmsteads and their buildings. character and distinctiveness. ASSESS HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE • Conserving heritage assets in Assess heritage significance of the building and site, from its contribution to AREA SUMMARIES for the areas into a manner appropriate to their 2 local character to the significance of individual buildings. which the county subdivides, based significance and putting them to on analysis of its farmsteads in their viable uses consistent with their NEED AND POTENTIAL FOR CHANGE landscape context. conservation. Use the understanding gained from Stages 1 and 2 to consider constraints and opportunities for sympathetic change and development, and the type of sustainable GUIDANCE ON RECORDING AND Local plan policy generally 3 change most acceptable in the planning process. supports the re-use of RESEARCH for considering the most significant historic buildings, and SITING AND DESIGN ISSUES appropriate level for recording includes specific requirements Design issues for the site and its buildings, and the siting of new buildings. and planning considerations, 4 particularly in relation to residential additions and For English Heritage research and This guidance follows the development of an evidence base for the historic character and survival of the county’s alterations, neighbourhood issues guidance see its HELM web pages at farmsteads, which has been entered on the county’s Historic Environment Record at http://www.worcestershire. and taking account of biodiversity. http://www.helm.org.uk/farmbuildings gov.uk/archaeology/historicenvironmentrecord. This was completed as part of the West Midlands Farmsteads and Landscapes Project: see www.english-heritage.org.uk/wmidlandsfarmsteads. For planning policies in Bromsgrove District see www.bromsgrove.gov.uk/cms/environment-and-planning/planning/strategic-planning.aspx TRADITIONAL FARMSTEADS IN BROMSGROVE DISTRICT The district has a diversity of traditional farmsteads which have Converted, 19th century, traditional farm buildings around a central Unimproved open hill pasture, scrub woodland and medieval enclosure changed along with their landscapes. Most are built around courtyards courtyard. Photo © English Heritage NMR 27701/011 on the Clent Hills in north east Worcestershire. Farmsteads are set on and are scattered in a medieval settled landscape. Photo © English the crest of the hill amongst remnants of heathland and to the right are Heritage NMR 2779/038 set within a beautiful piecemeal enclosure landscape. Photo © English Heritage NMR 27790/029 HISTORIC FARMSTEAD CHARACTER SIGNIFICANCE PRESENT AND FUTURE ISSUES • The district is associated with two farmstead character areas: Farmsteads which have retained traditional buildings and/ Research led by English Heritage (see text box on first page) The Royal Forest of Feckenham and North East and The Wyre or their historic form make a positive contribution to local has shown that historic farm buildings have been more prone Forest, Northern Heathlands and Sandstone Estates. character and distinctiveness, whether they are designated as to both neglect and development than any other historic • A largely coherent landscape with low levels of change and heritage assets or not. The greater the survival of the historic building type. They are also associated with high levels of home- high densities of small and medium scale farmsteads, many form and detail of the whole farmstead and any buildings, the based business use. greater will be its significance. established during the medieval period. There are high • 50% of farmstead sites retaining working buildings have one concentrations of shrunken medieval settlement, including The heritage potential of traditional farmsteads, based on the or more converted buildings. moated sites. survival of their historic form from Ordnance Survey maps of • 61% of listed working farm buildings have evidence for non- c. 1900, has been entered onto the Worcestershire Historic • The north has lower densities of farmsteads set within 18th agricultural reuse (57% being residential and these being Environment Record (HER). century and later landscape re-organisation. This includes associated with a very high proportion of directorships). areas of 18th and 19th century rationalisation of previously • 63% of recorded farmsteads have high heritage potential as unenclosed open heath mostly associated with the northern traditional farmsteads, because they have retained more than hills. 50% of their historic form. • Courtyard plan farmsteads of 18th and 19th century date • 15% have some heritage potential because they have are typical with notable clusters of 16th – 17th century retained some of their historic form. farmsteads with timber framed buildings around the Clent The remainder may have retained a house (which may be a Hills and east of Bromsgrove. listed building) or have lost all of their buildings. These may still retain archaeological deposits which can be revealed through development. WORCESTERSHIRE FARMSTEADS GUIDANCE FARMSTEADS IN MALVERN HILLS DISTRICT www.worcestershire.gov.uk/archaeology/farmsteadsguidance PLANNING ISSUES Use the FARMSTEAD ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK’s four SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS Use the FARMSTEAD stages to identify and consider need and potential for change, at IN THE WORCESTERSHIRE ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK to the earliest opportunity, when considering the development or FARMSTEADS GUIDANCE demonstrate how development re-development of a traditional farmstead or farm building. proposals comply with national and local planning policy. SITE SUMMARY The National Planning Policy This comprises a brief description of the whole site and its landscape context, and WORCESTERSHIRE FARMSTEADS Framework stresses the identification of other key issues such as site access, services and designations. It importance of: 1 provides the essential first step and can be easily completed by the applicant or CHARACTER STATEMENT provides developer without specialist knowledge. fully-illustrated guidance on the county’s • Retaining and enhancing local traditional farmsteads and their buildings. character and distinctiveness. ASSESS HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE • Conserving heritage assets in Assess heritage significance of the building and site, from its contribution to AREA SUMMARIES for the areas into a manner appropriate to their 2 local character to the significance of individual buildings. which the county subdivides, based significance and putting them to on analysis of its farmsteads in their viable uses consistent with their NEED AND POTENTIAL FOR CHANGE landscape context. conservation. Use the understanding gained from Stages 1 and 2 to consider constraints and opportunities for sympathetic change and development, and the type of sustainable GUIDANCE ON RECORDING AND Local plan policy generally 3 change most acceptable in the planning process. supports the re-use of RESEARCH for considering the most significant historic buildings, and SITING AND DESIGN ISSUES appropriate level for recording includes specific requirements Design issues for the site and its buildings, and the siting of new buildings. and planning considerations, 4 particularly in relation to residential additions and For English Heritage research and This guidance follows the development of an evidence base for the historic character and survival of the county’s alterations, neighbourhood issues guidance see its HELM web pages at farmsteads, which has been entered on the county’s Historic Environment Record at http://www.worcestershire. and taking account of biodiversity. http://www.helm.org.uk/farmbuildings gov.uk/archaeology/historicenvironmentrecord. This was completed as part of the West Midlands Farmsteads and Landscapes Project: see www.english-heritage.org.uk/wmidlandsfarmsteads. For planning policies in Malvern Hills District see http://www.malvernhills.gov.uk/cms/planning/planning-policy.aspx TRADITIONAL FARMSTEADS IN MALVERN HILLS DISTRICT A landscape of smallholdings including small 17th and 18th century Isolated farmstead, east of the River Severn. Historically a large scale Large scale farmstead, re-modelled in the 18th century. Distinctive houses typical of the northern Malverns area, at Old Storridge farmstead. Less than 50% of traditional buildings remain extant, features include terraces surrounded by a retaining wall, an 18th Common. Photo © English Heritage NMR 27700¬/003 mirroring the loss of field boundaries which has also characterised century dovecote