Conservation Appraisal April 2009
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Conservation Appraisal April 2009 CONTENTS Acknowledgements 2 1.0 Introduction 3 2.0 Background 3 3.0 Planning Context 4 4.0 Location and Setting 7 5.0 Historical Development 8 6.0 Character Analysis 9 6.1 General form 9 6.2 Spaces and views 9 6.3 Built character 10 6.4 Key buildings 12 6.5 Heritage assets 13 6.6 Extent of alterations 13 6.7 Condition 13 6.8 Problems, pressures and capacity for change 13 7.0 Summary of issues 14 8.0 Conclusion and recommendations 15 DAILUAINE 1 Conservation Appraisal April 2009 Acknowledgements This report could not have been produced in its final form without the contributions made by the Moray Council Planning and Development Section, the management of Dailuaine Distillery, Historic Scotland, the Royal Commission for Ancient and Historic Monuments of Scotland, Aberlour Library, the Moray Local Heritage Library, Dailuaine residents. Perspective view from the east of the distillery, showing the pair of central pagoda roofs, prior to major reconstruction in 1959 - drawn by J.Ross, 1982 2 DAILUAINE Conservation Appraisal April 2009 1.0 Introduction objectors, by the creation of two areas of amenity land and a Tree Preservation Order”. The purpose of this report is ‘to provide a character appraisal of the Dailuaine settlement and recommend In a letter written in Aug 08 on the behalf of local whether it merits designation as a Conservation Area residents commended Moray Council for by the local planning authority’. “…securing the amenity land designation”, but reiterated the community’s “…request for the 2.0 Background Council to consider making the settlement a historic Conservation Area” and attesting that The Moray Local Plan 2008 Action Plan proposed that “…there exists an abundance of data etc to Conservation Area status be investigated in two new illustrate our case”. locations; i.e. Duffus, and Burghead. During the later stages of preparation of the Local Plan, the question Meanwhile, the Moray Council consulted with of Conservation Area status for Dailuaine became a Historic Scotland and its Area Inspector wrote an matter of debate between the local community and informative, but neutral, response in Aug 08. Within the Council. his letter, he provided some useful historical background to the settlement and observed the lack The request for Conservation Area status was, in of Listed Buildings. part, instigated by the community’s objections to the Draft and Finalised Local Plan proposal for new The Dailuaine residents’ request for Conservation housing. The proposal led to a full investigation at Area status was again expressed in writing in Oct 08. the Local Plan Inquiry where a Scottish Government Reporter listened to the objectors’ case. The reporter In order to obtain an independent assessment, the observed that “...there is unanimous concern Moray Council (through the Planning Authority’s [within the community] about the [housing] Development Services Division) commissioned NB 1 allocation for Dailuaine”. The Reporter, Planning to conduct a character appraisal and set however, concluded that “…the Council has out recommendations for consideration by Council [since] responded positively to the main Officers and/or Committee Members. planning concerns expressed by the local 1 Dr Nick Brown of NB Planning is a chartered architect and is therefore a member of the Architects Registration Board (No.546731), the Royal Institute of British Architects (No. 5895854) and the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (No. H4477). Nick is also a chartered town planner and a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (No. 44694) as well as a qualified member of the Institute of Leadership and Management (No 90301), the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (No 0176), the Institute of Field Archaeologists (Buildings Group) and is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. DAILUAINE 3 Conservation Appraisal April 2009 3.0 The Planning Context 3.1 Legislation Unlike listed buildings, Conservation Areas are designated by local authorities and not the Scottish Government agency Historic Scotland. The Planning Act (Scotland)1997 states that local authorities have a statutory duty to identify and designate Conservation Areas. The Act defines Conservation Areas as those with “…special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance”. Special architectural character may refer to groups of opportunities for change… hence the need individual buildings, forms of urban development, to understand the dynamics of the historic architectural set pieces, spaces between buildings, or environment…Conservation should not be the best examples of town planning. Special historic backward looking”. It also goes on to say “…the interest will likely refer to connections with historic designation of conservation areas should not events, themes, or people of historic and cultural simply be used as a way of increasing the significance. Conservation Area status does not level of control exercised over development". preclude development and local authorities should The guideline states, however, “Structure Plans consider the impact of development even outwith a and Local Plans provide the basis of an Conservation Area, if it is affected. There are over integrated approach to the protection, currently 600 conservation areas in Scotland. conservation and enhancement of the historic environment”. 3.2 National Guidance Scottish planning policy now comes in the form of Scottish Government planning advice comes in the Scottish Planning Policy Statements (SPPS) that are form of Planning Advice Notes (PANs). PAN 71 gradually replacing National Planning Policy Conservation Area Management states the Guidelines (NPPGs). NPPG 18 ‘The Planning “…designation of a Conservation Area as a System’ states, “…maintaining and enhancing means to safeguard and enhance the sense the quality of the historic environment and of place, character and appearance of our preserving the country's heritage are most valued historic places. Buildings of important functions of the planning system”. character, listed buildings, scheduled NPPG5 ‘Archaeology and Planning’ states “…the role monuments, trees, historic street patterns, of the planning system in identifying, protecting and open spaces, and designed gardens and recording archaeological remains”. NPPG 14 ‘Natural landscapes are important components of Heritage’ supports “…conservation of the these areas. However, designation alone will historic landscape as an important cultural as not secure the protection and enhancement well as natural resource”. NPPG 18 ‘Planning of such areas”. The advice note emphasises that and the Historic Environment’ clearly states that conservation areas should not be focused upon “…planning has a role to play in reconciling regulation and control, but embrace change the need to protect our heritage with the management and active enhancement of such areas need to accommodate and promote suitable by taking positive, yet realistic, action for 4 DAILUAINE Conservation Appraisal April 2009 improvement. It also encourages local authorities to 3.3 Regional and monitor and regularly review their Conservation Local Policy and Guidance Areas with community involvement. The advice note, moreover, recommends that planning authorities The Structure Plan carry out specialist Conservation Area appraisals and The Moray Structure Plan April 07 outlines the utilise them, not only for development control strategic policy for the whole Moray area. It purposes, but also for making cases for human and categorises its settlements into four tiers, with financial resources. Dailuaine cited as a 4th tier ‘Rural Community’ (p10). It is noted that the Structure Plan makes it a Historic Scotland published its own Circular - “…clear intention to avoid over development ‘Memorandum of Guidance on Listed Buildings and cramming in any urban area” (p16). The and Conservation Areas’ - in 1998, which is Plan’s built environment policies state that Moray has chiefly targeted at local authorities. Chapter 4 refers 17 Conservation Areas (within 14 settlements); 79 to Conservation Areas specifically and item 4.1 to the scheduled monuments; 2681 archaeological sites; issue of ‘designation’. Accepting that there is no and 1665 listed buildings. The Plan acknowledges standard specification for Conservation Areas, the the “…undoubted educational, tourism, Circular points out that “Conservation Areas are recreational and cultural value of the area’s broadly significant architectural or historic heritage”(p.27). The Plan’s environment and places due to their listed buildings, ancient resources policy (2f) confirms the intentions of monuments, building groups or open spaces, “…conserving and enhancing the area's built street pattern, town planning, landscape heritage resources and their settings”. gardening, or distinctive character”. Reasons for designating an area should include its The Local Plan importance, distinctiveness or uniqueness, its value in The community of Dailuaine is specifically presented the wider context, its present condition and the scope in the Moray Local Plan in the form of a ‘settlement for improvement. Conservation Areas can be large or map’. This shows a plan of the existing buildings and small and there is considerable variation in practice main features within the ‘settlement boundary’, as between local authorities. The Scottish government defined by the authority (see Settlement Map 26). urge local authorities to keep