Heritage Improvement Study FINAL DRAFT
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Hemel Hempstead Heritage Improvement Study FINAL DRAFT Heritage Improvement Study November 2012 FINAL REPORT Hemel Hempstead Heritage Improvement Study FINAL REPORT ____________________________________ Contents Executive Summary 3 1.0 Introduction 6 2.0 Policy and document background 6 3.0 Key issues and opportunities 20 4.0 Aims and objectives 21 5.0 General Overview 22 6.0 The Character Zones 26 6.1 Old Town 26 6.2 Original Marlowes Zone 44 6.3 Gade Zone 53 6.4 Marlowes Shopping Zone 60 6.5 Hospital Zone 73 6.6 Jellicoe Water Gardens 78 7.0 Future work 80 8.0 Recommendations 82 9.0 Bibliography and references 84 Appendices A. Consultation B. New Town Heritage Trail C. Architectural Details of the New Town D. Local List Criteria E: Generic Guidance Schedule for Internal Repairs and Reinstatement Works Acknowledgement: The consultant team are very grateful for the help and provision of information from Dacorum Heritage Trust, in particular Roger Hands and Eric Edwards, and Kate Harwood of the Hertfordshire Gardens Trust. ©All images within the document, unless otherwise stated, are the copyright of Dacorum Borough Council and are not to be reproduced within permission. ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Forum Heritage Services & Context4D Page 2 of 101 Hemel Hempstead Heritage Improvement Study FINAL REPORT ____________________________________ Hemel Hempstead Heritage Improvement Study Executive Summary 1. The Heritage Improvement Study (HIS) has been structured to sit within the seven key Character Zones as defined by the Core Strategy which will be adopted by the Council in spring 2013. The Core Strategy sets out overarching guidance for the town centre. The local objectives for the town centre are to deliver around 1800 homes, a local general hospital, a primary school, a new library and college, new civic and cultural facilities, a supermarket and other shops, a bus interchange and a better footpath network. 2. The Heritage Improvement Study should be read in conjunction with the Hemel Hempstead Town Centre Masterplan. The Masterplan will provide a long-term vision for the future of the town centre, placing the need for regeneration and building upon the framework of the seven key character zones set out in the Core Strategy. On adoption, the Masterplan will provide strategic guidance for new investment and development in the town centre. Work is currently underway on the Masterplan and it is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2012 subject to approval by Full Council. 3. In addition, the Old Town is presently the subject of a conservation area review to include the production of a conservation area appraisal (which will identify potential areas for enhancement) and a series of public realm improvements with a proposed one way traffic scheme designed and promoted by Herts County Council Highways. 4. There has been significant external and internal input into land use and development potential for the town centre area. However, the heritage assets of the town have not been fully addressed to date. In particular, the potential future value of the New Town heritage, a subject which is of particular interest to English Heritage and others such as the Twentieth Century Society. 5. This document seeks to highlight and celebrate the importance of all heritage assets within the Hemel Hempstead Town Centre Masterplan study area by highlighting their significance to the story of Hemel Hempstead and promoting repair, re-use and adaptation which is compatible and complementary to their special interest. 6. The HIS will provide an overview as to the significance of the heritage assets and put these assets in the context of planned regeneration of Hemel Hempstead town centre. It will also put in place a strategy for ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Forum Heritage Services & Context4D Page 3 of 101 Hemel Hempstead Heritage Improvement Study FINAL REPORT ____________________________________ linking these assets and highlighting their importance in future decisions relating to the key Character Zones identified in the Core Strategy. 7. Figure 1 provides an overview of heritage assets defined within the Heritage Improvement Study. It also highlights where specific projects or potential projects have been identified within the work of the HIS. These are expanded upon in the main document. ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Forum Heritage Services & Context4D Page 4 of 101 Hemel Hempstead Heritage Improvement Study FINAL REPORT ____________________________________ Figure 1: Overview of the Heritage Improvement Study ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Forum Heritage Services & Context4D Page 5 of 101 Hemel Hempstead Heritage Improvement Study FINAL REPORT ____________________________________ 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Forum Heritage Services (FHS) have been commissioned by Dacorum Borough Council as lead consultants in a consortium comprising FHS, context4D and Places People Spaces to undertake a Heritage Improvement Study (HIS) for the Old and New Town areas of Hemel Hempstead to inform the production of the Hemel Hempstead Town Centre Masterplan. 1.2 The Heritage Improvement Study vision is set out as follows: ‘The Heritage Improvement Study will maximise the potential and economic benefit of heritage within Hemel Hempstead town centre. This supports the creation of an attractive, vibrant and sustainable town through the development and implementation of the Town Centre Masterplan.’ 1.3 The HIS is an audit and review of the work to date which has provided the background to the Hemel Hempstead Town Centre Masterplan. It puts the heritage assets at the heart of delivering a sustainable Masterplan supported by initiatives and projects to highlight the rich and diverse heritage assets of the town. 1.4 This document provides a policy and document review and highlights other key stakeholders who have a critical role to play in the implementation of the Heritage Improvement Study. It provides a break down of heritage assets and issues relating to their protection and future management and places these within the framework of the established character zones promoted by the Core Strategy and the Hemel Hempstead Town Centre Masterplan. 1.5 Within each of the character zones there is an historic context, a summary of heritage assets, key issues, present and future uses, projects and further work. The strategy also provides advice on further strategic work and has a series of recommendations. 2.0 Policy and document background 2.1 The following section provides a policy and document background. In addition it highlights other potential sources of information and background support for the HIS. 2.2 Relevant planning legislation, national policy guidance, regional and sub- regional planning policy and the Dacorum's Core Strategy have been reviewed to provide a basis for placing the HIS firmly within its policy ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Forum Heritage Services & Context4D Page 6 of 101 Hemel Hempstead Heritage Improvement Study FINAL REPORT ____________________________________ background. This review will enable the HIS and particularly its defined projects to be placed within the wider context of the Borough and region. National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012) 2.3 Paragraph 7 of the NPPF outlines a number of fundamental principles relating to the intended policy direction of the present Government. It states that the framework has: 'an environmental role – contributing to protecting and enhancing our natural, built and historic environment' 2.4 In paragraph 17 one of the Core Planning principles relates directly to the HIS. It identifies the need to: ‘conserve heritage assets in a manner appropriate to their significance, so that they can be enjoyed for their contribution to the quality of life of this and future generations;’ 2.5 There is a key section on design which will be crucial to ensuring the long term preservation of the most important aspects of Hemel Hempstead's heritage. This section reinforces the key planning principles promoted by the replaced Planning Policy Statement 1 putting design at the heart of the planning process. Paragraph 56 states: ‘The Government attaches great importance to the design of the built environment. Good design is a key aspect of sustainable development, is indivisible from good planning, and should contribute positively to making places better for people.’ 2.6 The NPPF goes further to place great emphasis on local placemaking. Paragraph 58 is particularly relevant: ‘Local and neighbourhood plans should develop robust and comprehensive policies that set out the quality of development that will be expected for the area. Such policies should be based on stated objectives for the future of the area and an understanding and evaluation of its defining characteristics. Planning policies and decisions should aim to ensure that developments: • will function well and add to the overall quality of the area, not just for the short term but over the lifetime of the development; • establish a strong sense of place, using streetscapes and buildings to create attractive and comfortable places to live, work and visit; ________________________________________________________________________________________________