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4.0 Townscape and Landscape Character A Sustainable Urban Extension to the North East of Leicester : Design & Access Statement 23 4.0 Townscape and Landscape Character 24 Introduction 4.2 The analysis of the townscape context does, inevitably, focus 4.1 Townscape and landscape are on the established places. An a combination of cultural and important part of the process of physical characteristics, or creating a new place is to look components, which give rise at the design principles of these to patterns that are distinctive older environments rather than to a particular locality and simply copy the appearance help defi ne a “sense of place”. of the buildings. The design Locally distinctive townscape principles, such as mix of uses, evolves as a place over the enclosure of space (taking many years, with layers of into account height and width development laid down over ratios), provision of linkages, time - refl ected in the street incorporation of open spaces layout, built form and character. can all be a sound basis for Looking at local townscape modern design. This accords can identify traditional forms with the NPPF that encourages and patterns of development. development to understand and Refl ecting these in a masterplan refl ect surroundings but without for new development can “…discouraging appropriate reinforce familiarity which, in innovation” (p58(4)). turn, helps to integrate the new 4.3 The way in which the context into the local area. analysis has informed the overall masterplan and, in particular, the more detailed design of the character spaces in the NEoLSUE are described in subsequent Sections. A Sustainable Urban Extension to the North East of Leicester : Design & Access Statement 25 Barkby and west of the village the brook runs partway alongside a Barkby Thorpe footpath at the edge of green 4.4 Barkby and Barkby Thorpe corridor south of Brookside. The have a strong relationship to a water course and green corridor countryside setting. The majority are local references that could of the village and hamlet are inform the green corridors and a designated Conservation SuDS within the NEoLSUE. Area. Barkby Thorpe occupies a 4.7 Within Barkby, the buildings are hilltop location with Barkby on a short run of relatively densely lower ground to the north. The grouped terraces set close to villages are linked by Thorpe the back edge of the pavement, lane and parkland estate of farmstead groups of cottages Barkby Hall. and outbuildings connected by 4.5 The parkland estate of Barkby walls, and detached buildings Hall runs north to south through within large plots. Within the middle of this character Barkby Thorpe the buildings are area and makes a signifi cant clustered around King Street contribution to the landscape and maintain a farmstead character. The parkland consists grouped appearance. of pasture with individual 4.8 Building form and use is of mature trees and iron estate simple but regularly repeating railing boundaries. There are local materials (such as stone wooded areas to the periphery and brick, timber and slate) and of the estate that create the provides a consistency in overall framework for Barkby. feel even though the design 4.6 Barkby Brook and its associated of buildings is quite varied. trees and vegetation run Buildings, walls and outbuildings through Barkby. There are serve to enclose short sections footpaths located along the of the main street space and brook. It is generally overlooked part of the adjacent lanes and by cottages and detached streets, turning the corners and extending along the plots. Away dwellings in large plots. To the 1 2 from the main street the density of built form rapidly decreases. 26 Pond 77.1m Def Guided Post Barkbyby Thorperp 78.3m Pp Pond Thorpe Farm 1 81.4m 81.4m Manor Farm 82.3m 82.0m 80.4m Issuesssues 76.8m Barkby Barkby Thorpe © Civic Studio © Civic Studio 3 4 5 © Civic Studio A Sustainable Urban Extension to the North East of Leicester : Design & Access Statement 27 4.9 Properties are predominately a WEST BARKBY mix of terraced and detached STRUCTURE PLANTING th 17 century properties that AGRICULTURAL USE are mainly two storey red brick with grey slate roofs and red brick garden walls. In the western part of the village there PRIVATE OPEN SPACE are a number of 20th century houses and bungalows. St. Mary‘s Church and its spire are DEEP PLOTS ST. MARY'S CHURCH prominent within many local BARKBY HALL EAST BARKBY views. DEEP PLOTS DEEP PLOTS 4.10 The plan shows a general transition from terrace to detached and semi-detached houses towards the edges A DEEP PLOTS of the built area. The block A pattern is largely defi ned by PUBLIC OPEN SPACE THORPE LANE development along large but B narrow blocks addressing Main TREE-LINED AVENUE BARKBY BROOK Street. The only completely TREE-LINED EDGE developed perimeter blocks are CRICKET GROUND defi ned by Main Street and the BEEBY ROAD N brook. Barkby LEGEND © Civic Studio Block Edge Plot Edge Building Frontages Building Rears Country Passage Public Footpath Barkby Brooke Agricultural Land Use Private Open Space Landmark Tree/ Tree Cluster A Courtyard Cluster B Perimeter Block Landmark 28 LEGEND Block Edge TO BARKBY Plot Edge Building Frontages THORPE LANE Building Rears Focus Point Vehicular Route TREE-LINED AVENUE Country Passage TO Public Footpath MELTON ROAD Agricultural Land Use STRUCTURE PLANTING Landmark Tree/ Tree Cluster Landmark Private Open Space TREE-LINED EDGE PRIVATE OPEN SPACE AGRICULTURAL USE DEEP PLOT INWARD-LOOKING FOCUS PRIVATE OPEN SPACE BARKBYTHORPE ROAD KING STREET TO LEICESTER CITY CENTRE Barkby Thorpe © Civic Studio A Sustainable Urban Extension to the North East of Leicester : Design & Access Statement 29 Woodgate 4.11 Woodgate is a distinct character area off Barkby Lane and Barkbythorpe Lane, between Syston and Thurmaston. It is an area of large detached properties with relatively large gardens containing many mature trees creating a distinctly wooded feel. Part of the land is also given over to nursery stock production and horse paddocks. 4.12 Within this area is Barkby Lodge, a large three storey, red brick, Victorian property with distinctive chimneys. It is visible from the southern edge of Syston. Old Thurmaston Hamlet 4.13 South of Woodgate is Old Thurmaston, a hamlet of cottages and a semi-detached house with farm buildings clustered around a junction on Barkbythorpe Lane and at a former duck pond. Mature trees frame the buildings. 30 A Sustainable Urban Extension to the North East of Leicester : Design & Access Statement 31 Queniborough Main Street 4.14 The nearby villages of Queniborough and Syston demonstrate how in traditional settlements, mixing uses creates attractive and vibrant centres for a community. 4.15 Along Main Street, towards Croxton Road, buildings are generally set along the back- edge of the pavement. There are areas of grassed verges and pockets of open space, generally located at or near junctions. The layout creates clearly defi ned streets with Queniborough Main Street relatively few gaps between buildings. TO MELTON ROAD 4.16 The street gently widens out MAIN STREET A to create a small pocket of open space, overlooked by A DEEP PLOTS the buildings that frame it. This example demonstrates the effectiveness of modest sized A DEEP PLOTS A BUILT FORM / spaces in creating variety within A COUNTRYSIDE EDGE an urban area and an ‘event’ or focal point along a street. DEEP PLOTS 4.17 The development along Main A A Street generally consists of long A perimeter blocks broken by the A connecting lanes, with buildings ST. MARY CHURCH aligned along the street and not GREEN VERGES BUILT FORM / BUFFER HOUSES COUNTRYSIDE EDGE MERE LANE FROM THE STREET completing a ‘perimeter block’. A CROXTON ROAD DEEP PLOTS 32 Stoneygate Knighton Road 4.18 This is an established area with a strong character, demonstrating that a rich and varied fabric, with high quality, well-designed houses and a strong landscape are attractive and can be valued by their communities. It is a medium density residential area. Signifi cant dimensions between buildings across the streets and mature landscape have a signifi cant role in creating the character within a relatively dense area. Stoneygate Knighton Road Cental Avenue 4.19 North of Knighton Road is a contrasting area of dense Victorian terraced houses forming urban blocks, with small rear gardens and narrow streets adequate to park cars on both sides. In places, buildings are located along the back edge of pavement, elsewhere shallow front gardens create some private space between house and street. Planting is incidental. The plan form is effi cient in terms of land take/density and demonstrates one way to provide smaller houses but each with some private amenity space. Stoneygate Central Avenue A Sustainable Urban Extension to the North East of Leicester : Design & Access Statement 33 Syston Broad Street 4.23 This study area consists of 4.20 Syston is located to the largely Victorian/Edwardian north of Thurmaston. It is a houses. The fi gure-ground predominantly residential area drawing shows the continuity with industrial estates located of the houses in plan and the adjacent to the A607 and the relatively narrow street. Street railway line. trees shorten the vista and 4.21 Barkby Brook runs through softens the built form. Also, Syston but is largely enclosed shallow front gardens provide by development. Notable green space for some planting and spaces are the village green, privacy for residents. Deville Park to the east and 4.24 This area demonstrates how sports pitches to the right of the the NEoLSUE could incorporate railway line. terraced houses and, with 4.22 Outside of the conservation appropriate landscaping, how area the majority of relatively dense development properties are c20th with can be successfully designed.

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