ST BURYAN Conservation Area Statement
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CONSERVATION AREA GUIDANCE ST BURYAN conservation area statement PENWITH DI.STRIGT COUNCIL CONSERVATION AREA STATEMENT ST BURYAN 1.1 The centre of St Buryan was designated a Conservation Area by Penwith District Council in r'1ay 1990. The village has a long history and its central area displays a medieval street pattern. St Buryan is dominated by the church of St Beriana which has the highest tower in West Cornwall, and is visible over a wide area. In designating the conservation area, the Council has a duty under Section 71 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservat i on Areas) Act 1990 to formu 1ate and pub 1i sh proposa 1s for the preservation and enhancement of the Area. This statement has been produced to meet this requirement and will be an important document when considering development proposals within the conservation area. Its contents include a brief history of the village, an appraisal of St Buryan as it is today, together with proposals for both conservation and enhancement. /.1 St Buryan is slteu on a hlY~l flat plain, d;n' oAimately 400ft. above sea level and located S mi les south west of fJenzan.l'. lile vi llage is a service centre for a 'surrounding rural hinterland anQ plissesses a prllnary school, pub, gar age , s hop s , v ill age h all a s Ive 1 1 a s t '1 e c hu r c h and t~e tho d i s t Chap e l. There is a regular bus ser1ice to Penzance and public transport links to the coast and surrounding area . 2 The buildings of St Buryan in the conservatlon area are mainly of the 18th and 19th centuries and alTlong them are 16 llsted buildings. The conservation area includes the church and its enclosure, Penzance Road as far as St Buryan House to the north, the village hall to the south, the primary school along Rectory Road to the east and Churchtown Far-III to the west. .3 The village has grovJll in size in recent yeMs with new housing development being constructed on the southern and eastern fringes. The population of the Parish currently stands at approxi:nately 1,100. 3.1 The pari sh of St Buryan takes its name from an early Chri st ian pri estess, beljeved to have been Irish, and the name is properly pronounced 'BURR-yan I. 3.2 An early religious foundation was sited within the circular bank and ditch of the former Iron Age or Romano-British settlement. This is located in the centre of the village and upon which the Church and Churchyard was later built. The present church with its four-stage tower was built after 1470 on the site of, and incorporating features from, an earlier Norman Church. Parts were rebuilt in 1750 and the interior largely remodelled in 1824. 3.3 The village surrounding the church exhibits the irregular star-shaped pattern of development from medieval times, with the longer arms of the star having grown along the radiating lanes centred on the church itself. These lanes and other paths to the church from outlying parts of the parish were way-marked by stone crosses dating from the 9th century, many of which survive. 3.4 The majority of properties in St Buryan are of 18th and 19th century date, many having replaced earlier thatched cottages of granite and cob. Traditional granite walling, slate roofs and sash windows are still much in evidence, giving great character to the village centre. Development prior to 1970 has been gradual, with building largely restricted to replacement of outworn properties, development of small infill plots and very gradual addition to the fringes of the village. 3.5 Since 1970, development has greatly accelerated, especially on the southern side of the village. Layouts and design have generally paid little heed to tradition; however, the traditional integrity of the village centre remains relatively unimpaired. 4.1 St Buryan has a range of social and community facilities that has made it a focus for residential development for the parishes of St Buryan, St Leven, Paul and Sancreed. Whilst the Church still dominates St Buryan, the built u~ area has now spread well beyond the boundaries that existed for most of this century. 4.2 Current planning policies for St Buryan are contained in the County Structure Plan First Alteration and the Penzance Local Plan. There is no requirement to allocate additional land for housing because of the amount of development that has recently taken place and because of the quantity of land available with planning permission. This more restrictive approach to new development in St Buryan is contained within Policy H-10 of the Penzance Local Plan. This policy will permit the construction of one or two dwellings on small plots within the village and will allow for development to meeting the housing needs of the area. Further speculative development and the general expansion of the village will not normally be supported. 4.3 The capacity of the St Buryan sewerage treatment works is 1imited and the works are currently operating close to this limit. South West Water and the National Rivers Authority have agreed with the Council that over and above the hous ing that has already been granted, on ly 3 more dwell ings can be approved, before this limit is reached. A major improvement will then be required. Such an improvement will be expensive and unlikely to be viable without major development which in itself would be unacceptable in planning terms. 5.1 St Buryan grew in organic fashion from the early iron age fortress and later religious centre. The church dominates the conservation area and is central to it. Roads radiate out from the church and the dominant position of the building is enhanced by being raised up on the enclosure. St Buryan unlike the coastal villages of Mousehole and Newlyn has an extensive open character. Most properties have private garden areas and the houses are arranged in short terraces, or are semi-detached and detached. The terraced houses are generally small simple propert ies, whi le the semi -detached and detached houses tend to be larger. All properties exhibit traditional designs with the larger properties exhibiting classical or gothic features. Dormer windows are not a feature of the buildings of the village. Windows have a strong vertical emphasis and are nor-mally aligned ground to first floor. Windows are often found directly beneath the eaves (Lisbon Terrace being a good example of this) but do not break the eaves line. Many of the houses have orndLe wooden front porches which provide diversity and add character. Garden space is often walled, with stone walls and hedges of various heights. )lfIal1 slleds and priveys, built in stone with slate roofs are still COnJl1lon, and large stone sheds and agricultural buildings can still be found within the conservation area. 5.2 The vi 11 age has an i nforma 1 layout particularly to the west of the church, with footpaths and short roadways passing across the front, side and rear of buildings and their gardens. On the approach to the vi 11 age from the south or north, terracing along Newlyn Road,Lands End Road and Penzance Road provides a more formal layout and lS an important characteristic when entering the village. There are few roadside pavements and garden areas with front stone boundary walls often mark the boundary with the road. 5.3 The County Council has proposed extending the footpath that runs along the side of the church enclosure, in a northerly direction. This is supported in principle subject to existing boundary walls being retained and the footway being constructed using granite kerbstones. Given the exposed locat~on, there are few trees. Buildings do give shelter and the trees and shrubs that do exist make an important contribution to the character of the Conservation Area. 5.4 The use of traditional materials, stone and slate, painted wOvu windows and dvvs enhance the appearance of lilt:: village, pr'ovide 0 Sc'bc' ,'Jf place and a can L1 nu i t Y wit h the pas t . W11 i 1S t Lil e c hu ,'C 11 do Ii\ i nate S ::, l h LJ I .y 0 11, the 1and to Ult' south, centred on Lhe medieval cross bounded by the put; and general s ~J ,-.. '> i s the hEC rt 0 f the vii 1d ~jl' . 6 Recent changes in the appearance of the Conservation Area and Proposals for its enhancement and conservation 6.1 The designation of the centre of St Buryan as a Conservation Area conveys additiunal planning controls which can help in the conservation and preservation of the area. These additional powers include control over the demo 1 ition of buil dings, wall s and fences, and greater 1imitat ions in the size of extensions and alterat ions that can be undertaken on res ident ia1 property. Further controls that restrict the rights of householders to undertake work that affects the external appearance of their properties can be imposed with the agreement of the Secretary of State through an Article 4 Direction. 602 In general the appearance of the village has been affected by new housing, particularly to the south and east. Much of the development has not been in keeping with the village. Size, design and massing has been particularly poor in some instances. This has affected the approach to the village particularly from the south and has impinged on the appearance of the Conservation Area itself.