WEDMORE VILLAGE DESIGN STATEMENT

Prepared by the Wedmore Village Design Team in consultation with local residents and support of Wedmore Parish Council and assistance from Sedgemoor District Council August 2005 WEDMORE VILLAGE DESIGN STATEMENT

Contents

Page

1 - Introduction 1

2 - The Landscape Setting 2 - 3

3 - Wedmore’s History & Form of the Settlement 4 - 5

4 - Characteristics and Details of Buildings 6 - 7

5 - Streetscape, Traffic and Parking 8

Photographs 9 - 20

6 - Recommendations 21

Acknowledgements 22

Wedmore Village Design Statement

1. Introduction

n 1993, The Countryside Commission (now the Countryside Agency) proposed that local communities take a I greater part in influencing the character of development in rural areas, this character being under threat from standardised and sometimes poor design. The proposed method was to be via preparation of a “Village Design Statement” (VDS).

This document covering Wedmore village has been prepared in accordance with principles set out in guidance notes for VDS reference CCP 501, published in 1996.

The prime purpose of a VDS is to influence any proposed development in such a way that it is sympathetic to existing village character. It must reflect residents’ views and be supported by the Parish Council. The visual character should be described in terms of:

G The landscape setting G The form of the settlement G The characteristics and details of the buildings and spaces within the village.

The VDS is about managing change and providing local design guidance and is therefore supplementary to, but not an alternative to, the Sedgemoor District Local Plan.

The Wedmore VDS is based on the opinions of village residents expressed at a public meeting and exhibition of photographs and in response to an invitation to comment sent out to local societies.

The project has been carried through to completion by a small “Design Team”, of five local residents, which carried out the necessary photographic surveys, collected residents’ inputs and wrote several drafts culminating in this final document in liaison with the Parish Council and Sedgemoor District Council Officers.

Wedmore serves a community which includes the other villages and hamlets of the parish: Blackford, Theale, Cocklake, Crickham, Clewer, Sand, Heath House, Westham, Mudgley, Bagley, Panborough, Latcham and the three Stoughtons. Since all have their own individual characteristics, this VDS is devoted exclusively to the village of Wedmore itself.

During the course of compiling this statement, the “Design Team” became more and more aware of the enriching effect of variety on the overall Wedmore scene.

The VDS was officially adopted as “Supplementary Planning Guidance” by Sedgemoor District Council on 1st February 2006 for reference in connection with future design within the village of Wedmore.

The Parish and District Council will use the VDS when planning applications are being assessed, but its most important function is to provide an appreciation of local context and thereby influence the building design process from the outset.

1 Wedmore Village Design Statement

2. The Landscape Setting

he centre of the village nestles at the east end of a shallow east to west valley, essentially the course of the local T stream, and is therefore overlooked by higher ground to the north and south, this gives rise to pleasing views of the village from this higher ground and equally pleasant views of this higher ground from many points within the village itself. Lascot Hill, to the north of the village is of particular importance, both as regards views of the village from the right of way crossing the field and views of the hill from within the village itself. Trees in a variety of formations are a significant, enriching backdrop to these views from the village. Church Street is roughly parallel to the course of the stream and therefore descends to the east. The overall view of Church Street, and the Mendips beyond from the vicinity of the church produces a particularly harmonious effect.

The transition between the built area and countryside is rather abrupt at some points on the village boundary. The skyline has been breached by some development to the south of the village. Views of and from Wedmore are shown in photographs 1, 2 and 3.

Photo 1 Wedmore from the North

2 Wedmore Village Design Statement

Photo 2 Looking North from within the Village

Photo 3 Looking North from within the Village

3 Wedmore Village Design Statement

3. Wedmore’s History and Form of the Settlement

edmore is a settlement with several distinct areas and very early origins. Recent archaeological investigations W(Close Orchard) prove that people have been living in the village since prehistoric times. Roman and Iron Age remains have been found widely scattered in different parts of the village, the ancient centre of which was probably around St Mary’s Church and the Manor House in Saxon and Medieval times. The Borough area was added as a planned development of the late 1100s – early 1200s. The road patterns were laid down the best part of a thousand years ago with the centre forming a square of orchards and gardens and the village stream, the Lerburne running through. The West End has equally ancient origins – its road layout reflects the underlying medieval open field system. The ancient roads leading to Blackford (Pilcorn Street) and Wells (Combe Batch) are lined with cottages and farmsteads. The road to Cheddar was not developed in this way because it was not a through road until the turnpike c1840. Wedmore has been a market centre from the 1200s with shops and businesses developing from the 1600s to the present day. Shops have been a feature of Wedmore since about 1500. There are now about 30 shops in a variety of styles. The shops, a bank branch, and three public houses all serve as an informal focal point for residents and an attraction for visitors. Wedmore includes an extensive Conservation Area that is roughly half the total area within the current village boundary. There are many listed buildings. Wedmore’s prosperity through various times has led to a great diversity of house types, from affluent gentry to comfortable cottages. Sixteenth to eighteenth century vernacular buildings are cheek by jowl with gracious Georgian and Victorian houses. The remaining area within the village boundary consists primarily of some housing estates built since the 1960s. The village centre and surrounding development consists of a square street pattern, Church Street, the Borough, Grants Lane, and Glanville Road, all within the Conservation Area which was extended in 1991 to include old properties along Pilcorn Street, Combe Batch and West End. The central square formation of streets encloses an open space, which consists mainly of the rear gardens of properties facing outwards in the square. While this space is in private hands, it is nevertheless a valuable attribute that has remained more or less intact for several hundred years. At the West End of Wedmore, there is an open space privately owned but upon which is a covenant signed by adjacent residents prohibiting development upon it. This open space is not available to the public, but nevertheless significantly adds to the attraction of this part of the village and is designated as ‘Open Land to be Protected from Development’, Policy BE7, Sedgemoor District Local Plan 1991-2011 adopted 29 September 2004. This space is shown in photo 4. A further open space adjacent to the Close Farm, nearer to the village centre, is currently also in private hands, but is crossed by a public right of way. It is also currently designated as ‘Open Land to be Protected from Development’. This space is shown in photo 5. There is currently no manufacturing activity in Wedmore. The entirety of the village is shown in the aerial photograph, on the next page.

4 To Cheddar WEDMORE Lascot Hill Glebe Field Key

Village Development Boundary (Local Plan Policy STR3)

Designated Conservation Area St. Mary’s boundary Church (Local Plan Policies HE1, HE3 and HE4) 3

2 Open land to be 1 protected from development 7 5 BE7 (Local Plan Policy BE7) 6 4

Private Open Space To Wells 1 (surrounding streets form ‘The Square”)

BE7 2 The Borough

3 Church Street BE7 4 Combe Batch

To Blackford 5 Glanville Road

6 Grants Lane

7 Pilcorn Street

Scale 1:5000 approx Wedmore Village Design Statement

Photo 4 Private open space, West End

Photo 5 Private open space adjacent to The Close Farm, with public right of way

5 Wedmore Village Design Statement

4. Characteristics and Details of Buildings

he variety of buildings in the central square and surrounding areas dating from various periods blend together T in a satisfactory manner primarily because of a sympathetic relationship in terms of style, scale, differing alignments and road curvature (Church Street). This variety is a major contribution to the satisfying visual impact and is shown in the series of photographs 6 to 41. An extreme form of variety is shown in photograph 12. The extraordinary Italianate design of the building to the left housing the chemist’s shop could hardly be called Wedmore specific or indeed specific to any English village anywhere. Furthermore its juxtaposition to a more traditional dwelling could be thought quite incongruous, however the overall visual impact is widely regarded as one of the most interesting features of the village street scene. Similarly, the building shown in photograph 16, which could be said to be of Mediterranean type, is another example of the contribution made to village character by diversity. Wedmore contains a wide variety of building types in what can be regarded as ‘traditional’ style and various twentieth century developments of a more suburban character. The traditional buildings display considerable diversity and often form interesting groups. Use of local stone is an important unifying feature and there are other recurrent details. Text and illustrations below outline important aspects of Building Form, Materials, Building Details and Boundary Enclosures.

Building Form:

G Mainly two storey (see photos 6 and 8) G Basic rectangular floor plan with broad frontage facing the street (9,11,14,18 and 20) G Simple roof shape, usually with gable walls (6, 8 and 30) G Scale varies from large farmhouse or shop premises to smaller cottages G May be detached or attached to adjacent building forming a small group or terrace (29, 32, 33) G Single or two storey extensions added at side or rear according to site circumstances (6, 7) G Archways sometimes provide vehicle access to courtyard or backland area (11, 27, 28) G Chimneys are terminal features at the apex of the gable end of the main building, constructed internally not externally (i.e. not protruding out from the face of the gable wall) and mainly of brick construction (6, 10, 11, 14, 31 and 39) G Roof pitches generally quite steep (40-45 degrees), but sometimes shallower on lean-to extensions (6, 8, 31) G Front-facing gables are not a common feature

The variety of roof heights add to the general attraction of the street scene (photos 29, 30, 31, 38, 39). Roof heights are not excessive in relation to road widths and this results in pleasant open vistas along streets.

Materials:

A feature of Wedmore is the use of local Wedmore stone as a building material for houses (photos 9, 11, 35, 36 and 37) and for boundary walls (e.g. the wall surrounding the Church). However, Wedmore stone is no longer extracted and other stone has been used, Carboniferous Limestone, Blue Lias, Doulting Stone and Dolomitic Conglomerate (‘Draycott Marble’), the latter particularly for gate posts and wall copings. The use of artificial stone in some modern schemes has been fairly successful at replicating the colour and texture of local stonework, but unfortunately this has not always been the case. Houses were also built of local rubble rendered and lime washed in pale colours, this pale coloured rendering is a pleasing restrained contrast to the stone (photos 14 and 18).

6 Wedmore Village Design Statement

Materials continued... The use of brick is limited to chimneys (see photos 36 and 39), window/door surrounds (photo 37) and some rear extensions. Roofs reflect the former local tile industry, Welsh slate was also used (photos 31, 33 and 36). Thatch as a roofing material disappeared in the 1800s in favour of these tiles and slates and the only three thatched roofs in Wedmore are relatively recent in origin.

Building Details:

G Porches and canopies (various designs are a feature on many existing properties) (photos 11, 14, 20 and 21) G Dormer windows – not a particularly common feature, relatively small projection in the roof plane, with pitched or catslide roof (10, 18, 29 and 38) G Gable walls – typically project above the roof plane and are capped with shaped coping stones (‘coped verges’) (7, 13, 20 and 28) otherwise tiles/slates cover the gable wall and are finished with a mortar fillet or barge boards (30) G Windows – window frames are a significant detail on many buildings; timber sliding sash or symmetrical side- hung casements being traditional and generally installed with a ‘reveal’ of about 100mm (ie recessed within the window opening). A variety of techniques for constructing window openings include: N Arch in stone (photos 11, 12, 29 and 35) N Timber lintel (9 and 40) N Brick arch (7 and 35) N Dressed stone (8, 29 and 34) N Keystone and voussoirs (15 and 21) N Projecting sills in real or artificial stone (20)

Boundary Enclosures:

Stone boundary walls are predominant and an important component of the street scene and include:

G Different coping stone arrangements – flat slabs, rounded copings, upstanding rough blocks set with spaces between (stones generally of a similar size or may be alternating high and low stones in a pattern known as ‘cock and hen’) (photos 11, 14 and 20) G Different heights, some very high (which from a design perspective creates privacy and screening of garden or other space, or can be the outer face of garage, workshop or other buildings) G Low walls often topped with decorative wrought iron/cast iron railings (32, 34) G Gateposts, with some use of massive squared stones with rounded tops (32) and also some walls featuring stone/brick piers (26, 41)

7 Wedmore Village Design Statement

5. Streetscape, Traffic and Parking

he historic streets of Wedmore yield a richly varied townscape in which the subtle variations in the width and/or T alignment of a road or lane play a part. The streetscape has been defined by the siting of buildings and boundaries, kerbed footways tend to have been added later, where space permits. In the West End area roadside grass verges are an intermittent feature. Modern estate roads and adjacent footways of standard width and junction geometry are in stark contrast to the more organic pattern of the old streets and lanes.

Goods vehicle traffic passing through ‘en route’ elsewhere, combined with minimal facilities for off-street car parking, often cause major congestion and even danger to residents. Narrow or non-existent footways at some locations exacerbate the problem. Church Street is frequently blocked by the passage of Heavy Goods Vehicles, particularly at the narrow east end of the street. Damage to buildings at the roadside (many of them listed) is an ever present and increasing risk. A number of dwellings in the centre of the village front directly on to the footway.

Vehicles frequently approach and leave the village at speeds that appear to be excessive. The vicinity of the First School is a particularly sensitive area, where a 20mph speed limit has recently been imposed. Anecdotal evidence points to frequent infringements of this limit.

The overall aspect of Church Street from the vicinity of St Mary’s Church is of high quality, but the view is frequently impaired by slow moving and visually intrusive vehicles.

Overhead utility wires are an unfortunate distraction from the otherwise generally satisfactory visual impact of the street scene in the centre of the village.

Outside the centre, the most striking feature is the presence of trees and shrubs along streets in which dwellings have been set far enough back from the road to give adequate space for this planting; with limited exceptions, recent estates have been ‘softened’ in this way.

Photo 6 Glanville Road

8 Wedmore Village Design Statement

Photo 7 Former Gasworks near The Borough

Photo 8 Church Street - The Mendips in the background

Photo 9 Dwelling in Grants Lane

9 Wedmore Village Design Statement

Photo 10 Roof Detail, Church Street

Photo 11 Porch, The Borough

Photo 12 Interesting contrast in Church Street

10 Wedmore Village Design Statement

Photo 13 Recent development off Church Street

Photo 14 Residence, Sand Road

Photo 15 Residence, West End

11 Wedmore Village Design Statement

Photo 16 Original ‘Gentleman’s Residence’ with appropriate extension and sensitive

Photo 17 Another ‘Gentleman’s Residence’ in suitably restrained render finish

Photo 18 Yeoman’s house, Pilcorn Street C17th

12 Wedmore Village Design Statement

Photo 19 The last house built of Wedmore stone dug from fields behind, and no longer available, Mudgley Road

Photo 20 Traditional house with porch addition, West End

Photo 21 Another example of an interesting porch addition, West End

13 Wedmore Village Design Statement

Photo 22 Recent Housing Association development off The Lerburne

Photo 23 Recent private development off Glanville Road

Photo 24 Estate softened by trees and shrubs

14 Wedmore Village Design Statement

Photo 25 Other properties with more mature tree screening

Photo 26 Stone gateposts, walls, railings and hedges associated with a large detached property add interest at The Borough; house features colour- washed render and slate roof

Photo 27 Archway at the George Hotel provides vehicular access

15 Wedmore Village Design Statement

Photo 28 Slate roof, gable with coped verge, stone archway and stone boundary wall, The Borough

Photo 29 Cottages displaying varied wall and roof heights, small flat-roofed dormers, dressed stone window surrounds (left) and stone arches (centre), Combe Batch

16 Wedmore Village Design Statement

Photo 30 Group of stone buildings tight onto the road, showing typical roof pitches, predominance of gables and variety in roof height, Grant’s Lane

Photo 31 Street scene showing boundary walls, clay tiles and typical roof forms with chimneys at apex, Grant’s Lane

Photo 32 Street frontage of attached houses showing subtle variety in detail and boundaries; boundaries show varied stone walls and railings; right-hand foreground in this photo features massive stone gateposts, Grant’s Lane

See also photos 33 and 34 on page 18

17 Wedmore Village Design Statement

Photo 33 Street frontage of attached houses showing subtle variety in detail and boundaries; boundaries show varied stone walls and railings, Grant’s Lane

See also photo 34, and photo 32 on page 17

Photo 34

Photo 35 Buildings of Wedmore Stone featuring stone/brick arches over windows and stone/timber sills, Church Street

18 Wedmore Village Design Statement

Photo 36 Stone cottages with brick chimneys, clay tiles and pitched-roof dormers, Cheddar Road

Photo 37 Wedmore Stone with brick detailing, The Borough

Photo 38 Buildings of varied wall/roof height and also displaying typically small dormer windows, The Borough/Combe Batch

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Photo 39 Roadside farmhouse, stone walls and greenery, Sand Road

Photo 40 Wedmore Stone cottage with timber lintel, Guildhall Lane

Photo 41 Imposing entrance to South Manor, featuring stone gate piers and high walls, Church Street

20 Wedmore Village Design Statement

6. Recommendations

The Landscape Setting

G There are several important views of the village from the immediate surrounding countryside, which should be respected. The Lascot Hill area (immediately to the west of the “Glebe field”) is regarded as particularly important in this regard. A viewpoint and footpaths on the North side of Mudgley Road give interesting views from the ridge South East of the village.

G New development should not obscure views of the surrounding countryside from within the village, both the local view and the distant view of the Mendips are relevant.

G Fields on the high ground to the North and South of the village centre are particularly important in respect of both the preceding points. Existing houses on the skyline south east of the village are prominent and further building on the skyline should be strictly controlled. Trees on the skyline as viewed from the village should be preserved.

G Any future development on the village periphery should relate well to the countryside against which it would abut – avoid any abrupt demarcation between the built area and open country by appropriate tree and bush planting.

Characteristics and Details of Buildings

The rich variety of building types and styles in the centre of Wedmore and generally present in the whole of the Conservation Area is a very significant feature of the village.

Features of past design of buildings and layout of built areas worthy of particular attention for new buildings are:

G The elevations of new buildings should generally be faced with natural stone, the better artificial stone or render. In the case of a group of new buildings the use of both stone and render finishes is likely to be appropriate (on separate elevations). N Genuinely local “Wedmore Stone” is no longer quarried, but in addition to these beds of limestones the local geology also include lias limestones, carboniferous limestone and dolomitic conglomerate. Suitable stone can therefore be sourced using reclaimed material or quarries elsewhere in Somerset. Artificial stone will only be acceptable if it offers a good match for Wedmore stone in terms of block size, shapes and colours. N Some properties exhibit the use of sand-coloured dressed limestone (mainly Doulting stone) for door and window surrounds, quoins, coping stones and other architectural detailing; these features can be successfully replicated in artificial stone.

G Some window and door openings have been edged in red or yellow brick; this is a detail which can be easily replicated. In such cases the brickwork over the opening should form a low arch (suitably profiled metal support lintels are available) G Roofing materials should be clay or concrete tiles of appropriate orange/red colour and profile or slate. G Use of brick should be limited to chimneys, window/door surrounds or some rear elevations. G In addition to the great variety of building size, shape, style and orientation there is a variety of interesting details such as railings, porches, bargeboard details and window shapes to be found on existing buildings which merit consideration in any future development. G Sliding sash windows or symmetrical side-hung casements are typical of design in the central area and merit consideration.

21 Wedmore Village Design Statement

G Stone boundary walls should be incorporated in new development where walls are relevant. Existing boundary walls in Wedmore stone should be protected from all forms of redevelopment.

G Timber fences on frontage of plots or where visible from public vantage points should not be used. Railings, walls or hedges are preferable.

G At village edge boundaries mixed deciduous hedges would be appropriate.

G Appropriate regard for these ‘Wedmore features’ should not unduly inhibit the pursuit of variety in any future development; imaginative and possibly unusual design if of high quality should always receive sympathetic consideration. Much would depend on the particular site location.

Streetscape, Traffic and Parking

Any scheme requiring the creation of a new street should aim for the siting and orientation of buildings, boundaries and landscaping to be the predominant influence on the streetscape; highway design standards will need to be met but carriageways and footways do not have to be of uniform dimensions.

The parking problems should be eased somewhat by the forthcoming car parking space. Any future highway works or highway signage to address traffic problems should be sensitively designed using features and materials which respect the historic character of Wedmore.

The overall character of the village centre will continue to be impaired unless effective means can be found to reduce the frequency of heavy vehicle through traffic.

Acknowledgements

A design team was formed in February 1999 to prepare this Village Design Statement, the group consisted of: Mrs M Welch, Chairman and member of Wedmore Parish Council Dr R Bradshaw, Geologist Mrs H Hudson, Local Historian Mr C Townsend, Local Architect Mr R Hayter, Secretary

The first draft was sent to 27 local organisations and presented to residents of Wedmore at an Open Day in the Masonic Hall in May 2000 where photographs were displayed and a questionnaire invited responses. Over a hundred responses were received. Thanks are due to all who returned the questionnaire, to Wedmore Parish Council for support throughout and for financial help in the early stages, and to Sedgemoor District Council, Mr R Shuttleworth who contributed much relevant material concerning detail design of the existing built environment together with appropriate photographs. Thanks are also due to Sedgemoor District Council for producing the document in its final format.

22 Addendum sheet for Wedmore VDS, March 2013

Wedmore Village Design Statement

- adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document by Sedgemoor District Council on 27th March 2013

Advisory note

The document had previously been adopted as “Supplementary Planning Guidance” in February 2006. Whilst the national and local planning policy context has subsequently changed, and therefore some references within the document may be out-of-date, the Council considers that the design guidance at the heart of this document is still relevant to interpretation of policy – it remains capable of serving as a supplement to planning policies which reference “local character” / design matters etc.

Readers are advised that specific references to national / local policy or guidance are likely to have been superseded and should be interpreted / substituted as appropriate. In particular references to the “Sedgemoor Local Plan 1991-2011” and individual policies therein are superseded unless the policies are “saved” (Policy BE7 is saved and the development boundary is unchanged).

The Wedmore Village Design Statement should be read in conjunction with the Sedgemoor District Council Core Strategy and other relevant supplementary guidance, such as the “Sedgemoor Landscape Assessment and Countryside Design Summary”. Relevant Core Strategy policies include:  Policy P4, which sets out the policy on development in “Key Rural Settlements” (of which Wedmore is one), particularly for housing or employment proposals within or adjacent to the existing settlement boundary  Policy P6, which relates to strict control of development in the countryside (e.g. outside development boundaries)  Policy S1, which sets out the spatial strategy for Sedgemoor (which involves a relatively limited amount of development in rural areas)  Policy S3, which sets out Principles (including sustainable construction and environmental quality)

1 Addendum sheet for Wedmore VDS, March 2013

 Policy S4, which addresses mitigation of / adaptation to climate change (including materials, energy efficiency, natural shade and cooling, tree planting and water efficiency)  Policy D2, which promotes high quality and inclusive design

It could also be relevant to interpretation of a number of other Policies, particularly in respect of references to “local character” / “amenity” / “sense of place”; the following Policies (when applicable) are the most likely: • Policy D5 Housing • Policy D11 Economic Prosperity • Policy D14 Natural Environment - Landscape • Policy D16 Pollution Impact of Development and Protecting Residential Amenity • Policy D17 Historic Environment • Policy D20 Green Infrastructure

Nick Tait Service Manager, Policy Strategy and Development Sedgemoor District Council Bridgwater House King Square Bridgwater Somerset TA6 3AR

Email: [email protected]

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