Pontypool Conservation Area Appraisal & Management Plan
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PONTYPOOL CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL & MANAGEMENT PLAN Pontypool Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan Contents Summary of special interest and value of the Conservation Area 1. Background 1.1 Current status of the Conservation Area 1.2 Statutory background 1.3 Planning policy framework – including Local Plan policies 1.4 Regeneration context 1.4 Purpose of this Conservation Area appraisal 2. Location and setting 2.1 Location and population 2.2 Townscape/Landscape setting 3. Historic development 3.1 Historic development of Pontypool 3.1 Archaeological significance 4. Character and appearance 4.1 General character and plan form 4.2 Key buildings and views 4.3 The public realm 4.4 Identification of Character Areas 5.0 Identification of conservation issues 5.1 General conditions SWOT 5.2 Positive issues and assets 5.3 Negative issues and problems 6.0 Policy guidance and design principles 6.1 CA development policy and design guidance 6.2 Policies for reuse and enhancement of existing buildings 6.3 Policies for new development 6.4 Management framework for the public realm 6.5 Guidance for key buildings, sites and public realm 7.0 Management recommendations 7.1 Decision making procedures 7.2 Planning measures 7.3 Enforcement strategy 7.4 Mechanisms for monitoring change 7.5 Urban design guidance 7.6 Community involvement 7.7 Resources needed in the Conservation Area APPENDICES Appendix 1: Conservation policies Appendix 2: Listed Building information Appendix 3: Community consultation Appendix 4: Contact details Pontypool Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan Summary of special interest & value of the Conservation Area Pontypool was the first industrialised town of Wales. The town created wealth and offered expertise in ironworking and allied industries over a period lasting hundreds of years, from 1425 into the second half of the twentieth century. Once part of Monmouthshire, Pontypool now lies within the administrative area of Torfaen. It has a catchment of approximately 40,000 people. Pontypool has suffered economic decline over the last 40 years from a loss of industry, and the growth of other nearby town centres. In response to this, in 1999 Pontypool Community Council and Torfaen County Borough Council (TCBC) set up a regeneration partnership, involving a dedicated team of officers and the establishment of the Pontypool Regeneration Fund. The Regeneration Strategy has identified the need to develop Pontypool as a premier market town within the valley, using new leisure attractions, events and speciality retailing, as a focus for regeneration. The Conservation Area covering the town centre was established in 1984 and recognises the importance of the built heritage and architecture that Pontypool’s history has created as potentially a major asset in achieving this regeneration. The retention of the green ‘Park’ alongside the town by the Hanbury family and the later acquisition of the Park as ‘the People’s Park’ in 1921, and the location of Pontypool itself at the edge of the Valleys area with the unspoilt countryside of the Usk valley close to hand, meant that to some extent it escaped the worst despoliation of the industrial revolution. The aim of this Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan is to assist Torfaen County Borough Council to protect and enhance the built heritage of Pontypool, while enabling the public to recognise both the benefits of living in a Conservation Area and their own responsibilities for its future protection. Within this boundary, Character Areas have been identified which provide examples of differing periods of development, their built form and their functions. An analysis of current conservation concerns identifies the positive assets and the negative issues. The assets include the heritage townscapes and the quality of the C19 and early C20 architecture and the views created by the adjacent river and park. Several negative factors are identified, particularly the impacts of economic decline which has left unused buildings and a remaining sense of neglect with examples of poor maintenance and repair which has led to deterioration and loss of some architectural and heritage details so resulting in a detrimental impact on the wider streetscape. Management and enhancement proposals are described including: the identification of properties suitable for local listing; a review of the Conservation Area boundary with recommendations for changes; policies for maintenance and repair; policies for new development; the opportunities for enhancement; advice using design guidance, the consideration of permitted development rights within the Conservation Area; and the involvement of the community. This Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan together with the Regeneration Strategy for Pontypool, should form a framework for the reuse and regeneration of the town centre. If Pontypool is to retain its historic and architectural significance, it is essential that investment should be concentrated first and foremost in the reuse of the historic building stock. Pontypool Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan 1. Background 1.2 Current status of the Conservation Area The linear Pontypool Conservation Area covers the centre of the traditional town - predominantly on the west side of the Afon Lwyd – except for thr area around the Museum. It was designated in 1984 and includes 25 Listed buildings and structures. Figure 1.1 identifies the current boundary and highlights the statutory Listed buildings. Recommendations for the adjustment of these boundaries are included in Section 7.2 but on publication of this document have not yet been adopted. Pontypool Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan 1.3 Statutory background Conservation Areas were introduced by the Civic Amenities Act 1967 and are defined as “areas of special architectural or historic interest the character and appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance”. Conservation Area designation is more dependent on the overall quality and interest of an area, rather than individual buildings, although it is common for such areas to contain a number of Listed Buildings. Designation as a Conservation Area has a number of implications. Most importantly, Torfaen County Borough Council is required to give special attention to preserving and enhancing the Conservation Area while exercising their planning functions. In addition, planning consent must be gained for certain types of development which are elsewhere classified as permitted development, such as various types of cladding, dormer windows, satellite dishes and radio masts/antennae. Consent is further required for the demolition of buildings within Conservation Areas. Designation also brings controls over works to trees. The protection of an area does not end with Conservation Area designation. Planning Policy Wales 2002 Section 6 “Conserving the Historic Environment” requires that Local Authorities prepare detailed assessments of the special interest, character and appearance of their Conservation Areas. This character appraisal defines and analyses the special qualities and the architectural and historic interest that warranted the Conservation Area designation. Section 6.3.2 states that “Conservation Area character appraisals can assist planning authorities in the exercise of their planning and development control functions”. Local Authorities are under a duty from time to time to “formulate and publish proposals for the preservation and enhancement of any parts of their area which are conservation areas” - Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas (LBCA)) Act 1990, s.71. This report responds to this requirement. 1.4 Planning policy framework – including Local Plan policies The Pontypool Conservation Area lies within the coverage of the Torfaen Local Plan, adopted July 2000 and the Gwent Structure Plan. This provides the approved basis for development control policies. The plans have strong conservation / heritage policies, which seek to conserve and enhance the built environment especially in conservation areas and in relation to listed buildings. The built environment conservation policies in the Local Plan are based on current government planning guidance and Welsh Office Circular 60/96 “Planning and the Historic Environment: Archaeology” and Circular 61/96 “Historic Buildings and Conservation Areas”. Statutory planning policies affecting the urban areas are contained in sections of the Torfaen Local Plan (adopted 2000), which seeks to protect and enhance the role of Pontypool as a place to live, work and as a focus for new investment in retailing and leisure. These aims are included in the emerging Torfaen Local Development Plan 2006 – 2021 Preferred Strategy. The existing Local Plan contains a number of policies that aim to protect the appearance, character and setting of Conservation Areas and Listed Buildings. These include policies that support and elaborate the Gwent Structure Plan objective ‘to protect sites and buildings of archaeological and conservation importance from inappropriate development and enhance their setting and character through a positive approach to conservation.’ Policies H1 and H2 protect Conservation Areas through controls on development and demolition, or part demolition of any building or feature Pontypool Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan Specific policies are identified for historic buildings and archaeology. In particular, both Policies H3 and H4 controlling development that affects Listed