Saffron Walden Heritage and Character Assessment 2017-07-18
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Saffron Walden Heritage and Character Assessment October 2018 Saffron Walden Heritage and Character Assessment Quality information Prepared by Checked by Approved by Ela Michaluk Tom Beck Jon Rooney Graduate Landscape Architect, Senior Landscape Architect, AECOM Technical Director, AECOM AECOM Katerina Koukouthaki Built Heritage Consultant, AECOM Revision History Revision Revision date Details Name Position Prepared for: Locality AECOM Saffron Walden Heritage and Character Assessment Prepared for: Locality and the Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan Group Prepared by: AECOM Infrastructure and Environment UK Limited 1 Wellbrook Court Girton Cambridge CB3 0NA UK T: +44 1223 488 000 aecom.com © 2018 AECOM Limited. All Rights Reserved. This document has been prepared by AECOM Limited (“AECOM”) for use of Locality (the “Client”) in accordance with generally accepted consultancy principles, the budget for fees and the terms of reference agreed between AECOM and the Client. Any information provided by third parties and referred to herein has not been checked or verified by AECOM, unless otherwise expressly stated in the document. No third party may rely upon this document without the prior and express written agreement of AECOM. Where the conclusions and recommendations contained in this Report are based upon information provided by others it is upon the assumption that all relevant information has been provided by those parties from whom it has been requested and that such information is accurate. Information obtained by AECOM has not been independently verified by AECOM, unless otherwise stated in the Report. The methodology adopted and the sources of information used by AECOM in providing its services are outlined in this Report. The work described in this Report was undertaken in the period May to August 2018 and is based on the conditions encountered and the information available during the said period of time. The scope of this Report and the services are accordingly factually limited by these circumstances. Where assessments of works or costs identified in this Report are made, such assessments are based upon the information available at the time and where appropriate are subject to further investigations or information which may become available. AECOM disclaim any undertaking or obligation to advise any person of any change in any matter affecting the Report, which may come or be brought to AECOM’s attention after the date of the Report. Certain statements made in the Report that are not historical facts may constitute estimates, projections or other forward-looking statements and even though they are based on reasonable assumptions as of the date of the Report, such forward-looking statements by their nature involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results predicted. AECOM specifically does not guarantee or warrant any estimate or projections contained in this Report. Where field investigations are carried out, these have been restricted to a level of detail required to meet the stated objectives of the services. The results of any measurements taken may vary spatially or with time and further confirmatory measurements should be made after any significant delay in issuing this Report. Prepared for: Locality AECOM Saffron Walden Heritage and Character Assessment Table of Contents 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 5 2. Approach .................................................................................................................................................. 5 3. Public consultation .................................................................................................................................... 7 4. Context ..................................................................................................................................................... 8 4.1 Location ...................................................................................................................................... 9 4.2 Natural Factors ......................................................................................................................... 11 4.3 Planning Policy Context ............................................................................................................ 13 4.4 Historical development ............................................................................................................. 14 4.5 Heritage Assets - General Introduction ..................................................................................... 18 4.6 Cultural associations ................................................................................................................ 20 4.7 Landscape designations ........................................................................................................... 21 4.8 Existing Landscape Character Assessment .............................................................................. 21 5. Character Assessment ............................................................................................................................ 23 5.1 Character Area Profiles ............................................................................................................ 23 5.2 Character Area 01: Town Centre ............................................................................................... 25 5.3 Character Area 02: Residential Neighbourhoods ...................................................................... 35 5.4 Character Area 03: Rural Landscape........................................................................................ 41 5.5 Character Area 04: Historic Landscape .................................................................................... 46 6. Managing Change .................................................................................................................................. 52 6.1 Character management principles ............................................................................................ 52 7. Next steps and sources of further information ........................................................................................ 54 8. References ............................................................................................................................................. 56 Appendix A - Historic maps ................................................................................................................................... 57 Appendix B - Schedule of heritage assets ............................................................................................................ 61 Appendix C - Landscape Character Areas ............................................................................................................ 72 C.1 Figure 5 – LCA 1 Town Centre .................................................................................................. 72 C.2 Figure 6 - LCA 2 Residential Neighbourhoods .......................................................................... 73 C.3 Figure 7 – LCA 3 Rural Landscape ........................................................................................... 74 C.4 Figure 8 –LCA 4 - Historic Landscape ...................................................................................... 75 Appendix D – Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Group – Character Areas ............................................................. 76 Figures Figure 1 Location and Context ................................................................................................................................ 7 Figure 2 Study Area Location ................................................................................................................................. 9 Figure 3 Topography and Hydrology ..................................................................................................................... 11 Figure 4 Character Area Overview ........................................................................................................................ 22 Figure 5 LCA 1: Town Centre ................................................................................................................................ 63 Figure 6 LCA 2: Residential Neighbourhoods ....................................................................................................... 64 Figure 7 LCA 3: Rural Landscape ......................................................................................................................... 65 Figure 8 LCA 4: Historic Landscape ...................................................................................................................... 66 Prepared for: Locality AECOM 1. Introduction This report presents a summary of the history and character of the civil parish of Saffron Walden, centred on the town of Saffron Walden within the Uttlesford District of Essex. It has been prepared by consultants at AECOM on behalf of Locality, working closely with the Saffron Walden Neighbourhood Plan Group and is based on a detailed appraisal of the area carried out through desk study and fieldwork. The boundary for the neighbourhood plan coincides with that of the parish of Saffron. Landscape is a broad, collective term that encompasses natural, rural, urban and peri-urban areas. It is defined by the European Landscape