Local Material Colour Palette

• Materials: timber frame, wattle and daub, peg tile roofs and occasionally brick • Colour patterns: Timber often painted black and white (although there is no historical justification for this); red tile roofs, soft orange red bricks; and

weather boarding often added SIX • Examples in Sutton: the Old Cottage (the Broadway, Cheam) and Whitehall (Cheam).

18th century buildings 6.4 Predominantly brick buildings. • Materials: Soft red sandy brick, coarse red or Local material colour palette yellowish bricks (which are easily confused with Introduction London stock bricks), peg / pan tiles, the soft red 6.1 The underlying principle of good urban design is how bricks are sometimes cut and rubbed to decorate new development will respond to and reflect an area’s windows or doors, wooden sash windows or lead local distinctiveness, and where none exists, creates a casement windows in less prominent locations. distinct character of its own. This may be achieved by • Colour patterns: Red or yellowish bricks, red roof considering how modern design and materials respond tiles. to the local vernacular, while incorporating the • Examples in Sutton: The Old Rectory (Festival principles of sustainable construction and materials. Walk, Carshalton), Cottages (Wrights Row, Wallington) and Sutton Lodge (Brighton Road, 6.2 This section sets out a local palette of materials and Sutton) colour schemes from the various building periods. This should be taken into account in any local context Weatherboarding appraisal. 6.5 Many timber framed weather board houses were built in the area between the 18th and early 19th century, Pre-18th century buildings with several built before this time. Examples of 6.3 These have mostly survived in the village centres of weatherboard houses can be found in the old village Carshalton and Cheam, although there are several centres of Cheam and Carshalton, and dispersed examples elsewhere. They have often been modified elsewhere in the borough. by weather board or tiles rendering. UNDERSTANDING SUTTON’S LOCAL DISTINCTIVENESS: CHARACTERISATION REPORT OF STUDIES PAGE 26

• Materials: Horizontal lapped boarding over timber Cottage Garden Style (Arts and Crafts style) frame, pan / peg tile roofs, sash or casement • Materials: yellow and red stock brick, red tiled and windows, with slate roofs as probable later slate roofs, decorative chimneys and casement replacements. windows; • Colour patterns: generally painted white with red • Colour patterns: yellow, red and red / black roofs roof tiles • Examples in Sutton: St Helier estate, Sutton • Examples in Sutton: Aulton Lodge (West Street, Garden Suburb, Culvers Way, Bute Road, Alberta Carshalton) and Park Lane (Cheam). Avenue and Federick Road

Mid Victorian Recent Housing (1970 to present) 6.6 Predominantly brick gothic-style buildings from the high • Materials: new London Stock, yellow and red brick, Victorian period. glass, timber, aluminium, good quality cladding, • Materials: Yellow stock brick often with red sustainable building materials, modern materials decorative details, stone windows, stale roofs and and colour render (New England style) prominent gables with decorated barge boards. • Colour patterns: opportunities for varied colour • Colour patterns: Yellow brick walls with red detail, schemes pale brown stone and grey or purple slate roofs • Examples in Sutton: the Hamptons, Apeldoorn • Examples in Sutton: North side of Westcroft Road Estate, Mill Lane, Henderson Hospital Site, Mullard (Carshalton) Factory Site, Cotswold Way and Oakdene Mews

Late Victorian and Edwardian (1890 – 1914) • Materials: Soft red, occasionally yellow brick, peg tiles on the roof and sometimes hung on the wall. Wooden mock Tudor doors and windows often with leading and some stained glass. Iron finials and decoration. • Colour patterns: Red walls and roofs • Examples in Sutton: Russettings (Worcester Road, Sutton)

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Wallington District Centre. Some parts of the Borough are particularly poorly served by public transport including large areas south of the Sutton-Wallington railway line. Much of the low density housing areas of South Cheam, Carshalton Beeches, South Wallington and Beddington South have PTAL levels of 1a/1b and

SEVEN some areas have no access to public transport at all, including at the Green Belt, Little Woodcote and Cuddington/South Cheam.

Movement 7.4 Industrial and commercial development is concentrated in three strategic industrial locations at Beddington, Introduction Kimpton and Imperial Way/Purley Way South. Each of 7.1 Three principal radial routes from London, the A24, the these areas is located close to key radial routes in A217 and the A237, cross through the Borough and London and on to the M25. provide access to the M25.The A232 and A2022 provide east-west routes across the Borough and provide direct access to the A23 and from there down to Gatwick Airport and the south coast.

7.2 The London Borough of Sutton is served by a number of suburban rail services with London termini at Victoria, London Bridge and Waterloo as well as Thameslink which provides cross London service to Kings Cross and Luton. Tramlink connects Croydon and Wimbledon with two stops in the north east corner of the Borough.

7.3 Figure 7.1 highlights the road and rail network and the Public Transport Accessibility Levels (PTALs) in the Borough. Not surprisingly the highest PTAL levels are found in and around Sutton Town Centre followed by

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Figure 7.1: Sutton’s Road and Rail Network and Public Transport Accessibility Levels

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the Downs Road area and Chiltern Road area in South Sutton; and • The appraisal of 28 characteristic areas of inter-war suburban housing during 2007, including the Ruskin Road/Grandison Road area in Worcester Park; the Kingsmead Avenue, Oaks Avenue, Tudor Avenue Area; all of South Cheam; and the Pine Walk area

EIGHT in Carshalton Beeches. The areas reviewed are identified on the Map in Figure 8.1 below.

Townscape and Landscape Figure 8.1: Interwar Housing Areas Reviewed

Character and Quality

Introduction 8.1 The Townscape/Landscape Appraisal (1998) set out results of an appraisal of the open and built environments in Sutton and identified certain character areas within the Borough. However this original work has been refined on the basis of the following detailed appraisals: • Conservation Area character appraisals undertaken of Sutton Garden Suburb, Wallington Green and Carshalton Village during 2005-07; • The appraisal of a number of potential Areas of Special Local Character (ASLCs) undertaken between 2003 and 2008. The potential areas included the Belmont Area; the Mayfield Estate in South Sutton; the Hinton Estate in South Wallington, Anne Boleyn’s Walk area, Cheam; and

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8.2 Additional townscape character appraisal work has extraction and waste disposal site; and the specifically been undertaken on Sutton Town Centre: development of Prologis Park to the east of Beddington the North Sutton (Angel’s End) Study by Atkins and CB Lane). Hillier Parker in 2003 and the Sutton Town Centre Urban Design Analysis by Urban Practitioners (2007). 8.5 The key features from each townscape character area This information has also been used to update the are outlined in this section and are shown on Figure 1998 characterisation appraisal of the Borough. 8.2. Figure 8.2 illustrates that the character of the Borough is predominantly defined by inter-war 8.3 The Commission for Architecture and the Built suburban housing interspersed with large public open Environment (CABE) advises that the approach spaces that give the Borough its suburban and “green” recommended by English Heritage towards the qualities. assessment of character of historic areas can be applied to the analysis of any area1. Accordingly, the 8.6 The key features of landscape character are illustrated character appraisal of both potential ASLCs and the on Figure 8.4. inter-war suburban areas used the same criteria established in the Unitary Development Plan (2003). 8.7 Furthermore, the Townscape/Landscape Appraisal The criteria are: quality of the overall character of an identified the quality of the townscape and landscape area; the townscape value of individual and groups of and this is illustrated on Figure 8.3 and 8.5 buildings; the architectural quality of buildings; the respectively. These figures have been updated to historic importance of the area; landscape reflect the appraisal work undertaken on potential characteristics; quality of open spaces; and the ASLCs and the inter-war suburban housing areas and contribution of incidental features such as walls, fences to take into account major enhancement schemes and hedges. implemented since the original survey work (i.e. at Kimpton Industrial Estate and the redevelopment of the 8.4 The original 1998 appraisal work has also been Roundshaw Housing Estate). updated to reflect significant changes of land use (i.e. the redevelopment of the former Worcester Park Sewage Treatment Works; the change of the predominant use of Beddington Farmlands from a sewage treatment works to an active minerals

1 Protecting Design Quality in Planning, 2003 UNDERSTANDING SUTTON’S LOCAL DISTINCTIVENESS: CHARACTERISATION REPORT OF STUDIES PAGE 28

Figure 8.2: Townscape Character

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Figure 8.3: Townscape Quality

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Figure 8.4: Landscape Character

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Figure 8.5: Landscape Quality

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Pre-1915 housing 8.8 This housing character is located predominantly in and around the commercial centres of the Borough, and many of these areas are already designated as Conservation Areas or Areas of Special Local Character.

8.9 There is a range of property sizes and styles originating from this period that were mostly dependent on the market for which the housing was intended. Pre-1913 artisan housing at Highland Cottages with 8.10 There are examples of small two-story artisan terraces minimal front gardens and strong architectural with minimal front gardens normally enclosed by a low cohesion wall. These areas are usually intensively developed with no off street parking and have an urban feel. The 8.11 Elsewhere, such as Clyde Road Wallington there are areas usually have a strong architectural cohesion. An larger late Victorian or Edwardian properties, which are example of pre-1913 artisan housing is Highland typically developed to a lower density and have a less Cottages, as shown below. regimented building layout. Sometimes there is a mixture of detached/semi-detached properties and a mix of architectural styles. However, all these properties usually have the rich architectural detailing of the era.

8.12 Furthermore, these areas have larger building plots and consequently larger front gardens with significant landscape features. More recently, many of these front © Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. London Borough of Sutton 100008655X. 2006. gardens have been converted to provide off-street

Typical example of pre-1915 artisan housing, from parking. Highland Cottages, Wallington

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led to varying building lines and the use of different materials; • The conversion of older large houses to nursing homes or flats has increased densities and led to unsympathetic alterations such as obtrusive fire escapes; loss of front gardens to parking; and intrusive refuse storage areas; • Extensive on-street and forecourt parking impacts on the street character leading to loss of hedges and landscaping that is part of the original © Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. London Borough of Sutton 100008655X. 2006. vernacular; and • Backland development has occurred on the large Typical example of pre-1915 Victorian / Edwardian garden blocks, characteristic of this era. housing, from Clyde Road, Wallington Inter-War housing 1918-1939 8.14 This housing type is the most prevalent throughout the borough, often in long straight streets. During this period individual builders were able to buy tracts of land and lay areas out as discrete estates. The layout and character of some of these estates is still apparent from the street patterns and the style of houses.

8.15 Examples from this period include the Brocks Estate (between Gander Green Lane and St Dunstans Hill); the Poets Estate in Carshalton; the Paynes Estate Larger properties of the typical Victorian / Edwardian (north of the Wallington/Sutton railway line and east of housing on Clyde Road, Wallington Plough Lane); and the Queenswood Estate in Wallington (south of Croydon Road). 8.13 Current issues: • Some infill development is discordant as it is not sympathetic to the context. Such development has

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boundary walls generally of brick or ‘cinder’ rubble set between timber posts.

8.17 Although the architectural style appears to be uniform there are sometimes differences. The properties are usually clay tiled with brick or rendered finish. There are tile hung or half-timbered gable ends and front elevations at first floor level. Some front doors are enhanced by porches or brick arched openings with decorative keystones. © Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. London Borough of Sutton 100008655X. 2006. Typical example of Inter-War Housing, 1918 - 1939, from the Poets Estate

Example of clay tiled front, first floor elevation

8.18 Current issues: • Whilst the architectural style is often uniform, it

Example of 1930s housing from the Poets Estate, sometimes lacks distinctive character; Sutton • Some interwar estates are large, impersonal and lack identity, which has an impact on legibility; 8.16 This housing character generally comprises of short • Front gardens are being used to accommodate off- terraces or semi-detached two storey houses. The street parking, which destroys the pattern of the streets are typically wide and have grass verges and street frontage and leaves house fronts open to the street trees. Front gardens are small and have low streets when cars are removed;

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• Too many side extensions can be insensitive and create a terracing effect between properties; and • In some areas the loss of characteristic boundary treatments has had a detrimental impact on the street scene.

Cottage garden style estates 8.19 The cottage garden style estates were originally planned to include open spaces as an integral part of the layout and would comprise of two storey semi- detached and terraced properties. The earliest example is Sutton Garden Suburb, planned and work begun Example of typical cottage style housing found in before the First World War. The houses that were built Sutton Garden Suburb, showing extensive open space, reflect the arts and crafts style detailing of the time with tiled roofs and decorated chimneys steeply pitched, tiled roofs, decorated chimneys and casement windows. 8.20 On a larger scale the St Helier Estate was designed by London County Council architects to meet London’s mass housing needs. One of its main features is the integral network of open spaces. Another feature is the soft enclosure of the privet hedges and trees on each corner, originally a part of the estates ‘corner greens’.

8.21 Current issues: • Permitted Development Rights have resulted in unsympathetic alterations to houses, such as pebbledashing, construction of front porches and changes to fenestration using different design and materials, including uPVC; and • Loss of the original landscape design of estates due to cost of maintenance (such as rose beds on Sutton Garden Suburb, typical street and layout from corner plots being transferred into private the cottage garden style estate.

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ownership) and increase in car ownership (such as parking on verges).

Post War housing up to 1970 8.22 Private houses built during this period are few and scattered throughout the Borough often on small infill sites. These properties are generally two storey semi detached or terraced houses with small private gardens. Architecturally the houses are usually unadorned brick built rectangles.

The post war rectangular terraced houses with small private gardens and larger communal open space, from Langcroft Close, Carshalton

8.23 Furthermore, during this period there were significant Roundshaw, where the site area is large enough to developments in social housing notably the create its own character Roundshaw Estate on the western edge of the former Croydon airport site. The Roundshaw area has since 8.24 Current issues: been significantly redeveloped as part of a • The earlier estates suffer from homogenous regeneration programme and the estate now has the development and lack of a positive identity; nationally recognised Phoenix Centre development. • Large estates that do not contribute to creating

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mixed communities and mix of uses, for example Durand Close; • Poor quality and maintenance of the public space and often a lack of distinction between public and private realm; • Infill development is often unsympathetic to the local character; and • Architectural design is often of limited quality.

Recent housing 1970 to present © Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. London Borough of Sutton 100008655X. 2006. 8.25 Development during this period falls into three different categories: Lavender Court, a typical example of recent flat 1. New flats that replace large detached houses and development on Cavendish Road, near Sutton town villas in the Victorian / Edwardian residential areas centre of Sutton and Wallington; 2. Small infill development; and 3. Part of a large redevelopment usually of a brown field site.

8.26 Many of the flats built during the 1970s and 1980s are characterised by three and four storey blocks set in grounds that are usually well landscaped or set in grassland. The earlier developments from this period are often not responsive to their context and therefore Lavender Court, recent flat development near Sutton result in a contrast that is discordant with the area. town centre More recently, modern flatted development is generally being built to a higher standard with a greater 8.27 Small infill schemes are often designed on constrained understanding of the existing design context and often sites that dictate their layout. This includes typically with an innovative design concept. short or branching streets and often houses that are grouped together around shared parking areas. An example of this is Oakdene Mews, off Ash Road.

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An example of this is the Hamptons at the former Worcester Park Sewage Treatment Works site. Furthermore, these large-scale redevelopment sites have allowed the opportunity for innovative and environmentally sustainable development schemes, such as BEDZED in Hackbridge.

New infill development at Oakdene Mews, of short branched streets and houses grouped around shared spaces

8.28 On certain larger sites, which are divorced from the surrounding character by the existing layout or areas with little character, have benefited from the opportunity Style, layout and materials of BEDZED create to create new places with its own distinctive character. interesting and distinctive character

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8.29 Current issues: • The layouts are dominated by over engineered roads with little character; • Cul-de-sacs are characteristic of this era of development resulting in limited permeability and greater dependency on the car; • Comprise of blocks of flats not responsive in scale or architecture to the local vernacular; • Garage blocks separate development reducing natural surveillance and disrupt continuous street Pine Walk comprising of large detached houses on frontages, with little integration into the overall large plots located close to the Metropolitan Green Belt urban grain; and

• Infill development is often unsympathetic to the 8.31 These lower density areas are generally loosely local character (plots of 70’s town houses next to structured with a less regimented arrangement of Victorian detached house). buildings. However, the variation in individual properties makes less of an impact, than for example Low-density housing other character types, as the low density results in the 8.30 Development of this character type is concentrated in architectural form being less significant on the street the southern half of the borough and was mainly built scene and the extensive landscaping of the during the interwar period. The houses are usually boundaries. It should also be noted that housing detached with large plot sizes. Several of the areas are density in this area is well below the government’s adjacent to the Green Belt, for example the Drive in prescribed density ranges set out in Planning Policy South Cheam and Pine Walk in Carshalton Beeches. Statement 3. Furthermore, the character of these areas Others enclose large open spaces such as Carshalton is predominantly defined by the significant and mature Park or Great Woodcote Park. landscaping within the gardens, the verge planting and associated open spaces.

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imposes a style such as Neo-Georgian Architectural porches which introduces a different palette of materials and is therefore discordant with the existing character of the area; and • Dominance of building to plot ratio in new development changes the character of the area.

Town Centres 8.33 The borough’s retail centres all have differing characters reflecting the periods of their predominant © Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. growth, including older village centres London Borough of Sutton 100008655X. 2006. Typical example of low density housing, from the Drive (Carshalton/Cheam), Victorian centres (Wallington/Belmont), 1930’s retail centres (North Cheam/Stonecot/Rosehill) and centres which have experienced considerable modern development (Sutton). The following section considers, in greater detail, the key elements that define the character of several retail centres. Further townscape character information for Sutton Town Centre is available in: • The Development Framework for Sutton Station and Adjacent Land, produced by London Borough of Sutton (2005); • The North Sutton (Angels End) Study by Atkins and CB Hillier Parker 2004; and The Drive with elaborate detached houses on large plots with extensive landscaping • The Sutton Town Centre Urban Design Analysis by Urban Practitioners (2007). 8.32 Current issues: 8.34 The Carshalton Village Conservation Area Character • Intensification of plots leading to the loss of visual gaps and dominant landscaping between buildings; Appraisal (2007) undertaken by the Council sets out an analysis for this District Centre. • Whilst architectural style is often not cohesive the 8.35 Additional information is reflected in the descriptions palette of materials is. Often new development

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below. majority of redevelopment occurring near the southern portion. East-west connections between the town Sutton metropolitan centre centre and its residential hinterland are not always 8.36 Sutton High Street, which is two thirds pedestrianised, welcoming and clear. forms the backbone to Sutton Town Centre, the borough’s only metropolitan retail centre. This pedestrianised area, interspersed with various squares, contributes to civic spaces, which is in parts, attractive and active.

Sutton High Street with vibrant pedestrian areas and entrances to the Time Square and St Nicholas shopping centres off the High Street

© Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. 8.37 The Sutton Town Centre Urban Design Analysis London Borough of Sutton 100008655X. 2006. identifies three broad character areas: North; Central; Linear layout of Sutton Town Centre and South – each of which has distinct contextual issues and constraints. 8.39 Sutton Town Centre does not have a clear urban character, however there are several good examples of 8.38 The linear layout of the centre makes accessibility Victorian and Edwardian retail frontages. However difficult, especially with the main train station located some recent architecture is of poor quality and has not towards the southern end of the centre. This taken opportunities for integration within the wider opportunity to public transport has also resulted in the townscape or to make improvements to character. UNDERSTANDING SUTTON’S LOCAL DISTINCTIVENESS: CHARACTERISATION REPORT OF STUDIES PAGE 43

of relatively poor quality. In contrast to this there is a small-scale parade of shops opposite the station entrance.

Carshalton village centre 8.42 Carshalton Town Centre is a village retail centre wholly within the Carshalton Conservation Area that is characterised by extensive open space. However, the A232 dominates the High Street and heavy traffic Unattractive pedestrian environment caused by detracts from its character. treatment of the changes in level and amount of hard landscaping

8.40 Much of the recent re-development in the town centre has seen the introduction of shopping malls located off the high Street, with entrance pavilions onto the High Street. An example of this is Times Square with its imposing red brick and stone finish.

Carshalton High Street with very dominant vehicle usage detracting from the character of the conservation area

8.43 There are several decorative Victorian shopfronts remaining along the High Street. However, the majority of the remaining retail units, from around the 1930’s, comprise of shopfronts with various finishes or signage

The entrance to Times Square shopping centre that alter heights and depths detracting from the 8.41 The South Sutton Character Area is in an elevated original façade. position and is characterised both north and south of the station by a number of existing tall office buildings

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does little to reflect the conservation area designation of Carshalton

Cheam village centre 8.45 Cheam village originates at the intersection of Maldon Road and Ewell Road, in the Cheam Village Conservation Area. The main shopping areas comprise of a historic village character and the majority of the shops are decorated with Tudor and mock Tudor timber detailing and leaded-light windows. However, the parade at the Broadway from Whitehall onwards comprises of earlier white weatherboard. Decorative shopfront in Carshalton High Street

8.44 The historical village ‘feel’ of Carshalton, discussed in previous sections, is successfully protected from new development. However, certain aspects of 1960’s development, such as the introduction of concrete walkways, have negatively impacted the character of the area, such as Breacon Grove.

Mock Tudor retail units in Cheam Village

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Wallington town centre comprising of Victorian

White weatherboard property in Cheam Village, in buildings with nondescript shops below, and the busy close proximity to Whitehall Woodcote Road dominating the centre and segregating pedestrian movement 8.46 Further techniques and materials of the Cheam village retail area include white rendering, black timber 8.49 The Sainsbury’s development, including the pedestrian detailing with black leaded light windows, where the square (Wallington Square), does very little to improve shopfronts are set back from the road on raised the character of the area, with various negative pavements with grass verges and mature trees. aspects, such as lack of active frontages, buildings not in keeping with the Victorian character, dark covered 8.47 Several three storey neo-Georgian retail units still exist, areas, car parking located to the front of the site, however a more recent development along Ewell Road changes in levels, planting / street furniture and poor east, protrudes from the existing building line and is pedestrian and cycle environment, especially at night. finished in red-brick that is not in keeping with character of the area.

Wallington district centre 8.48 Wallington district centre predominantly comprises of Victorian terraces with nondescript retail on the ground floors. Woodcote Road is a busy road that runs through the distinct centre and therefore acts as a barrier between both sides of the street.

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Wallington Square with buildings above cause dark and unwelcoming urban environments The new development in the foreground does very little to respect the Victorian properties in the background, along Woodcote Road, Wallington

North Cheam 1930’s retail centre 8.50 The focus of North Cheam retail centre is Queen Victoria junction with solid red brick two and three storey apartments above shop frontages on three corners. The other corner, a landmark feature, consists of a newer 1960’s concrete building that detracts from The blank frontages of the Sainsbury’s building and this character. parking located to the front of the site does not make the most of the opportunities available for improving that strategic site in the town centre

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gabled fronts, setting a pattern along the line of frontages jutting out form the main roof line.

Hackbridge retail centre 8.52 The Hackbridge retail centre comprises of a mixture of uses, including some retail, industrial and offices. The area suffers from a lack of clear identify, mostly attributed to the quality and quantity of metal sheds, industrial uses, vacant sites and a plethora of The character of Queen Victoria junction, in North advertising boards. Cheam, is solid red brick two and three storey apartments above shops, on three corners

Hackbridge suffers from a lack of clear identity with vacant sites and vast amounts of advertising boards

This landmark development on the remaining corner of 8.53 The quality of buildings and frontages in the area Queen Victoria junction, North Cheam, does little to makes various contributions to the character, such as respect the character of the area Hexagon House with a positive impact on the character and the Bath Store. However, the now demolished 8.51 Several properties along London Road are of an Kimpton House did little to create an identity for intimate scale of mostly single storey frontages above Hackbridge. The area has large amounts of concrete shops. These consist of tiled pitched roofs and half paving, few trees and lacks maintenance. timbered effect fronts with bay windows, together with

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8.54 Generally, the current issues with all the Town Centres include: • Large unsympathetic post Second World War development conflicting with scale, form and grain of Victorian terraces; • Character eroded by poorly designed shop fronts and fascia boards; • Dominance of traffic and car parking, such as is visible in Wallington town centre; • Development with inappropriate blank façades Planting beds in North Cheam do little to create an reducing vibrancy, natural surveillance and attractive public realm space, with considerable clutter, opportunities to expand the retail offer; lack of useable space and vehicle dominance • Use of poorly designed security grills; • Insufficient creative use and poor maintenance of public realm; • Unattractive pedestrian environment; and • Lack of respect to natural landscaping features, such as the Wandle and other open space that may become a visual focus or improved pedestrian movement.

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