A Character Assessment & Tall Buildings Strategy for Northampton’s Central Area Produced for Northampton Borough Council Final Report June 200 Character Assessment & Tall Buildings Strategy for Northampton’s Central Area CONTENTS PAGE PRELUDE Page No. Page No. This Character Assessment and Tall Building Strategy document has been prepared on behalf of Northampton Prelude 1 0 Character Area Assessments Borough Council by _space. Character Area - Brewery District 58 This document acknowledges the importance of character and local distinctiveness, by analysing the built Character Assessment 2 Character Area 2 - Avon 68 environment within Northampton’s central area in order to designate distinct character areas Character Area 3 - Cliftonville 78 Character Area 4 - Spring Boroughs 88 The findings of the Character Area Assessment provides a sound platform to develop a strategy and or 5 stage review process 6 Character Area 5 - Castle Station 98 planning policy tool for Northampton Borough Council to appropriately deal with planning applications for ‘tall Character Area 6 - Grafton Street 08 buildings’ in order to protect and enhance the historic skyline of Northampton. Section.1: Macro Analysis 8 Character Area 7 - Upper Mounts 8 Character Area 8 - St. Johns 28 Character Area 9 - Historic Core 38 This document is made up of 3 sections which chronologically inform one another: Analysis Methodology 9 Character Area 0 - Greyfriars 48 1) Baseline Analysis 14 Layers of Analysis 10 Northampton Generic Design Principles 158 Examines Northampton’s central area using a macro analysis Do’s & Don’ts Layer - Lynchian Analysis 2 to help provide a robust evidence base for section.2 and 3 of Layer 2 - Natural Topography 4 Layer 3 - Urban Structure 6 Section.3 Tall Buildings Strategy this document. Layer 4 - Urban Grain 20 CHARACTER TALL BUILDING Layer 5 - Strategic Views of Skyline 22 Skyline Policy AREA STRATEGY Layer 6 - Scale and Height 30 Viewpoint - London Road Gateway 67 2) Character Area Assessment ASSESSMENT Layer 7 - Streetscape 32 Viewpoint 2 - Cotton End 68 Layer 8 - Existing Tall Buildings 34 Viewpoint 3 - Delapre Park 69 Identifies a number of character areas which collectively form Layer 9 - Landmark Buildings 36 Viewpoint 4 - Wellingborough Road 70 Layer 0 - Transport Infrastructure 42 Viewpoint 5 - Mill Lane 7 Northampton’s central area. Each area has been analysed in Layer - Regeneration 46 Viewpoint 6 - NTFC Car Park 72 detail via micro analysis process. Layer 2 - Flight Paths 47 Viewpoint 7 - Victoria Park 73 Layer 3 - Conservation 48 Viewpoint 8 - Nene Valley Way 74 BASELINE Layer 4 - Open Space and Public Realm 49 Viewpoint 9 - Midsummer Meadow 75 3) Tall Building Strategy ANALYSIS Viewpoint 0 - Towcester Road 76 Viewpoint - Victoria Promenade 77 Section.2 Character Area Assessment 53 Provides an approach to deal with tall buildings within Northampton’s central area. Major Movement Corridor 178 9 Layer Character Assessment 55 Rail 180 Road 181 The micro and macro anlaysis used in Baseline Analysis and the Character Area Assessment analysis have 10 Character Areas 56 River 182 been fed together to support the final justification of individual character areas and the tall building strategy Pedestrian 183 which identifies views worthy of protection and enhancement. Collectively the Character Area Assessment Interrelationship of Areas 57 Conclusion 184 and Tall Buildings Strategy will form a key part of the evidence base for delivering robust heritage and urban Policy Recommendations 185 design policy in Northampton Borough Council’s forthcoming Central Area Action Plan. Tall Building Guidance 189 Want to learn more about Northampton? Follow me... Character Assessment & Tall Buildings Strategy for Northampton’s Central Area CHARACTER ASSESSMENT Background policy National planning policy statements From a policy perspective Character Area PPS1 Delivering Sustainable Development Assessment can help deliver the spatial approach to The government is committed to protecting and Introduction What is a Character Area? planning put forward in Planning Policy Statement enhancing the quality of the natural and historic (PPS). It informs our understanding of local Character Area Assessment is an important method “An area with a distinct character, identified so environment. It requires a high level of protection distinctiveness, the qualities which make a place and for evaluating ‘a place’. It is a well established for the most valued townscapes. much so that it can be protected or enhanced its capacity for change over time. technique developed to assist with the management by planning policy” It recognises that the condition of our surroundings of change in the built environment used to help Alongside ‘Towards an Urban Renaissance’ the has a direct impact on the quality of life. The support the government’s commitment to protect The Dictionary of Urbanism [2005] Government White Paper on local government, conservation and improvement of the natural and enhance the quality of our towns and cities. ‘Stronger and Prosperous Communities’, promotes and built environment brings social and economic ‘place making’ as a key driver for economic The purpose of this study is to provide a benefits for local communities. prosperity and highlights the responsibility of local strategic assessment and analysis of the character, authorities as ‘place shapers’. It advises that development plan policies and distinctiveness and qualities which together form For the purpose of this study a ‘character planning decisions should be based on up-to-date Northampton’s Central Area. area’ has been defined as an area contained Therefore a need exists for a comprehensive information on the environmental characteristics of within the Central Area Action Plan boundary evidence base and policies for the protection and This study will identify character areas which will be the area. which is distinct and can be categorised by enhancement of the historic environment. This is used as the basis for forming locally distinctive design the following key layers of information: highlighted in the recent PPS 5 Planning for the and heritage planning policies in the Central Area Historic Environment and accompanying PPS 5 Action Plan. In addition the document will act as • Edges / Boundaries PPS 5: Planning for the Historic Environment Practice Guide written by English Heritage. an important development control tool for officers • Movement & Access Networks It is important that all local planning authorities dealing with applications within Northampton’s • Character / Detail / Colour An accurate portrayal of Northampton’s Centre have an understanding of what exists already before Central Area. • Landmarks & Views and the characteristics which make it ‘a place’ are deciding what to change. Background documents essential. It will ensure that decisions made both • Urban Form such as this study are required to provide a robust now and in the future are informed by a clear What is Character? • Building Typology evidence base for future planning policy documents. understanding of the historic environment - Character is what makes a place unique in its own • Heritage its significance, sensitivity and capacity to right. It is essentially the key ingredients which • Topography accommodate change. collectively help us to differentiate one place from • Vegetation, Ecology & Open Space another by virtue of its distinctiveness. National Guidance describes ‘Character’ as “A place with its own identity”. Its objective as a key This categorisation will enable the synthesis of robust urban design principle in regeneration and the built strategic policies that are coherent and can inform all environment is to “promote character in townscape development within the CAAP boundary over the and landscape by responding to and reinforcing locally course of the plan period. distinctive patterns of development, landscape and culture”. Character Assessment & Tall Buildings Strategy for Northampton’s Central Area The following diagram illustrates a brief chronology of Northampton over the last 1000 years and where it is looking to be in 2026. components), distribution and finance. main industry by engineering (bearings, vehicle is still important, it has been overtaken as the leather related industries.Although shoemaking been a major centre of shoemaking and other Traditionallyover 205,000. Northampton has in the UK with an estimated population of Northampton today is the largest market town Northampton‘The Place’ Late 9th C Danes conquer eastern England. 1010 Danes burn Northampton. Population approx 1,500 (1066) 1300 Famous for wool making industry. 1349 Black Death devastates population. 1516 A fire destroys much of Northampton. 1675 Half the houses in Northampton destroyed by fire started in St.Mary’s Street. 1801 Northampton has a population of 7,000. 1845 Railway reaches Northampton. 1864 Guildhall is built. 1877 The first public library opens. 1898 Victoria Park opens. population on its way to 300,000. change to become a compact vibrant city with a Northampton will have undergone significant as part of thisBy 2026 study. it is envisaged all significant periods which have been examined is today…and what it wants to be in 2026 are with their own distinct unique character, what it diverse place consisting of a number of areas each Northampton is a historicallyTown rich and 1900 Northampton has a population of 87,000. 1930 Shoemaking is in rapid decline. 1936 A public baths is built. 1965 Designated