Heading Great Haseley Conservation Area Management
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Main Heading Great Haseley Conservation Area Management Plan Management proposals and enhancements and extensions to the conservation area Appendix 4 May 2005 Great Haseley Conservation Area Management Plan The Council first published the Great Haseley Conservation Area Management Plan in draft form in July 2004. Following a period of public th consultation, including a public meeting held on 11 January 2005, the Council approved the Management Plan and the conservation area th extensions on 16 June 2005. Part 2 Possible Areas for of St Peter's Church and the Manor Enhancement House are crucial to the setting of the village as a whole as well as to these Great Haseley is an extremely individual buildings and Church Hill. No attractive village which is well development should be permitted on maintained and cared for by its these fields and their agricultural residents and has a well-preserved character, including trees, hedges and historic character. Any new building in walls should be preserved. Apart from the village needs to be carefully the groups of bungalows at Latchford considered so that it both protects and, Lane only one property, Elm Platt (the where appropriate, enhances this bungalow beside the road to the character. In addition minor recreation ground, just outside the improvements could be made, both by conservation area) has a real impact residents to their own properties and in on this setting. Even here the single- the treatment of public spaces. storey form of the building and its The historical development of Great attractive clay tile roof (the tiles are Haseley has defined the extent of the presumably re-used from another village in a way that is strongly evident building) mean that the impact is not as in its character today. The whole severe as might be the case with a eastern half of the conservation area is larger dwelling. Further development in bounded by open fields (with the this area (the eastern side of the exception of modern building at northern end of Thame Road) should Latchford Lane) and based around also be discouraged. While the tennis high ground that contains the Manor courts do not have a strong impact on House, St Peter's Church and Church the conservation area due to the Farm. The northern part, behind screening trees any further Rectory Road, is defined by Backway, development on the site, including a track that primarily serves the garden improved facilities and lighting, needs plots of the houses on the road while to be very carefully considered. the southern edge of the existing Backway is an important historic conservation area follows the grounds boundary between gardens and fields of houses and farms on the southern that has clearly acted to restrict side of Rectory Road. development behind the houses on the The village has today reached a point north side of Rectory Road and which where the historic character is quite should continue to be respected. Any delicately poised in balance with the additional development on the north amount of new building that has side of Backway would dilute the already taken place. It is easy to see historic integrity of the village and will how recent building has already altered be discouraged. This effect can already the village but so far this has mostly be seen where Piccadilly Farm, been absorbed without overwhelming Sailview, Millstone and Jasmine House its historic character. There are very have extended beyond the village few obvious opportunities for the envelope. Jasmine House, in particular, construction of further dwellings in the is very prominent in the landscape village which would not adversely affect when the village is seen from outside the character of the conservation area. the conservation area. This impact is increased by the enclosure of land The fields to the north, south and east GREAT HASELEY CONSERVATION AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN 1 South Oxfordshire District Council around new houses with fences, the successful agricultural concern but provision of vehicular access and the should a change of use be proposed planting of screens of conifer trees this would need very careful quite alien to the landscape. The south consideration. This site is in a highly side of Backway is also vulnerable. visible position, with a wide access Although the eastern end is already road and raised ground which makes somewhat spoiled by the proximity to the present buildings very prominent in the track of modern housing, the plots views to and from the conservation behind The Old Barn, The Orchard and area. Nos. 11 and 12 Mill Lane should not be There are several buildings and areas subdivided or provided with increased that could benefit from visual access. Where parking areas have improvement in the village. The former been increased in size or altered, such Congregational Chapel on Backway as at Whistler's Barn and (until recently used by the local Merrythought, the character of horticultural society) presents an Backway has been subtly changed. opportunity for an alternative use that Cumulative change of this sort could would benefit the building. The turn the track into a conventional prefabricated classroom in the school village street and remove its character playground would certainly benefit from as a former agricultural access way. replacement with a better facility but There are several important open this would have to be very sensitively spaces within the village envelope. It is designed owing to the high visibility of an important element of the historic the site. Much could probably be done character of the village that sizeable to improve the view into the modern plots separate the houses, especially in portion of The Farm with judicious the western part and where farmyards planting of native trees while the are found within the core of the village. surfacing of the road could also be Not only would modern infill improved. Similarly, the surfacing of development in these areas be Backway, where it joins Rectory Road intrusive but the loss of open spaces at its eastern end could be improved. would dramatically affect the character The loss of the traditional telephone of the existing buildings. Especially kiosk and its replacement with a important are open spaces separate modern one is a small but sigfnificant from houses, such as those beside loss in the conservation area. Southview on Rectory Road, but large gardens attached to existing houses The use of traditional materials and are also very valuable. Subdivision of detailing can have considerable gardens such as those belonging to positive effect in enhancing the Hallowell, Vine Cottage and No. 14 Mill character of a conservation area. The Lane would not enhance the character owners of historic and prominent of the conservation area. Even small properties are therefore encouraged to areas need to be protected. For remove unsympathetic modern instance, the small open glade on the materials, such as concrete tiles, uPVC path between Mill Lane and Backway windows, soil pipes and plastic should not be disturbed by buildings in rainwater goods and to reinstate the adjacent gardens. It is to be hoped traditional materials such as red clay that The Farm remains an active and tiles, stone or red bricks, painted timber windows and cast iron guttering as 2 GREAT HASELEY CONSERVATION AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN South Oxfordshire District Council appropriate. Repair work should also techniques. Individual replacement tiles be done in a fashion sympathetic to the should always respect the existing character of the building. Re-pointing material and new or replacement roofs rubble stone walls can easily damage a should match the traditional local building's appearance if not done with material to preserve the appearance of care. Variations in colour and the the village. Modern concrete tiles are of application of excessive amounts of a colour, texture and size inappropriate mortar can both detract from stonework to local buildings and should be and obscure it. An unfortunate example avoided. A discordant effect can also of this can be seen at Highway House result from the use of modern machine where areas of traditional pointing tiles on an old roof. Although slate contrast with cement 'ribbon' pointing. would have become available to the A modern window can be quite out of village from the mid 19th century there place, especially if surrounded by is very little to be seen. Old School traditional neighbours. Several House is perhaps the chief example. buildings in the village could be Great Haseley's traditional stone walls enhanced by replacing unsuitable are an important part of the village windows. Dark staining of timber scene and should be cherished. They windows is a largely modern technique are vulnerable to the effects of and can look out of place, especially uncontrolled ivy growth and when seen adjacent to traditionally disturbance by tree roots, so painted windows. Modern brick can management of vegetation is essential. contrast strongly with traditional While most walls seem traditionally to material and may do so all the more have been pointed in lime mortar, because of the scarcity of brick in the inappropriate modern techniques can village as a whole. also be seen, including capping the The owners of thatched buildings in the wall in mortar rather than stone, and village are also encouraged to maintain pointing with cement-rich mortar. The their roofs in a traditional fashion, and latter can not only obscure the edges to remove any block-cut ridges and of the stone when poorly applied and reinstate plain flush ridges, which are give an unattractive finish, but will also part of the traditional thatching style of hasten the weathering of the stone south Oxfordshire, when re-thatching itself. The use of suitable stone for new becomes necessary.