South Wingfield Place Analysis
Analysis of the Character of the Area to support the policies in the South Wingfield Neighbourhood Plan
Produced by members of the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group March 2019
1 South Wingfield Place Analysis
Executive Summary
South Wingfield is a unique and special place that has a strong historic and rural character. The built environment consists of the main village of South Wingfield and the smaller hamlets of Oakerthorpe, Four Lane End, Moorwood Moor and Wingfield Park.
This visual and physical connections with the landscape are a defining element that give residents and visitors to this area a memorable experience.
The future of South Wingfield needs to be carefully managed to ensure its historical uniqueness and built and landscape character are protected.
Each of the areas outlined in this document have their own character with different relationships between the development and the landscape, different development patterns and building forms.
Future growth must happen in a way that maintains this sense of having an overall character but with distinguishable parts each of their own design.
About South Wingfield
South Wingfield is a rural parish in the Amber Valley Borough Council area containing a number of settlements and hamlets. In 2011 dwellings totalled 685 and the population was 1514. It is noted for its place in history, being the site of one of the top 2% of ancient monuments in the UK (Wingfield Manor). The town of Alfreton is its closest large neighbour with Matlock further to the west, Chesterfield to the North and Derby to the south.
This area is steeped in history with 12th century churches, quarries, coalmines, rail and the features that relate to Industrial Revolution.
A key feature of this area is its landscape setting with prominent and outstanding views into and out of the settlements that give South Wingfield its distinctive identity.
South Wingfield Place Analysis
The settlements or distinct areas that make up South Wingfield are:
Birches Lane/Wessington Lane
Parks Avenue/Shaw wood View
Inns Lane
Church Lane
Manor Road/Chapel Yard/Wingfield Hall
High Road/Market Place
Countryside settlements (Moorwood Moor/Wingfield Park/Oakerthorpe/Highfield Cottages)
2 These settlements have not only different physical characteristics, some are more like estates, and others separate communities or hamlets.
About South Wingfield
The Derbyshire Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) March 20141 identifies the vast majority of the parish of South Wingfield's as being within the Peak Fringe and Lower Derwent national character area. The Landscape Types are wooded slopes and valleys and riverside meadow.2 A small area in the north-east corner of the parish to the west of Millstone Lane and the west of the B6013/A615 falls within the character area of South Yorks, Notts and Derbyshire Coalfield with landscape type of coalfield estate lands.
The main core of South Wingfield village sits on a North/South ridge. The built environment combines houses along the ridge with the smaller dispersed settlements of Oakerthorpe and Four Lane Ends on the eastern slopes towards the Amber Valley.
Wingfield Manor
1 see http://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/environment/conservation/landscapecharacter/default.asp 2 See Derbyshire County Council Landscape character
3 Settlement Separation
The results of the household survey demonstrated that a key concern for the community is the threat of large developments overwhelming the current distinct settlements and the consequent loss of South Wingfield’s uniqueness. A key defining feature of South Wingfield is that over many years’ development has been in very small numbers on existing brownfield sites or on in fill sites. As such, new development has mostly integrated with the existing settlement.
Planning policy in the past has sought to protect this area as planning refusals and appeals have confirmed. One aspect of the development of South Wingfield that has been noted in appeal decisions is the fact that virtually every dwelling in the parish has a viewing aspect onto open countryside with none of the urban style developments associated with other areas. This ribbon/linear development has been commented on in planning appeal decisions within the parish.
Place Character
This section of the document aims to understand how elements that make up the settlements combine to form the built environment that is distinctively South Wingfield. Variations within the settlement help us understand how a place was put together. Topography, watercourses and the natural elements help define the shape of a settlement and how the settlements interact is a key element in developing a distinctive character.
In South Wingfield, the key defining natural element is its rural landscape, its relationship with the surrounding topography, the views in and out of the settlements and the influence exerted by the setting and landscape created by Wingfield Manor.
The aim of this section is to distil the key features that define the character of the parish to guide developers in their design proposals so that new buildings maintain and enhance the special character of South Wingfield parish.
To do this each of the distinctive settlements is analysed in a series of design statements.
Historical Maps
At the end of the document are three maps that show the historical development of the parish.
4 1. Birches Lane/Wessington Lane/Birches Avenue
Settlement History
Before the early 1920s Birches Lane had a small row of terraced brick cottages (Baptist cottages) adjacent to the Baptist Chapel whilst Wessington Lane had a couple of stone cottages. In the early 1920s six houses were built beyond the stone cottages on Wessington Lane and three houses on Birches Lane.
Between the early 1920s and 2016 development has taken place to completely fill the eastern side of Wessington Lane, the western side of Birches Lane to its junction with Birches Avenue and both sides of Birches Lane from Birches Avenue to the main A615 road at Amber Row.
To the north of Wessington Lane, immediately outside the character area, is a site allocated in AVBCs Submission Local Plan. The Local Plan has been delayed and subsequently a planning application has been submitted for up to 35 dwellings.
Character of Landscape
The Birches Lane/Wessington Lane/Birches Avenue settlement occupies the falling ridge towards the northern boundary of the parish.
5
Photograph 1a - Birches Lane showing development on one side and the ridge falling away to the north.
Settlement Pattern
Development on these three streets broadly follows the falling ground from the main spine of the village in a roughly northerly direction. Buildings front the street and gardens are contained to the rear in a ribbon/linear development. On Wessington Lane development has been restricted to the eastern side, on Birches Avenue on both sides and on Birches Lane on the higher ground the western side is developed but developed on both sides further away from the main spine of the village.
Photograph 1b – semi-detached houses on Wessington Lane
6 Streets and spaces
The fields adjacent to Birches Lane and Wessington Lane help maintain an open feel and allow visual connections to the wider landscape. Public spaces in this area are limited with only fields offering areas of green relief of any scale. The streets in this area are not wide but do have fairly long sight lines.
Photograph 1c - Wessington Lane looking north – showing long sight lines, an open aspect and linear development on one side.
Boundaries and landscaping
Boundaries are generally composed of low stone walls or hedges. Front gardens contain a great deal of landscaping which is visible from the streets.
The landscaping in this area is almost exclusively within private gardens and plots of land. Although lacking large prominent trees within the settlement the views from all the dwellings include large areas of mature woodland.
Plots and buildings
Plot sizes on Wessington Lane, Birches Lane and Birches Avenue show fairly uniform ranges due to most of them being built during the 20th century. The building setback varies from pavement frontage for the Baptist cottages to deeper setbacks for the other dwellings in this area. A relatively narrow range of materials makes this area of South Wingfield have a visually cohesive appearance. Red brick, blue tiles and roofs have their ridges parallel to the street.
7
Photograph 1d – cottages on Birches Lane
The majority of houses on Birches Lane are semi-detached and terraced/town houses (58%). Bungalows make up 24% of the total and detached houses the remaining 18%. 94% of properties on Wessington Lane and Meadow View are houses and the rest bungalows. The majority of dwellings on Birches Lane, Birches Avenue and Wessington Lane (92%) are constructed using brick walls with a pitched tile roof and are of a traditional design.
Photograph 1e - semi-detached houses on Birches Lane.
Birches Lane/Wessington Lane/Birches Avenue Key findings and recommendations.
This character area looks and feels contained within Birches Lane and Wessington Lane. The landscape has both long views to the wider landscape setting and near views into the local areas that helps reinforce the sense that it is sitting atop a ridgeline. New development should seek to maintain and enhance both far and more local views.
8 Development is generally linear and follows the main lines of movement. All streets allow glimpses of the landscape beyond and have reasonably long sight lines. Where possible, new development should add to this development pattern rather than introducing new forms of streets that erode character.
The interface between plots and the street tends to be low walls with planting above adding greenery to the street. Some of the parts of this area have buildings frontages arranged directly to the back of the footpath whereas newer parts have more open frontages. Future development should ensure that boundary treatments clearly define the street with locally sympathetic materials and greener that helps soften the street edge.
This area of South Wingfield has a narrow range of materials with mostly red brick and clay pantiles. There is some render and pebble dash more so on Birches Lane. Buildings front the street and roof ridges that are parallel to the street edge are a common feature. Simple detailing, materials that reflect South Wingfield, and scale and mass that does not obstruct views, will help new development enhance the local distinctiveness.
Photograph 1e – cottages on the east side of Wessington Lane
9 2. Parks Avenue/Shaw Wood View
Settlement history
During the 1950/60s Parks Avenue and Shaw Wood View were constructed to provide more social housing in the area. Some of these houses have now been purchased under the right to buy scheme. Properties in both areas are virtually 100% red or yellow brick; Shaw Wood View has a majority (62%) of bungalows.
Photograph 2a - sheltered accommodation bungalows in Shaw Wood View.
Character of landscape
The Parks Avenue/Shaw Wood View settlement occupies a low-lying, flattish area to the west of the river Amber.
10 Settlement pattern
The streets in this character area were constructed as part of the development and are cul de sacs – typical of their time. Dwellings front the street with gardens both in front and to the rear. Development runs along the street one plot deep only.
Access to the Severn Trent sewage works is from a single track off Parks Avenue.
Streets and spaces
The fields adjacent to this development help maintain an open feel and allow visual connections to a wider landscape. Public spaces in this area include a children's playground. There are also open green corners and wide grass verges a layout typical of its time which do not form any function except to soften the edge of the development with the countryside beyond. The popular Parks Avenue allotments are on the edge of this character area.
Photograph 2b - Parks Avenue looking north
Boundaries and landscaping
Boundaries are generally composed of local brick walls or hedges.
The landscaping in this area is within private gardens with occasional trees on the large grass verges. Large areas of mature woodland and prominent trees are within view of most dwellings.
Plots and buildings
Plot sizes on Parks Avenue and Shaw Wood View show fairly uniform ranges. The building setback does not vary greatly with uniform front gardens throughout the development. A narrow range of materials give this area a very visually cohesive appearance. Red/yellow brick walls and pitched tiled roofs are the materials used in virtually all the buildings.
The vast majority of dwellings in this character area are semi-detached houses or bungalows (semi-detached) on Shaw Wood View.
11
Photograph 2c - semi-detached houses on Parks Avenue with mainly brick boundary walls.
Parks Avenue/Shaw Wood View key findings and recommendations
Parks Avenue/Shaw Wood View looks and feels contained within the flattish landscape. New development should seek to maintain and enhance both far and more local views and not detract from the setting of Wingfield Manor.
Development is one plot deep and follows the lines of travel. New development should add to this development pattern rather than introducing new forms of streets that erode character.
Dwellings are built in red brick. New development should reflect the narrow range and colour palette of materials used.
12 3. Inns Lane
Settlement history
On early maps construction on Inns Lane is only shown on the south side3. Development on the north side and infilling on the south side has taken place predominantly during the 20th century. 27% of the houses are terraced with another 16% bungalows. 93% of the dwellings on Inns Lane are built of brick.
A site to the north of Inns Lane has been subject to two planning applications for 70 dwellings and 3 dwellings which were both refused on appeal. Both appeals centred on the scale, position and visual impact on Wingfield Manor. The appeals were lost.
Character of landscape
Inns Lane follows a flattish westerly direction from the main hub of the village. After leaving the main settlement area of the village Inns Lane becomes a rural country lane until it reaches, Moorwood Moor. Many of the Crofts that made up the original settlement of the village border Inns Lane and their original boundaries still make up dwelling boundaries today. 'These crofts are an important marker towards determining the boundaries of the traditional established village, justifying the South Wingfield Conservation Area and underpinning the other heritage assets. The crofts were situated to the south of Inns Lane and to the west of Manor Road. Their position still survives and is marked by a ditch, embankment and hedge. In a planning appeal decision of 21st March 2016 [Ref APP/M1005/W/15/3006136] the Inspector paid particular attention to the significance of these crofts. At paragraph 24 of his decision letter he stated "Moreover the previous use of fields west of the High Road and Manor Road as crofts associated with dwellings in the village means that they contribute to an extent to the heritage significance of the conservation area." At paragraph 27 he added "I conclude....that the South Wingfield Conservation Area extends into open countryside to encompass Wingfield Manor, all built development in Inns Lane and old medieval crofts south of Inns Lane.” The importance
3 See section 8
13 of the inter-relationship and the inter-dependence of the Conservation Area, Wingfield Manor and the setting to each cannot be over stated.
Photograph 3a- Inns Lane looking west to open fields.
The land slopes to the south of the character area affording long views across to Wingfield Manor.
Settlement pattern
As with the vast majority of the settlement patterns in South Wingfield, Inns Lane has been developed in the form of ribbon/linear development and is one plot deep.
Streets and spaces
Inns Lane looking westerly has a long sight line to open fields and the rising ground west of Moorwood Moor that leads to the southern foothills of the Pennines. Public open spaces in this area are limited. However, narrow gaps between plots provide glimpses of rolling countryside beyond. Beyond the built framework boundary footpaths and bridleways criss- cross the area.
14
Photograph 3b - Inns Lane, north side looking east towards Market Place. Showing 20th Century infill of varying housing types.
Boundaries and landscaping
Boundaries on Inns Lane are generally composed of low brick walls or hedges. Front gardens contain a great deal of landscaping visible from the streets. To create additional off street parking there has been a tendency to remove the low boundary walls on some of the properties which has removed greenery from the front gardens and reduced the overall sense of visual coherence. Within the character area large prominent trees are lacking although views between dwellings to the south and to the west afford long views to areas of mature woodland.
Plots and buildings
Plot sizes on Inns Lane vary considerably from small terraced frontages fronting the pavement to large detached plots with substantial front and rear gardens. A fairly even distribution of types of dwelling include detached (30%), semi-detached (25%), bungalows (15%) and terraced housing (30%). The majority of the houses are constructed using brick with again a lack of the local gritstone, sandstone or mudstone being used.
15
Photograph 3c - 19th century terraced housing on the south side of Inns Lane
Inns Lane findings and recommendations
Development is one plot deep and follows the lines of travel. New development should reflect this development pattern rather than introducing new forms of streets that erode character.
The topography of the character area means that new development is very sensitive and must not cause harm to the setting of Wingfield Manor. New development should encourage boundary treatment like low brick walls and soft landscaping to reinforce the existing character of the street.
Photograph 3d – entry to Inns Lane from open countryside.
16 4. Church Lane
From the earliest maps development of Church Lane has been restricted to the north side, with cottages, houses and larger buildings including the mill buildings. The 1876 ordnance survey map shows the school and cottages opposite the mill as the only buildings on the south side of Church Lane. Since then development has only been infill on the north side as shown on the historic maps.4 A small development of five houses below the school were built in 2003 and 2006. 58% of the houses on Church Lane are terraced and 25% detached, with 41% of brick construction. The remainder are grit stone, sandstone or cement render covering mudstone and rubble stone walls. Two cottages opposite the school premises predate the construction of the Rocks corner in the early 1800s and as a result of the creation of a gradual gradient to the corner has left these cottages below the current ground level.
Photograph 4a – Church Lane looking west towards the Rocks.
4 See section 8
17 Character of landscape
Church Lane falls away in a roughly easterly direction from the Market Place down to the river Amber floodplain.
Settlement pattern
The historic buildings front the road and 20th century houses were built in the gardens of the crofts. More recently infill development has taken place on the back lands on what would have been the old farmsteads on the north side of Church Lane.
As this is one of the older areas of the village house design, layout and materials are varied. Some front the streets, others have small front garden/hard standing whilst some are setback from the road.
Photograph 4b – Church lane looking north-east showing the variety of housing and open aspect.
More recent development is hidden from Church Lane and is not visible.
The Conservation Area Statement notes that ‘Several of the older properties have been subjected to inappropriate alterations…. this coupled with a number of poorly designed later buildings illustrates the results of an inconsistent approach to the design of such works’.
Streets and spaces
Church Lane is one of the main arteries through South Wingfield. Public space is visible in the form of the school playing fields on the south of Church Lane.
18
Photograph 4c – Church Lane looking east. The Primary School and its playing field are on the right and Bluebell Public House on the left.
Boundaries and landscaping
Boundaries on Church Lane are composed of low stone and brick walls, hedges and open parking spaces. There is landscaping in this area from within private gardens but many of the houses front directly onto the pavement on Church Lane. Large areas of mature woodland are prominent within views from most parts of Church Lane.
Plots and landscaping
Plot sizes on Church Lane vary considerably from small terraced houses to large detached double fronted setback dwellings. A full range of materials has been used on Church Lane for the construction of dwellings from carefully dressed stone laid in regular courses, brick, cement render over mud/boulder stone and random gritstone/sandstone laid in irregular courses.
The older properties are made of mellowed sandstone and gritstone. There is a wide variety of materials used in later designs including red brick.
Church Lane key findings and recommendations
Church Lane's adherence to the ribbon/linear pattern within the sloping landscape defines the character. New development should seek to maintain and enhance both far and more local views and not detract from the settlement area of Wingfield Manor.
Where possible, new development should add to this development pattern rather than introducing new forms of streets that erode character.
New development should seek to reference the historic character, colour palette and materials of the older buildings. Boundary treatment reflecting the historic location of this character area is important to bring cohesion to the varied plot sizes.
19
Photograph 4d – Church Lane leading into Holm Lane, looking across the flood plain.
20 5. Manor Road/Hunts Row/Chapel Yard/Wingfield Hall
Settlement History
The original development of South Wingfield took place along the spine of today's village i.e. Manor Road and High Road. Early maps show the allocation of Crofts along Manor Road, part of Inns Lane and part of High Road. The 1884 ordnance survey map5 shows development on Manor Road mainly on the eastern side plus the Manor Hotel and some houses to the south of the hotel. Chapel Yard comprises the row of stone cottages still in existence today. The 1901 Ordnance Survey map shows the growth of Chapel Yard to today's layout and the expansion of buildings on the western side of Manor Road.
Photograph 5a – Manor Road looking south,taken from adjacent to the former Manor Hotel.
5 See section 8
21 Today Manor Road has a varied stock of houses. 49% of the houses are detached, 21% semi- detached and 12% bungalows. The materials used in construction are also varied with 38% brick, 38% a combination of gritstone, sandstone and local mud and rubble stone and the rest rendered. Roofing materials are also varied with just under 40% Slate and the rest tiles.
This area of the village contains some of our listed buildings.
Photograph 5b – Manor Road looking south, taken from near the Market Place
As expected from a collection of buildings originally associated with materials from the “redistribution” of Wingfield Manor, houses converted from farm and coach buildings now making up Wingfield Hall are exclusively dressed limestone with slate roofs. This limestone also forms boundary walls which are hard against the back of the pavement. Some of these boundary walls related to Wingfield Hall and were likely the boundary wall for kitchen gardens.
Photograph 5c– Wingfield Hall: a complex of 12 restored and converted buildings.
22 Character of landscape
Manor Road and Chapel Yard character area occupy the roughly north/south ridge that makes up the main spine of the village of South Wingfield. Wingfield Hall is located in a roughly southerly facing dip at the base of the Wingfield Manor outcrop.
Settlement pattern
These streets broadly follow the contours of the ridge line to the main spine of the village. Manor Road is the centre of the historic village and the stone boundary walling and old stone cottages to the back of the narrow footpath give this part of the character area a tight grain and strong visual coherence. However, as you move south along Manor Road there is an increased sense of spaciousness as the boundary treatments and plot arrangements become looser.
Buildings front the street with gardens to the rear in the form of ribbon/linear development. On the western side of Manor Road where the contours are flatter development has taken place behind some of the first line of houses. A modern development has been constructed within the old Manor Hotel car park and based broadly on a courtyard layout.
Examples of infill development that has not followed the pattern
Streets and spaces
Fields behind Manor Road and Chapel Yard maintain the open feel and visual connections to a wider landscape associated with most parts of the village. Public spaces in this area are limited but numerous footpaths and bridleways converge on this area from outlying districts.
The sense of enclosure is strong where the boundary walls and/or stone buildings meet the back of the pavement.
Boundaries and Landscaping
Photograph 5d – Manor Road looking north towards the Market Place.
23 Stone walls of varying heights (some very tall) and hedges make up the majority of boundaries in this area. Landscaping of front gardens is visible from the streets in this area. The landscaping is almost exclusively within private gardens but from within the character area there are outstanding views of Wingfield Manor and mature woodlands.
Where infill development has not adopted a boundary treatment consistent with the historic pattern (to delineate the public and private space) the historic character is diluted. This approach should be avoided in future development.
Plots and buildings
Plot sizes on Manor Road and Chapel Yard vary considerably from small brick/stone terraced houses to large imposing detached stone premises. The building setback also varies from pavement frontage of cottages to deeper setbacks for the dwellings; although, where the boundary treatment is consistent, this does not negatively affect the character of the area.
Photograph 5e – Chapel Yard – looking west from Manor Road
A wide range of building materials make up this area with around third constructed of brick with the remainder using different types of stone. Roughly 60% have tiled roofs and 40% slate. Most of the historic older stone buildings line Manor Road with the houses built on back land development being constructed in brick. The overall impression is of a visually cohesive character area when moving along Manor Road.
Manor Road/Chapel Yard/Wingfield Hall key findings and recommendations
This area of South Wingfield has a wide range of materials and a wide range of plot sizes and housing types although development along the frontage of Manor Road is more limited to limestone. To reinforce local distinctiveness development here should use materials and a narrow colour that reflect the historic character of this area. Development should also reflect the scale and mass of existing buildings. Boundary treatment, is critical: stone walls along the through roads reinforce the sense of coherence. New
24 development should respond positively to this boundary treatment in this character area.
This area of South Wingfield is within the setting of Wingfield Manor a scheduled ancient monument of high significance. Any future development in this area needs to demonstrate that it will not cause harm to the setting of Wingfield Manor as confirmed in two recent planning application appeal decisions.
Development is generally linear and follows the lines of travel. Development away from the linear routes would have a significant impact on the landscape due to the local topography. New development should add to this development pattern rather than introducing new forms of streets that erode character.
25 6. High Road/Market Place
Settlement history
The Market place and High Road are also areas that form the historic core of South Wingfield village. Buildings on High Road and the Marketplace have been evident on all the earliest maps of the area6. Until the 20th Century there was no construction on the west side of High Road after Lane Farm but on the east side of High Road buildings date back to the 1600s. These buildings were mainly associated with farming and associated trades and the majority of the older buildings are constructed of local gritstone, sandstone and rubble stone. The Market Place used to be the home to a cluster of shops but now that number is down to just one village store/cafe. Later development has taken place with the construction of social housing on the western side of High Road beyond Lane farm. Bungalows account for 11% of the housing stock of this area. 17% of dwellings are built of stone and the rest of brick or rendered. This area also includes some of the listed buildings in South Wingfield.
6 See section 8
26
Photograph 6a – The Market Place, viewed from Manor Road.
Character of landscape
High Road is built on the main spine running through the village that leads from Manor Road to Birches Lane and Wessington Lane.
Settlement pattern
This village broadly follows the contours of the ridge running through the main spine of the village roughly in a northerly direction. Buildings front the street in the form, mainly, of ribbon/linear development. Some small developments, mainly farmyards, have been constructed behind the street line and over time some of these farmyards have been converted to dwellings.
Streets and spaces
The unusual road layout with High Road coming off Inns Lane encircling the single plot on which sits the village store is due to the realignment of Church Lane in the early 1800s when the route was levelled and made to pass between the Rocks. It creates a narrow and intricate road junction that reflects its historic origins.
27
Photograph 6b – The Rocks viewed from Manor Road.
Public spaces in this area include footpaths to Moorwood Moor and a children's play area within the village social club grounds. A bowling green is also available within the social club grounds. The ridge falling away to the east of High Road and the rising ground to the west maintain the open feel of this area allowing visual connections to the wider landscape.
There is a strong sense of enclosure due to the boundary walls and/or historic stone buildings meeting the back of the pavement particularly around the Market Place.
Boundaries and landscaping
Boundaries vary considerably on High Road from the walls of houses fronting the street to low stone walls or hedges. Front gardens also contain landscaping which is visible from the street. Prominent trees are in evidence on High Road within private gardens. A significant view looking south down High Road frames the ancient monument of Wingfield Manor and its surrounding woodland.
Plots and sizes
Plot sizes on High Road vary considerably. The building setback varies from pavement frontage to deeper setbacks with larger front gardens. A wide range of building materials isalso in evidence.
High Road/Market Place key findings and recommendations
This area of South Wingfield has a wide range of materials and a wide range of plot sizes and housing types.
New development in this character area should respect the simple colour palette of materials, the plain building detailing and the general proportions used. Boundaries are critical and should reinforce the sense of coherence in the character area.
28
Photograph 6c – High Road looking south towards the Market Place.
High Road and the Market Place are within the setting of Wingfield Manor a nationally recognised ancient monument of major importance. Any future development in this area needs to have the utmost consideration as to its effect upon the status of Wingfield Manor as confirmed in two recent planning application appeals.
Development is generally linear and follows the lines of travel. New development should add to this development pattern rather than introducing new forms of streets that erode character.
29 7. Countryside settlements
The countryside settlements consist of Oakerthorpe, Four Lane Ends, Wingfield Park and Moorwood Moor.
One of the larger of these is Moorwood Moor, a settlement to the west of South Wingfield along Inns Lane, developed around the crossroads linking Wessington, South Wingfield, Crich and Wheatcroft. There was, just outside the parish boundary, a colliery that although shown was already disused on the 1884 ordnance survey map.
Photograph 7a – Moorwood Moor looking west.
Wingfield Park is a cluster of dwellings to the south of Wingfield Manor nestling in a valley leading to the River Amber floodplain. In the past Wingfield Park has been home to a water powered lace thread (cotton) mill with two mill ponds fed from Coalburn Brook, a quarry (Coalburn Quarry which was mentioned in the development of the Pentrich Revolution) and
30 on the other side of the river a drift coalmine. There was also a corn mill powered from the river Amber.
Photograph 7b - Wingfield Park looking south
Joining these are various isolated dwellings, hamlets and farmsteads.
Streets and spaces
Most of the settlements through this area sit on quiet rural lanes but are close to the main routes. It is critical that the historic character of these lanes is maintained. Modern highway standards should not be used in the design of new streets.
Should new streets need to be added, then they should not be overly engineered in their design but should be more rural in their details.
Plots
Plots within the countryside settlements are considerably larger than those within the villages. 69% of the dwellings are detached with 73% being constructed of local stone, be it dressed regular courses or more irregular rougher gritstone or sandstone or the local mudstone.
New development in countryside settlements should be avoided. Should it occur then it should take a form and scale that integrates with the landscape.
Boundaries and landscape
In the countryside settlements either low stone walls or green boundaries predominate. The green boundaries tend to be native hawthorn, hazel and holly as some of these boundaries also double up as fencing for livestock farms.
Should any new development occur then the existing and current boundary treatments should be maintained.
31 Buildings and materials
Due to the age of the majority of the buildings within the countryside settlements the materials used in construction tend to be drawn from the local area hence the predominance of local stone. Slate and tile roofs are common.
A simple colour palette reflecting local materials should be used for the countryside settlement areas. Slate or tile roofs should be encouraged.
Oakerthorpe
Development of Oakerthorpe since 1876 (not annotated on the map)
Settlement History
The 1876 ordnance survey map of Oakerthorpe highlights a small number of buildings along the main artery roads including Dale House, the Crown Inn, Peacock Hotel, Smithy, the building currently used as the Butchers Arms, Hollybank House plus cottages and farm buildings.
Photograph 7c – Oakerthorpe, B6013 Chesterfield Road looking north.
There are the remnants of a large industrial heritage related to the five collieries (all disused) centred around Oakerthorpe Brook with tramway rails running towards the current Alfreton golf course. The mine was closed in 1968 and the spoil tip landscaped and planted.
This layout is substantially the same on the 1900 ordnance survey map and the 1921 map. There is very little development in the village between the 1921 and the 1951 ordnance map. Between 1951 and 1990 the village of Oakerthorpe expanded to include development on the west and east side of Chesterfield Road, the south side of Wingfield Road and the construction of Linbery Close.
Since 1990 Amber Valley Borough Council has given planning permission for two housing developments in Oakerthorpe, on Hillside Park and Melrose Way. Both these developments
32 have been built on brownfield sites, one an old tyre depot and the other an old factory site. In addition to these two developments there have been a small number of individual schemes for new build and the conversion of farm buildings at Ufton Fields farm. In 2018 another brownfield site; the former Anchor Inn obtained permission to build 14 houses.
A group of 10 houses known as Highfield cottages, built on the eastern boundary of the parish opposite the current Alfreton golf course have been shown on all ordnance survey maps since 1884. The 1884 ordnance map does show a disused colliery opposite cottages called Highfield Colliery.7
The majority of the housing in Oakerthorpe is detached (69%) with the rest shared equally between semi-detached and bungalows. Over half the total (53%) are constructed with brick, the remainder made up of natural stone, reconstructed stone and rendered.
Character of Landscape
The northern part of Oakerthorpe occupies the top of a ridge that falls away towards the southern end of Oakerthorpe. Apart from the newer developments (Linbery Close, Hillside Park and Melrose Way) in Oakerthorpe all previous housing has been constructed either side of the main roads and lanes.
Photograph 7e – Linbery Close, Oakerthorpe, a recently constructed cul-de-sac, mainly bungalows.
Settlement pattern
Buildings front streets in the form of a ribbon/linear development.
7 See section 8
33 Streets and Spaces
There is a main road running through Oakerthorpe linking Alfreton and Matlock generating large amounts of through traffic. The remaining roads through Oakerthorpe although not as much used as the main road still generate a good deal of traffic compared to the more country lanes of South Wingfield and the countryside settlements. Public spaces in this area are quite abundant with many public footpaths, nature reserves, county council owned woodland areas and regenerated colliery spoil heaps.
Photograph 7f – Oakerthorpe, Looking south. Junction of Chesterfield Road and Wingfield Road (which leads into Alfreton)
Boundaries and landscaping
Since the discontinuation of mining in the area and the regeneration and planting around Oakerthorpe the landscaping in this part of the parish is within private gardens, plots of land, small woodland areas, developed nature reserves and large mature woodland areas. Boundaries vary from low stone brick walls or hedges.
The low boundary wall and archway entrance to Holly House Nursing Home provides a strong historic reference to the former grandeur of the house.
Plots and buildings
Plot sizes in Oakerthorpe range from small brick terraced properties fronting the street up to large detached stone properties complete with landscaped areas. Over half the properties in Oakerthorpe are brick with tiled pitched roofs.
Oakerthorpe key findings and recommendations
Development is generally linear and follows the main lines of movement but newer developments have been allowed to be constructed around a more urban scheme.
34 New development should seek to reference the historic character, colour palette and materials of the older buildings. Boundary treatment (low stone or red brick walls and greenery to the street) reflecting the historic location of this character area is important to bring cohesion to the varied plot sizes.
35 8. Historical maps
1880
36 1913
37 1951
38