ROCHE PARISH DESIGN GUIDE (DRAFT) CONTENTS Section 1: Introduction page 1 Section 2: Design Tasks page 3 KEY REQUIREMENTS OF THE DESIGN GUIDE Task 1 - Making a positive contribution towards character page 3 Task 2 - Appropriate building style page 3 Task 3 - Complementing and enhancing character page 4 ENSURE POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN VILLAGE AND COUNTRYSIDE Task 4 - Visual impact page 4 ACHIEVE HIGH QUALITY PUBIC SPACES Task 5 - A pleasant place to be page 5 REALISE HIGH QUALITY PLACE MAKING AND DESIGN Task 6 - A sense of place page 5 Task 7 - New building design page 6 Task 8 - Complementary materials page 6 Task 9 - A varied skyline page 7 Task 10 - Traditional roofing materials page 7 Task 11 - Appropriate building scale and setting page 8 Task 12 - Density of building page 8 Task 13 - Sustainable development page 8 Task 14 - Design of boundaries page 8 Task 15 - Design in the detail page 9 Task 16 - Appropriate car parking design page 9 Task 17 - Enhancing biodiversity page 10 Note 1 - Extensions page 10 Note 2 - Building conversions page 11 Section 3: Character Areas page 12 DISTINCTIVE AREAS OF CHARACTER IN ROCHE VILLAGE AND DESIGN DETAIL Churchtown/Glebe page 12 Fore Street page 14 The lower town page 15 Chapel Road/Tremodrett Lane page 17 BUILT ENVIRONMENT Public/ecclesiastical buildings page 18 Housing types page 19 Industrial, commercial and outbuildings page 20 Materials and local details page 22 LANDSCAPE SETTING, GREENERY AND OPEN SPACES page 23 VISTAS, VIEWS GLIMPSES AND STREETSCAPE page 24 INDUSTRIAL SIGNIFICANCE page 25 CONTENTS continued APPENDIX page 26 A HISTORY OF ROCHE Pre 1809 page 26 1809-41 page 28 1841-1880 page 29 1880-1906 page 32 1906-1946 page 33 Post 1946 page 34 TODAY page 34 DRAFT Roche Parish DESIGN GUIDE Section 1: Introduction SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION tantly inspired by, and expressive of, the best elements of local architecture traditions. OVERVIEW In order to fit in, new development should The people of Roche Parish have expressed respond to the local pattern of streets and concerns about the character, form and qual- spaces, follow the natural topography and ity of recent development and have stated a take account of traditional settlement form. desire to improve standards to the Roche New buildings should be neighbourly in terms Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group. Both of their scale, height, volume, how much of national and local planning policy recognise the site they occupy and the distance from, the importance of high quality design that and effect upon, adjacent buildings and land- responds to specific characteristics of the site, scape features. The plot coverage of buildings area and wider settings. should be appropriate to their scale and pro- vide adequate garden space, while distances There was particular concern expressed from other buildings should maintain ade- about unsympathetic patterns and loca- quate standards of privacy and daylight. tion of recent development, i.e. new housing estates that have detracted New buildings should express locally distinc- from the character of Roche Village, and tive building traditions, materials, character failed to respect historic patterns and and identity. That is not to say that all build- styles of development and especially ings should be the same or traditional in where these have detracted from the character but, by reference to these local de- setting of, and views from and to, the tails, new buildings should fit in and make a wider landscape and especially Roche positive contribution to their surroundings. Rock. There were strong feelings that new de- Community engagement is also important. velopment should ‘fit’ by being com- Fitting in is not simply about the physical plementary in character, form and qual- character and structure of the development. ity to the older more traditional parts of Development that has involved the public and the community, and that it should aspire engendered a sense of ‘ownership’ is more to the same quality of design and con- likely to be respected and cared for by the struction quality as found in the historic community. core area. There was special concern about the im- The Guide follows Government advice and pact further new development might supports strategic and local planning policies have on much valued views of Roche which seek to encourage new development Rock and the Church that has regard to the character and appeal of There was strong support for the view its locality and provides a good quality envi- ronment for those who live and work in the that any new development should re- spect and be sympathetic to the wider area. landscape and setting of the Parish and existing communities. The objectives and arising tasks and policies detailed in this design guide section provide In sum, the community expressed growing direction and guidance to owners, developers concern to the Roche Neighbourhood Plan and all involved in the planning, design and Steering Group that the character and special development of sites contained within the qualities that make Roche Parish distinctive Neighbourhood Plan Area and on any ‘wind- and attractive are being eroded by standard- fall’ sites not identified within the plan. They ised new development which pays little or no should be read with the policies and guidance respect to its location. Through sensitive de- contained in the Cornwall Local Plan and sign, and taking into account the local con- other related policies, to inform design that text, new development can be sympathetic to complements and enhances the character, the ‘grain’ of the landscape and most impor- form and qualities of Roche Parish. It is not 1 DRAFT Roche Parish DESIGN GUIDE Section 1: Introduction intended to be restrictive, but to inform the design process. “Good design enhances existing places and reinforces the underlying character of a place. It makes a positive contribution to its setting – whether landscape or townscape. While there are a wide range of building and landscape typologies in Cornwall, each is distinctive. Good design reflects this diver- sity. Distinctiveness in part is about under- standing the tradition, learning from it, and reinterpreting it for today.” A Design State- ment for Cornwall, 2001 2 DRAFT Roche Parish DESIGN GUIDE Section 2: Design Tasks SECTION 2: DESIGN TASKS should not be an excuse for further extending poor quality and unsympathetic development KEY REQUIREMENTS OF THE DESIGN approaches. GUIDE Development must contribute to the charac- ter of Roche Parish as a whole, incorporating Development complements and en- design principles that reflect the historic hances the character, form and quali- qualities of the community. In Roche this ties of Roche Parish, and Roche Village should especially reflect the historic core of in particular. the village. This policy does not seek to impose a particu- TASK 1 lar architectural style, instead it aims to en- sure that new development relates to specific Making a positive contribution towards local context, character and form. Different areas within the village and the parish have character different characteristics, each with their own local strengths and weaknesses, with the his- Development must make a positive contri- toric areas being the most cherished for their bution towards the distinctive character character and form of development. There- and form of the parish as a whole and fore development proposals must respond to Roche village in particular, especially the the unique character of the site and its sur- older parts of the village, and relate well roundings, maintaining or enhancing its to its site and its surroundings, especially strengths, and seeking to address its weak- views from and to Roche Rock and the nesses. Church. TASK 2 Appropriate building style Building style must be appropriate to the context, but not use recent poorer devel- opment as an excuse not to achieve excel- lent design quality drawing on the best of the Parish as a whole. Buildings within Roche Parish historically Fig 2.1 Recent developments have encroached on were typically simple, of good proportion Roche Rock with little regard for its historic setting and in harmony with their environment, Roche village, where most development will built to withstand the extremes of climate be centred, is an ancient community with a or ground conditions. In general, building distinct character, form and qualities. The forms should be simple and draw inspira- design of new development must be framed tion from local building traditions. within the context of the community’s unique setting and history and supporting Roche’s The historic character of Roche Parish is rich evident sense of community. The same ap- and varied, particularly reflecting the incre- plies throughout the parish - design of any mental development of the area. The design new development must be complementary to of new buildings should reflect the richness of its surroundings, drawing upon, and inspired character and form of the historic areas. by, its unique assets - but importantly neighbouring poor quality development 3 DRAFT Roche Parish DESIGN GUIDE Section 2: Design Tasks The Design and Access Statement must in- clude an appraisal of the site in its immediate surroundings and identify the opportunities and constraints for development and design. Applications must explain clearly and con- cisely how the proposals have been informed and influenced by this appraisal. The layout of buildings and access needs to reflect local patterns in order to ‘fit in’ effec- tively and to be responsive to the characteris- Fig 2.2 Buildings within Roche Parish historically tics of the site and its setting. were of simple design and proportion, built to with- stand the extremes of climate and ground conditions For small scale development pre-application engagement should be sought with the Parish The quality of design must, therefore, ensure Council and Cornwall Council.