Land at East House, Great Smeaton

Heritage Impact Assessment

May 2017

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CONTENTS PAGE

Executive Summary 3

1.0 Introduction and Methodology 4

2.0 Site Location, Planning Context and Description of Proposed Development 5

3.0 Site History 8

4.0 The Site Today, Its Surroundings and Views Towards It 12

5.0 Assessment of Significance 15

6.0 Heritage Impact Assessment 20

7.0 Conclusion 24

8.0 Sources Consulted 25

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Land at East House, Great Smeaton

Heritage Impact Assessment

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Site Name: Land at East House, Great Smeaton Address: Land at East House, Great Smeaton, , DL6 2EP Local Planning Authority: Council County: North Statutory Listing: Grade II Conservation Area: Great Smeaton Scheduled Monument: N/A Report Production: Liz Humble Enquiries To: Liz Humble, Director Humble Heritage Ltd 14 Ashbourne Way York, YO24 2SW Tel: 01904 340591 Mobile: 07548 624722 Email: [email protected] Website: www.humbleheritage.co.uk

Humble Heritage Ltd is a professional built heritage and archaeological consultancy operating in the specialised area of the historic environment. The practice has extensive experience of historical and archaeological research, assessing significance and heritage impact and preparing heritage statements, archaeological desk-based assessments, statements of significance, conservation management plans and so forth. Humble Heritage Ltd provides heritage and archaeological advice on behalf of a wide variety of clients across much of .

Humble Heritage Ltd undertook this Heritage Impact Assessment, that covers part of the grounds of East House, Great Smeaton, during April-May 2017 on behalf of Mr & Mrs Shelley and their specialist advisors Diane Baines Town Planning Consultant and Matt Ball Architecture. This assessment is intended to accompany an application for developing part of the grounds of East House with the construction of four dwellings with associated private access road including alterations to and renovation of the eastern boundary wall and gate piers along Hornby Road.

This report assesses the heritage impact of the proposed development upon the character and appearance of Great Smeaton Conservation Area and upon the significance of the Grade II listed East House and any nearby designated heritage assets due to a potential change to their settings.

Documentary and cartographic materials were consulted in order to provide a summary of the historical development and significance of the site, which was also visited during April 2017. East House was built in the mid-18th century. The application site was not part of its original gardens, but was brought into use as an informal garden from a paddock/field between 1893 and 1913 with a tennis court created here by 1972.

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This report finds that the application site does not make a strong positive contribution to the significance of any designated heritage assets at Great Smeaton. The heritage impact from the proposals ranges from neutral (upon the conservation area and its listed buildings) to negligible/minor beneficial (for East House and its curtilage listed boundary wall respectively). Given this, the heritage planning policies and objectives of local and national policies are met. Furthermore, given that the Council is unable to demonstrate a five- year supply of housing land, paragraph 14 of the NPPF is engaged. This states that permission should be granted for development unless the adverse effects of doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits. This development, within an established village context, brings significant public benefits while having no heritage grounds sufficient for refusal of consent.

The proposed development is considered to accord with sections 66(1) and 72(1) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, the National Planning Policy Framework and the policy guidance provided in the Local Plan. There are no conservation grounds for refusal of consent.

INTRODUCTION AND METHODOLOGY

1.01 This Heritage Impact Assessment has been prepared by Liz Humble (MA, MA, MCIfA, IHBC), Director, Humble Heritage Ltd, on behalf of Mr & Mrs Shelley during April-May 2017. This assessment considers the grounds of East House that fall within the application site and the wider surroundings.

1.02 The aims of this report are to:

. Inform the proposals and provide a tool to help the planning authority to understand the significance of the known or possible heritage assets, meeting paragraph 128 of the National Planning Policy Framework. . Help inform the client with respect to the significance of any heritage assets and the potential heritage impact of the proposals. . Assist those in the planning system advise and assess future plans for change.

1.03 In accordance with Government guidance on heritage, this assessment draws together relevant existing information from written, graphic, photographic and electronic sources in order to assess the significance of the heritage assets at or near the site, including the contribution to their significance made by their settings, and to assess the potential impact of the proposed development.

1.04 The potential heritage impact has been assessed with reference to Historic England’s Historic Environment Good Practice Advice in Planning, Note 3 – The Setting of Heritage Assets.

1.05 Listing descriptions were obtained from the National Heritage List for England and the website of Hambleton District Council was consulted for any information pertinent to the conservation area at Great Smeaton. Historic maps of the area were also consulted as was the online Historic Environment Record, Historic England Archives and the Archaeology Data Service. The latter three archives hold no information on East House or its grounds.

1.06 A site visit was made on 3 April 2017 to establish the current land use and character and to assess the relationship of the site of the proposed development to the setting of the nearby designated heritage assets.

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SITE LOCATION, PLANNING CONTEXT AND DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT

Site Location 2.01 The application site is located on the northern side of Great Smeaton, a village in North Yorkshire north of Little Smeaton (figure 1) and sitting between the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales National Parks. The village lies on a slight ridge rising above the , which is a tributary of the River Swale. The A167 ( Road) passes through the village, which is about halfway between Darlington and Northallerton. These thriving market towns are within easy reach providing an extensive range of shops, schooling and amenities. East House is positioned at the far (north) side of an open green, with the parish church on its west side, and road to Hornby on its south side, from which there is a further (disused) vehicular entrance. The application site largely occupies the site of a disused tennis court in the north-eastern grounds of East House close to Hornby Road.

Figure 1: Location plan

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Heritage Planning Context 2.02 There are no designated heritage assets, such as listed buildings or scheduled monuments, within the site boundary. The site does, however, fall within the setting of the Grade II listed East House, the Great Smeaton Conservation Area and near several listed buildings and structures. The planning legislation, policy and guidance described below is therefore considered relevant.

Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 2.03 The desirability of preserving listed buildings and their settings is enshrined within Section 66(1) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (the Act) which states (in part):

‘In considering whether to grant permission for development which affects a listed building or its setting, the local planning authority or, as the case may be, the Secretary of State shall have special regard to the desirability of preserving the building or its setting’.

2.04 With regards to Conservation Areas, section 72(1) of the Act requires that:

‘In the exercise, with respect to any buildings or other land in a conservation area, of any powers under the provision mentioned in subsection (2), special attention shall be paid to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of that area’.

National Planning Policy Framework 2.05 National planning policy for cultural heritage is provided within the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published in March 2012. The opening remarks in the Framework set out the primary objective to achieve sustainable development, a principle that all development should accord with. The NPPF identifies three dimensions to sustainable development; economic, social and environmental. Paragraph 7 identifies that an environmental role includes, ‘contributing to protecting and enhancing our historic environment’.

2.06 In the NPPF, paragraph 17 sets out the 12 core land use principles that should underpin decision making, this includes, ‘conserve heritage assets in a manner appropriate to their significance so that they can be enjoyed for their contribution to the quality of life of this and future generations’.

2.07 Paragraph 128 of the NPPF states, ‘In determining applications, local planning authorities should require an applicant to describe the significance of any heritage assets affected, including any contributions made by their setting…’.

2.08 Elsewhere within the NPPF, it is considered that the most relevant paragraphs to this application are paragraphs 56, 57, 60 and 61 requiring good design and the integration of new development into existing development and paragraphs 131, 132, 135 and 137 regarding conserving and enhancing the historic environment.

2.09 An important element of the social role of the planning system in achieving sustainable development is ‘providing the supply of housing required to meet the needs of present and future generations’. Changes to the National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG) in May 2016 give guidance for Councils in how to consider rural housing policies and state that it is important to ‘recognise the particular issues facing rural areas in terms of housing supply and affordability and the role of housing in supporting the broader sustainability of villages and smaller settlement. This is clearly set out in the NPPF, in the core planning principles’. The NPPG further advises that all settlements can play a role in delivering sustainable development in rural areas and ‘so blanket policies restricting housing development in some settlements and preventing other settlements from expanding should be avoided unless their use can be supported by robust evidence’.

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Hambleton District Council Local Development Framework 2.10 In April 2007 The Core Strategy of the Local Development Framework (LDF) was approved. Within this, policies CP16 and CP17 are particularly relevant.

Protecting and Enhancing Natural and Man-made Assets CP16 ‘Development or other initiatives will be supported where they preserve and enhance the District’s natural and manmade assets, where appropriate defined in the Development Policies Development Plan Document and identified on the Proposals Map’.

Promoting High Quality Design CP17 ‘The requirement to achieve a high quality of design of both buildings and landscaping is a priority in the case of all development proposals. Support will be given for proposals that are consistent with the LDF’s detailed design policies and meet all the following requirements:

i. provide an attractive, functional, accessible, safe and low maintenance development; ii. respect and enhance the local context and its special qualities, including its urban design, landscape, social activities and historic environment, and incorporate public art where appropriate; iii. optimise the potential of the site; iv. minimise the use of scarce resources; v. adopt sustainable construction principles; vi. facilitate access through sustainable forms of transport; vii. secure improvements to public spaces.’

2.11 These core planning policies are supported by Development Policies in the LDF as adopted in February 2008. Policy DP28 Conservation is particularly relevant and states that conservation of the historic heritage will be ensured by:

i. ‘preserving and enhancing Listed Buildings; ii. identifying, protecting and enhancing Conservation Areas; iii. protecting and preserving Historic Battlefields and Historic Parks and Gardens; iv. protecting and preserving any other built or landscape feature or use which contributes to the heritage of the District. Development within or affecting the feature or its setting should seek to preserve or enhance all aspects that contribute to its character and appearance, in accordance with the national legislation that designates the feature, and in the case of a Conservation Area, any appraisal produced for that Area. Permission will be granted, where this is consistent with the conservation of the feature, for its interpretation and public enjoyment, and developments refused which could prejudice its restoration. Particularly important considerations will include the position and massing of new development in relation to the particular feature, and the materials and design utilised.’

2.12 Other relevant policies are DP33 – landscaping and DP 32 - general design.

2.13 The village of Great Smeaton has been identified as a Secondary Village in Policy CP4 of the Core Strategy. The effect of this is that land will not be allocated for housing, unless there are exceptional circumstances, but proposals for housing will be supported within the defined Development Limits where it constitutes infill or other development that is small in scale, or redevelopment, or the conversion of buildings. Development outside but adjacent to the Development Limits may be supported where it constitutes an exception to achieve affordable housing, in accordance with Policy CP9A. Although designated a secondary village, Great Smeaton has many service village services: a school, public house, village hall and an excellent public transport service.

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The Setting of Heritage Assets 2.14 The Historic England document Historic Environment Good Practice Advice in Planning, Note 3 – The Setting of Heritage Assets, advocates a five-step approach for assessing the implications of a proposed development upon the significance of heritage assets as regards a change to their setting, of which the first four steps are relevant to this report:

. Step 1: identify which heritage assets and their settings are affected; . Step 2: assess whether, how and to what degree these settings make a contribution to the significance of the asset(s); . Step 3: assess the effects of the proposed development, whether beneficial or harmful, on that significance; . Step 4: explore ways to maximise enhancement and avoid or minimise harm.

Recent Planning History at East House 2.15 The table below summaries recent planning applications at East House, which were taken from https://planning.hambleton.gov.uk/online-applications.

Application Date Reference Decision Erection of a boundary fence 1988 88/1488/FUL Approved Alterations to existing outbuildings for use as a dwelling (approval 1995 95/50603/L Approved not implemented) 95/50602/P Works to several trees 2010 10/00753/CAT Approved Single storey kitchen extension in the form of an orangery to rear of 2015 15/00059/FUL Approved dwelling, demolition of garage block and construction of new garages 15/00060/LBC and store Works to trees 2015 15/00097/CAT Approved Construction of a new detached dwelling on land to the east of the 2015 15/01639/FUL Approved Coach House. Alterations and extension of Coach House to form single dwelling, 2016 16/01198/FUL Approved formation of new access and construction of a detached triple garage 16/01199/LBC and garden store in the sunken garden

Proposed Development 2.16 The proposed development will consist of the construction of four dwellings with associated private access road including alterations to and renovation of the eastern boundary wall and gate piers at part of the grounds of East House. The proposals are set out on drawings by Matthew Ball, Matt Ball Architecture and Design & Access Statement by Diane E. Baines, DEB Town Planning Consultant and Development Ltd.

8.0 9.0 SITE HISTORY

3.01 The village of Great Smeaton has medieval origins with a manor mentioned in the Domesday Survey (VCH 1914) and with a village layout, i.e. a ribbon layout on a ridge, suggestive of a medieval origin (NY SMR MNY12791). It is first mentioned in 966-972 as ‘smipatune’ meaning 'the smith's farm’ (NY SMR MNY15861). It also appears as such in the Domesday Book of 1086. The economy of the village has developed on agricultural lines.

3.02 Today most of the houses within the village date to the 20th century due to its growth along the main roads to the northeast, south and west. However, a number of historic buildings still survive, including East House. Great Smeaton once stood on the route of the Great North Road between and . It was an important coaching stage and one of the original

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four inns still remains, the Black Bull; the Bay Horse having recently closed and been heavily rebuilt as part of conversion to dwellings. Those that have gone were the Golden Lion at Entercommon and the Blacksmiths Arms in the village, which also traded as the Post Office in the 1840s. It seems to have ceased trading as an inn prior to 1857. The school was erected in 1874. In 1880 a Working Men's Club and Reading Room were established and there was a library with attached coffee house (Bulmer’s Directory, 1890).

3.03 Great Smeaton, like many other villages, has suffered from rural decline over the last few decades. It has lost amenities such as the village shop, the butcher's shop, the blacksmiths, the post office and the Working Men's Club and Reading Room. Amenities that remain, including the Black Bull Pub, the community at St Eloys church, the village hall and the local primary school are therefore of increasing importance to the community.

3.04 East House, which was listed in 1970, dates to the mid-18th century with some 20th century alterations. The house has periodically historically served as the vicarage to St Eloys parish church (DEB 2015, 7). Ordnance Survey mapping of the site is available from 1857 (figures 2-5). A number of changing features and new developments at East House are revealed by the map regression, including extensions to the house, gardens and creation of the tennis court.

Rear garden, seemingly

associated with The Cottage

at East House

Rear garden to East House

East House Field/paddock to East House with scattered trees and trees lining Hornby Road

Coachhouse

Detached

outbuilding The Cottage: (removed by an extension to 1893 OS map) East House

Figure 2: Ordnance Survey map, 1857 (surveyed 1854)

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Coach house and outbuildings now enclosed within a yard with hard and soft boundary and

glasshouse

The Cottage partially rebuilt or significantly remodelled and rear extensions removed from the main house

Figure 3: Ordnance Survey map, 1893

Creation of enclosed

sunken garden and

adjacent informal wooded garden created from paddock/field

Rear extension to The Cottage and new porch to the main house

Part removal of walled

coach house enclosure

and removal of

glasshouse with addition of a small garden store

Figure 4: Ordnance Survey map, 1913

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3.05 The application site developed from a field/paddock to an informal garden between the 1893 and 1913 Ordnance Survey maps. Previous research (DEB Town Planning and Development 2015) has established that the buildings in the grounds also continued to evolve during the 20th century. For example, an extension to the garden store was constructed in the mid-1930s (with an uncomfortable change in roof height), the creation of the store nearest the house (built from a garden wall in the 1920s) and the flat roof double garage and kennel (constructed around the 1950s and with consent to demolish granted in 2015). The 1972 Ordnance Survey map (figure 5) shows the current basic form of the grounds and application site as the tennis court had been created by this date. Interestingly, while the access point from Hornby Road is hinted at on an Ordnance Survey map of the 1950s none of the old maps show it. Perhaps it was created in the early 20th century to serve the coach house yard shown on the 1913 map, although it may be earlier in date. The brickwork and stone cap to the older gate pier match that seen elsewhere on other garden and boundary walls at the house and its grounds.

Figure 5: Ordnance Survey map, 1972

3.06 The cartographic evidence, combined with evidence from recent planning applications, highlights a number of new and significantly rebuilt dwellings and residential estates within Great Smeaton. For ease of reference these are shown on figure 6 overleaf.

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Figure 6: Historical development plan: note extent of modern development in vicinity of site

THE SITE TODAY, ITS SURROUNDINGS AND VIEWS TOWARDS IT

The Site 4.01 The application site forms part of the grounds of East House and is currently largely occupied by an area of hardstanding associated with a disused tennis court, that was created here in the late 20th century. The tennis court is enclosed by beech hedging on three sides and mesh fencing (figures 7-8). The site also includes the informal garden to the east (figure 9 - the site of the approved detached dwelling and garden). Both these areas are located in grounds that were created as informal wooded gardens at some point between 1893 and 1913. They are part of the extensive grounds to the north of East House and form the part of the grounds that extend to Hornby Road to the east that is characterised by the modern tennis court and by a large number of mature trees. The site is well defined to Hornby Road by a low brick boundary wall with a modern timber fence (figure 10). The wall has been repaired and partly renewed on numerous previous occasions. Brick gate piers with stone capping matching that seen elsewhere in the estate historically marked the access route to the coach house/east grounds (figure 11) as first indicated on the 1913 Ordnance Survey map. One of the gate piers has been rebuilt with modern brick in the late 20th century, although both retain their original chamfered stone caps. The other boundaries to the application site are formed by beech hedging.

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Figure 7: Application site looking towards coach house and Figure 8: Application site looking towards open East House. countryside to north

Figure 9: Informal garden with mature trees

Figure 10: East boundary wall along Hornby Road with much Figure 11: Gatepiers in east wall with one modern pier rebuilt and repaired low brick walling in poor condition and one historic survival

East House and its Grounds 4.02 The current gardens to East House display multiple phases of expansion as shown on the historic mapping in section 3 of this report. The original or earliest garden to East House is shown on the mid-19th century Ordnance Survey map and is a formal (part walled) garden to the north (figures 13-14). An adjacent plot of land to the west was also likely former garden land to the house but is now the site of the late 20th century rectory and its grounds. Attached to the east of the East House formal garden is a walled sunken garden some 1.5m-2m lower in ground level (figure 15). Consent has been granted for a triple garage with associated landscaping changes within part of this garden (figure 16). To the east of this is the application site described. The village green to the south of East House is also part of its grounds (figure 12).

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4.03 East House is approached from the open green (figure 12). It is a mid-18th century dwelling that comprises a two-storey house with lower wings to each side, one of which is two storey and one single storey. There are dormers in the front roof slope. The two-storey wing on the left hand (northwest) side is known as The Cottage and has approval for conversion to a separate dwelling given that it has formed an annexe for some years with a separate entrance door. At the rear there is a shallow 2½ storey projection with gable, with a two storey flat roofed extension alongside.

4.04 Approximately 10m southeast of the house there is a single and two storey detached former coach house, with external steps. This has permission for conversion and extension for residential use. Approximately 5m north-east of the house, opposite the entrance, there is a small single storey store constructed of brick with clay pantile roof and an attached mid-20th century flat roofed garage and dog kennel with enclosure (with consent for removal). On the west gable wall there is ramped pattern of brick indicative of a previous garden wall here.

4.05 The coach house aligns with the garden wall to the east that extends eastwards to Hornby Road. This forms the east boundary of the application site. There is a second access off Hornby Road, currently disused. To the south of the coach house, the site is fenced from the green with a park style railing. The gardens are enclosed and subdivided by a mixture of brick boundary walls, fencing, beech and topiary Yew hedging.

Figure 12: Key view to East House and its coach house across Figure 13: Formal lawned garden to north of East House the green

Figure 14: looking towards rear of East House and its garden Figure 15: Sunken lawn looking towards formal garden across high brick wall separated by steps and a brick garden wall

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Figure 16: Looking towards site (triple garage approved on the lawn in the foreground)

Surroundings 4.06 When approaching by the wide main road from Northallerton, 7 miles to the south, the road makes its first sharp turn on entering the village, trending north-west in the direction of Croft. The historic and modern rectories lie among trees, which extend behind the church and village to the west of East House and its grounds. At the east end of the churchyard, south of East House, is a small triangular open green. East House is the dominant large house in the village. Other houses are closely grouped round the road on each side of the churchyard and are mainly of brick or roughcast with tiled roofs. Modern residential estates are found to the west of the church and east of Hornby Road where they generally continue the ribbon form of settlement pattern.

4.07 The village commands extensive views of the surrounding countryside with the parish church built on the highest point within the village where the churchyard is surrounded by a high brick wall.

Views 4.08 The application sits is not visible from the green as views are blocked by the coach house (figure 12) with the consented extension to the coach house, new dwelling and triple garage providing further screening from the village and East House and its gardens. The east and south boundaries of the site are high and screen it from views along Hornby Road. If the five bungalows proposed for construction to the north of the site along Hornby Road (application reference 16/02124/OUT) were to be approved, this would further screen the application site and proposed housing from view when approaching Great Smeaton from Hornby.

ASSESSMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Policy Framework 5.01 In Annex 2 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) ‘significance’ is defined as ‘The value of a heritage asset to this and future generations because of its heritage interest. That interest may be archaeological, architectural, artistic or historic. Significance derives not only from a heritage asset’s physical presence, but also from its setting’.

5.02 Annex 2 of the NPPF defines a ‘heritage asset’ as ‘A building, monument, site, place, area or landscape identified as having a degree of significance meriting consideration in planning decisions, because of its heritage interest. Heritage assets include designated heritage assets and assets identified by the local planning authority (including local listing)’.

5.03 The importance of identifying the significance of a site is highlighted in the NPPF as this is essential in informing future change to heritage assets. The aim of conservation is to sensitively manage

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change to ensure that significance is protected, and also revealed, reinforced and enhanced, at every possible opportunity.

5.04 This assessment of significance has been informed by non-intrusive site investigation combined with a review of historic mapping and secondary source material. This appraisal considers the significance of the heritage assets and the role played by the site (if any) in contributing to their significance if part of their setting. The appraisal makes use of the five-step methodology set out in the Historic England Historic Environment Good Practice Advice in Planning Note 3 – The Setting of Heritage Assets (2015). However, Step 5 (make and document the decision and monitor outcomes) has been omitted, as this is a matter for the decision maker.

Step 1 – Identify the heritage asset 5.05 This section assesses those heritage assets that have the potential to be affected by the development proposal by virtue of a change to their setting. If the development is ‘capable of affecting the contribution of a heritage asset’s setting to its significance or the appreciation of its significance, it can be considered as falling within the asset’s setting’ (Historic England 2015, 8). Setting is defined as ‘the surroundings in which a heritage asset is experienced’ (Historic England 2015, 2).

5.06 The following designated heritage assets (listed buildings and the conservation area) within Great Smeaton have been identified during the production of this report. The list entries for these are reproduced below and their location in relation to the application site is plotted on figure 17.

Map No. 1 Name East House List entry no. 1150907 Date first listed 31 March 1970 Designation Grade II Description House. Mid C18 with some C20 alterations. Red brick, pantile roof. 2 storeys with attics, 5 bays with 2 bay, 1-storey wing to right and to left a lower 2-storey, 1-bay wing with a 1- storey, 1-bay wing beyond. Main block: central 6-panel door in large brick C20 porch with pantile roof. All windows are 18-pane sashes with stone sills and flat brick arches. Plain eaves band. To roof are 3 segmentally pedimented dormers, the outer ones having 3-light casements, the central one with a 2-light casement. Shaped kneelers, stone coping, end stacks. Right wing: two 18-pane sashes with stone sills, stone coping and end stack to right. Left wing: to right a 6- panel door, overlight with diamond shaped glazing bars. To left a double sash with glazing bars. First floor: 8-pane side-sliding sash, end stack left. Outer right wing: 20-pane casement. Listing NGR NZ 34882 04458 Map No. 2 Name Church of St Eloy List entry no. 1190573 Date first listed 31 March 1970 Designation Grade II Description Church. C13, C15, mostly rebuilt by G E Street in 1862. Ashlar, Welsh slate roof. Nave with south aisle, lower chancel, north vestry. Nave: 3 bays. South side, catslide roof to aisle. To right of left-hand bay a gabled porch with pointed-arched chamfered doorway below relieving arch, impost bands, stone coping, gable cross. Windows, plate traceried in style, 3 twin trefoil-headed lancets, similar single lancet to east. To west side, 2 tall trefoil-headed lancets with quatrefoil over, to nave. To north side, 2-light pointed geometric traceried windows. Stone coping, gable cross to east. To west a bellcote, square on plan, arcaded sides, with tall pyramidal roof. Pointed Y-tracery west window to aisle. Chancel: 2 bays, two 2-light windows with pointed arches, geometric tracery and hoodmoulds. East window: 1862 of 3 stepped cusped pointed lights with hoodmould and relieving arch. Interior: south arcade, early Perpendicular, 3 bays, 2 octagonal piers with chamfered pointed arches. To each end a figured corbel. Chancel arch, similar with impost

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band. Norman round font with diaper pattern. Good wall monument 1804 by Fisher of York to Henry Hewgill, Rector, Hornby Grange. Listing NGR NZ 34818 04454 Map No. 3 Name Table tomb 5m to south west of south porch of Church of St Eloy List entry no. 1190587 Date first listed 13 November 1987 Designation Grade II Description Table tomb. Early to mid C18. Stone. Rectangular stone with worn lettering, set on 6 short thick baluster type legs. Listing NGR NZ 34820 04449 Map No. 4 Name Table tomb 3m south of chancel of Church of St Eloy List entry no. 1315136 Date first listed 13 November 1987 Designation Grade II Description Table tomb. Mid C18. Stone. Rectangular stone with worn lettering, on 6 baluster type legs; between the legs are stone fielded panels. Listing NGR NZ 34826 04449 Map No. 5 Name Tombstone of Richard Scott 1760 5m to south of south porch of Church of St Eloy List entry no. 1150871 Date first listed 13 November 1987 Designation Grade II Description Tombstone. 1760. Stone. Rectangular slab with shaped top commemorating 'Richard Scott', (lettering quite worn). Around lettering is cusped ogee arch. To outside an eared egg-and-dart architrave, within each ear is a skull and crossbones. Top forms a scrolled pediment, below it a cherubs head with angels wings. Listing NGR NZ 34816 04438 Map No. 6 Name The Old Rectory List entry no. 1190590 Date first listed 31 March 1970 Designation Grade II Description House. Early C19. Red brick in Flemish bond, brick and ashlar dressings, Welsh slate roof. 2 storeys, 3 bays. 3 steps to central 6-panel door, below fanlight with radial glazing bars in architrave with impost bands. Stepped surround of Doric pilasters, frieze and cornice with pediment above. To left an unequally hung 20-pane sash window below flat brick arch. To right a late C19 canted bay with glazing bar sashes, frieze and cornice; Continuous sill band, broken by canted bay. First-floor band. Three 16- pane sashes with continuous sill band and flat brick arches. Dentilled brick, cornice. Hipped roof, ridge stacks. Listing NGR NZ 34816 04504 Map No. 7 Name Phoenix House List entry no. 1150872 Date first listed 13 November 1987 Designation Grade II Description House. Late C18. Red brick in Flemish bond with machine tile roof. 2 storeys, 2 bays. Central C20 door in C20 pedimented surround with fanlight cutting into original flat brick arch. All windows are 16-pane sashes with stone sills and flat brick arches. Shaped stone kneelers, stone coping, end stacks. Listing NGR NZ 34758 04469 Map No. 8 Name Milepost c.30m to south east of Church of St Eloy

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List entry no. 1190565 Date first listed 31 March 1970 Designation Grade II Description Mile-post. Late C19. Cast iron. Triangular section pillar approximately 1 metre high, with sloping top inscribed "London 228", left face inscribed "Darlington 9" and right face inscribed "No' Allerton 7". Listing NGR NZ 34841 04402 Map No. 9 Name Great Smeaton Conservation Area Designation Conservation Area Description No character area appraisal. This is a village with medieval origins and much 20th century rebuilding and expansion. It occupies raised ground with a linear village morphology.

5.07 The location of these heritage assets is shown on the figure 17 in relation to the application site.

Figure 17: Physical location of proposal site in relation to the designated heritage assets within Great Smeaton

Step 2 – Assessment of whether, how and to what degree these settings make a contribution to the significance of the heritage asset 5.08 Setting is not a heritage asset, rather its importance lies in what it contributes to the significance of a heritage asset and therefore the paragraphs below identify the factors that contribute to the significance of the designated heritage assets identified above, what the settings are (in which they are experienced), how these contribute to their significance and whether the application site falls within the setting(s) and makes a contribution.

The Application Site 5.09 The site is not a designated heritage asset and does not contain any such heritage assets within its boundaries but does fall within Great Smeaton and within the wider setting of East House, a Grade II listed building. The east boundary of the site is also formed from a boundary wall that is curtilage

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listed due to its relationship with East House. The tennis courts are a late addition to the site and are physically separate from the house, as is the informal garden. They have low historical values in capturing the later development of the grounds and leisure uses of its former owners and some aesthetic values in terms of the survival of mature trees in the eastern garden.

East House 5.10 East House occupies the principle position fronting the village green. It was once known as Smeaton Hall and - in addition to the old rectory - is the most significant dwelling in the village. It is significant as a mid-18th century house, for being a good example of Georgian architecture, for its historical role as a former rectory and its group value with the old rectory, church, village green and to a lesser extent its coach house and formal landscaped gardens which were developed by the mid-19th century. It has also retained a number of original and historic internal features.

5.11 At East House, the principal setting within which the house is experienced is from and by the village green to the forefront of the house. This aspect affords open views of the frontage and glimpses of the coach house, which is screened by mature trees. An important contributor to the setting of the house is made by the original garden and by the trees that frame the house and provide a green backdrop. They also screen the gardens from public view. In contrast the application site makes a negligible contribution with the exception of the mature trees in the eastern part of the site that do make a minor positive contribution.

Great Smeaton Conservation Area 5.12 The application site does not contribute to the character or appearance of the conservation area and is physically separate from it. It does not form a designed landscape or other historic element of interest. The only two elements at the application site that positively contributes to the conservation area are the mature trees and the brick boundary wall along Hornby Road.

5.13 There is no character appraisal for the conservation area, however, it seems likely that the elements which positively contribute to it are as follows:

. The long history of a settlement here with Anglo-Saxon origins. . The ribbon form of the village, its morphology and its raised location with panoramic views across the landscape and towards the river. . The cluster of listed buildings within the village (which includes East House and adjacent church and rectory). . Historic buildings of local interest. . The green and mature trees.

Listed Buildings within Great Smeaton 5.14 The listed buildings within Great Smeaton are of national interest for their historic and/or architectural interest. The church also has high evidential and communal heritage values due to its historical and modern role within the religious and community life of the village and as repository of village history. Located on a platform of higher ground, the church also commands extensive views and is visible from many points within the village, being a key local landmark and with aesthetic heritage values (church architecture and a churchyard) that contributes to its significance. The church has a strong group value with the listed table tombs in the churchyard, the old rectory and to a lesser extent with East House given their historical and physical relationships.

5.15 The principal setting of the listed buildings are as follows:

. Tombs - with the church and churchyard. . Old rectory - with the church. . East house - with the church/churchyard and green. . Milepost - with the road to which it relates and the building at its immediate rear.

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. Phoenix house - with its rear garden and terrace within which it sits.

5.16 The application site has no historical or physical associations with any listed or historical buildings, other than East House and its coach house and boundary walls/gate piers. None of the listed buildings, again with the exception of East House and its curtilage structures, can be experienced from the application site. Therefore these are not assessed further as the development proposals will not affect their setting.

Summary Statement of Significance The application site lies within the setting of East House and its curtilage listed coach house, boundary wall to Hornby Road and gate piers to the disused entrance from Hornby Road. It does not lie within the setting of any other listed buildings within the village and does not contribute to their significance. The mature trees within the application site positively contribute to the character and appearance of Great Smeaton Conservation Area. Within the exception of the mature trees and boundary wall along Hornby Road, the application site does not positively contribute to the conservation area.

The application site represents a later addition to the grounds of East House, when a paddock was developed as an informal wooded garden at the turn of the 20th century and later when the tennis court was installed in part of the informal garden. The site is not part of the primary garden setting to the house and is instead peripheral to it, separated by the sunken garden (with permission for the erection of a triple garage, which will further visually and physically separate the application site from East House and its primary setting). The application site makes only a very limited contribution to the significance of the house, primarily through the survival of mature trees and the brick boundary wall and gate piers along Hornby Road.

HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENT

6.01 This section assesses the heritage impact of the proposed development, continuing to employ the five-step process recommended by the Historic England guidance in identifying the range of effects the development may have on the settings of the designated heritage assets and to evaluate the resultant degree of harm or benefit to the significance of the heritage assets.

Step 3 – Assessment of the effect of the proposed development on the significance of the assets The Proposal 6.02 The proposed development will consist of the construction of four dwellings with associated private access road including alterations to and renovation of the eastern boundary wall and gate piers at part of the grounds of East House. The proposals are set out on drawings by Matthew Ball, Matt Ball Architecture and in the Design & Access Statement by Diane E. Baines, DEB Town Planning Consultant and Development Ltd. The drawings are:

. PL 01 Location & Existing Site Plan. . PL 02 Approved Development. . PL 03 Proposed Roof Plan. . PL 04 Proposed Ground Floor Plan in Site. . PL 05 Plot 1 Proposed Drawings. . PL 06 Plot 2 Proposed Drawings. . PL 07 Plot 3 Proposed Drawings. . PL 08 Plot 4 Proposed Drawings. . PL 09 Proposed Site Elevations. . PL 10 Street View Photo Montage Illustration. . PL 11: Proposed Site Entrance.

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6.03 Due to the poor condition of the brick boundary wall to Hornby Road, and the failure of a number of ad-hoc repairs and renewal over time, the proposals seek to carefully dismantle and rebuild this on the same alignment and using traditional bricks and lime mortar with header brick coping to match the historical arrangement. The access will also be widened by 2.4m in order to accommodate modern vehicles with the gate piers rebuilt to their current form and appearance using traditional materials.

Potential Heritage Impacts Location and Siting 6.04 The application site forms an enclosed tennis court and informal garden with a defined curtilage that will not sufficiently effect the Conservation Area or any other designated heritage so as to cause a material impact. The boundary will reflect existing boundaries within the site. This is not a sensitive location, with the tennis court on site being late 20th century in date and with a modern housing development on the opposite side of Hornby Road to the application site. Indeed Great Smeaton is not an intact historical village. The extent of 20th century development is illustrated on figure 6, highlighting the capacity for sensitive new development in the village.

6.05 At East House the principal setting within which the house is experienced is from and by the village green. The formal garden to the rear provides a private setting to the house. Mature trees also make an important contribution to its setting with the coach house and boundaries also contributing, albeit to a more limited extent. The proposal would not adversely alter this principal setting of the house.

6.06 The application site was historically separate from the curtilage of East House and was a paddock or field. It is remote from East House and has a different character, which shows relatively little influence from the main house and its designed gardens. Historic maps also show that other buildings extended both further along the front boundary and deeper into the site than they do at present. The site is also clearly separated from the principal dwelling and its outbuildings. The main garden to the rear of the house is raised some 900mm above the ‘second’ garden comprising the sunken lawn and tennis court area. It is bounded by a traditional garden wall. The ‘second’ garden is in turn clearly defined by existing boundary hedges. These boundaries reflect boundaries shown on the historic maps.

6.07 These various historical and current separations mean that the main house is experienced only in occasional glimpses from within the application site due to intervening physical barriers. This separation will be further reinforced by the approval for a new triple garage block along the boundary with the tennis court (Reference – 15/00059/FUL) and the approved proposal for a single detached dwelling within the informal garden adjacent to Hornby Road (Reference 15/01639/FUL). This considerable separation means that the proposed dwellings will not form part of, nor be viewed in the same context as, the building group which comprises East House, the Cottage, coach house and ancillary garden buildings.

6.08 No key views will be impinged by the development and the development is sited in a location that will not physically or visually isolate any heritage assets.

Form and Appearance 6.09 The proposed houses are 1½ storey in height with pitched pantile roofs and brick elevations. They also employ the use of stained timber cladding and contemporary window and glazed door forms. The gable ends of the single storey end bays to plots 1, 2 and 3 and part of plot 4 employ an architectural language that references historic outbuildings and rural estate buildings, acknowledging the coach house to East House. The form and appearance of the proposed dwellings signals that they are contemporary buildings in a historic context near East House and also near late 20th century suburban housing along Hornby Road. The timber cladding and glazed openings successfully disrupt

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massing and respond to the setting, which contains a number of mature trees. The proposed dwellings have been sensitively designed and limited in height.

6.10 The application site retains all the existing number of mature trees within the plot. There also remains a large number of trees within the site located between the coach house, main house and new dwellings that serve to break up the setting of the heritage asset. These trees will screen the new dwellings from the main house and ensure that there is no, or very limited, intervisibility between them. The combination of distance, changing ground levels, lower ridge height and set back position, coupled with extensive tree screening means that the new dwellings will have a neutral effect upon the setting of the designated heritage assets.

6.11 The new dwellings are set at a ground level approximately 2m below that of the main house and over 1m lower than the coach house. This significant differential in the height of buildings ensures the impact on the setting of the main heritage assets by these lower and less than two storey dwellings will be negligible.

Additional Effects 6.12 Inevitably, the development will result in slight increases to noise and activity in this area and some “light spill” and additional movement of people and vehicles, however the intensity of this is in- keeping with the village location and with only three additional houses proposed in the development (given that one house has been consented previously) this minimises these effects.

6.13 The careful dismantling and rebuilding of the brick boundary wall to Hornby Road using reclaimed brickwork where possible and matching brickwork with traditional lime mortar is considered to be a positive enhancement. This is because, despite a patchwork of ad-hoc repairs over time to the detriment of its aesthetic heritage values, the existing wall is in a poor condition and these works will secure its long term structural stability and improve its aesthetic appearance. The widening of the current gateway presents a negligible impact given that this is a secondary entrance, not shown on any historic maps so presumably associated with the coach house and informal garden rather than the house, and one of whose gate piers has been rebuilt in the late 20th century meaning that it lacks historic integrity.

Permanence 6.14 The development is considered to represent a permanent addition to the village to help address a housing shortage. The small number of proposed dwellings is low i.e. being sensitive to the character of the local area and the context of the site.

Step 4 - Maximising Enhancement and Minimising Harm 6.15 Enhancement is maximised and heritage impacts made negligible by the location and siting, design, character and form of the proposals as discussed above. The rebuilding/repair using traditional materials to the low brick boundary wall to Hornby Road is an enhancement. This is because it secures the long-term stability of a wall that has been heavily rebuilt in patches over time but is in poor structural condition overall. The access, flanked by brick gate piers, will be widened but the form of the gate piers (one of which has been rebuilt) and the capping stones will be recaptured. The retention of the low brick boundary wall, an access point here and the existing mature trees preserves those elements of the site that positively contribute to East House and its setting and to the conservation area. The belt of trees along the boundary with Hornby Road will screen the site from public view such that the new dwellings will not be viewed in relation to the main house.

6.16 Rather than seeking to follow the modern suburban style of housing on the other side of Hornby Road, the mix of traditional vernacular style and materials of the proposed housing, with contemporary touches, reinforces the historic character of the conservation area and harmonises with East House and its coach house.

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Public benefits 6.17 Great Smeaton has been designated a secondary village and has many service village services: a school, public house, village hall and excellent public transport service. Additional family dwellings will help to sustain these vital services, bringing a sustainable public benefit in line with the policy intentions of the National Planning Policy Framework.

6.18 Although partially outside of Great Smeaton’s settlement boundary, the Council’s Interim Policy Guidance and paragraph 55 of the NPPF seek to support development in rural areas which will help to sustain key services. Great Smeaton Academy Primary School, located at the centre of the village, has a wide catchment area accommodating children from surrounding villages, including Hornby and as far as Middleton St. George and Low Dinsdale. The school has a ‘Good’ Ofsted rating and accepts pupils from the ages of 4-11. As at December 2015, there were a total of 40 pupils on the school roll (according to the Ofsted Report at Appendix 1) although there were no children in the early years stage of the school. The school capacity is 70 pupils which would suggest that there is not only spare capacity but that the school places are significantly undersubscribed.

6.19 In addition to the above, the village is also centred on a key bus route with bus stops to the south of the Church on Northallerton Road. These stops provide access to regular bus services (every two hours, Monday - Saturday) operating between Northallerton and Darlington, stopping at a number of local villages including Brompton and North Cowton.

6.20 The site relates to a Secondary Village which has been assessed as sustainable under Policy CPD4. The proposed development would therefore help to enhance and maintain the vitality of this rural community in compliance with Paragraph 55 of the NPPF. The proposal is therefore in compliance with the Council’s Interim Policy Guidance and should be considered acceptable in principle for small- scale housing development. They will make a positive contribution to sustainable housing development in the Hambleton district, especially as the council is unable to demonstrate a five year supply of housing land.

Heritage Impact: Summary In summary the proposals are considered to have a neutral impact upon the character and appearance of the conservation area and its listed buildings and a negligible impact upon the special interest of East House for the reasons summarized below:

1. The application site was historically separate from the curtilage of East House and there is not a strong historical association. 2. The application site does not form part of the original setting of East House and is physically separated from it with a variety of visual and physical barriers. 3. The separation of the grounds of East House and its outbuildings from the application site is reinforced by: . The approval for a new garage block along the boundary with the tennis court (Reference – 15/00059/FUL). . The approved proposal to extend the existing hedge boundary with a wall. . The approved proposal for a single detached dwelling within the informal garden adjacent to Hornby Road. 4. Various historical, current and forthcoming separations mean that the main house is experienced only in occasional glimpses from within the application site due to intervening physical barriers. 5. The application site is different in character from the site of the main heritage asset. The gardens relating to the house, and adjacent to it, are formal and semi-formal, whilst the application site is separated by a beech hedge and characterised by very informal woodland planting and a tennis court with hard surfacing the wire mesh fencing. There is limited sense of the influence of the main heritage asset in this area which is disused and largely unkempt and unmanaged.

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6. The siting of the proposed dwellings is remote from the heritage assets, is disconnected from them and will instead form an enclave with the approved detached dwelling within the informal garden. They will not be viewed in the same context as the building group that comprises East House. 7. The new dwellings are set at a lower ground level than the heritage assets and are subservient to, and separated from, the main house being less than two storeys high. 8. East House and the coach house directly front the village green. The principal setting of the village green remains unchanged and for reasons given above the new dwellings will have a very limited visual presence within the setting of the heritage assets. 9. The new dwellings will be screened by existing mature trees and beech hedging and by the consented triple garage. 10. There remain a large number of trees within the informal garden, lining Hornby Road and located between the site, coach house and main house. These serve to break up the ‘setting’ and offer screening. 11. Repairs to the boundary wall and gate piers, reusing historic brickwork or introducing complimentary brickwork where this is needed, are a positive enhancement.

CONCLUSION

7.01 This Heritage Impact Assessment has been prepared to assess the potential impact upon the significance of the Grade II listed East House, Great Smeaton Conservation Area and any designated heritage assets within the village by virtue of any change that might affect their setting arising from the proposal to erect four dwellings on the site of a tennis court and informal garden in part of the grounds of East House.

7.02 This report finds that there are no heritage conservation grounds for refusal of consent as no designated heritage assets will be sufficiently harmed to warrant refusal. Indeed the impact ranges from neutral (upon the conservation area and its listed buildings) to negligible/minor beneficial (for East House and its curtilage listed boundary wall respectively). Given this, the heritage planning policies and objectives of local and national policies are met. Furthermore, given that the Council is unable to demonstrate a five-year supply of housing land, paragraph 14 of the NPPF is engaged. This states that permission should be granted for development unless the adverse effects of doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits. This development, within an established village context, brings significant public benefits while having no heritage grounds sufficient for refusal of consent.

7.03 No elements that contribute to the special interest of any nearby listed buildings or the character and appearance of the conservation area would be adversely affected by the proposed development to an extent that would preclude it. There are no adverse impacts visually, from noise, transport etc that would preclude the development on heritage grounds.

7.04 The proposed development is considered to accord with sections 66(1) and 72(1) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, the National Planning Policy Framework and the policy guidance provided in the Local Plan.

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SOURCES CONSULTED

Published and Unpublished Documents Bulmer (1890). History and Directory of North Yorkshire.

Communities and Local Government (2012). National Planning Policy Framework.

DEB Town Planning and Development Ltd (2015). The Coach House, East House, Great Smeaton: Heritage, Design & Access Statement – conversion to dwelling and new garage.

English Heritage (2008). Conservation Principles, Policies and Guidance.

Historic England (2015). Historic Environment Good Practice Advice in Planning Note 3 – The Setting of Heritage Assets.

Websites Archaeological Data Service – http://ads.ahds.ac.uk

British Geological Survey – http://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyofbritain/home

Hambleton District Council online planning applications - https://planning.hambleton.gov.uk/online- applications

Heritage Gateway - http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/gateway/

Historic England Archives - http://www.historicenglandarchives.org.uk/

Pastscape - http://www.pastscape.org.uk/

'Parishes: Great Smeaton', in A History of the County of York North Riding: Volume 1, ed. William Page (London, 1914), pp. 198-199. British History Online http://www.british- history.ac.uk/vch/yorks/north/vol1/pp198-199 [accessed 30 March 2017].