Dulwich Village Conservation area appraisal Regeneration Department February 2006 www.southwark.gov.uk Conservation Area Regeneration Department Contents Dulwich Village Conservation Area Appraisal 2 1. Introduction 5 1.1 The Purpose of the Appraisal 5 1.2 The Dulwich Village Conservation Area 7 1.2.1 Location 7 1.2.2 Topography 7 1.2.3 Planning History 7 1.2.4 Unitary Development Plan Policies 8 2. Historical Background 10 3. The Character And Appearance of the Area 15 3.1 The Broad Context 15 3.2 Sub Area 1 – Dulwich College 17 3.3 Sub Area 2 – Dulwich Picture Gallery, College Road & Gallery Road 19 3.4 Sub Area 3 – The Old Village of Dulwich 23 3.5 Sub Area 4 – Court Lane, Calton Avenue, Woodwarde Road & Alleyn’s School 27 3.6 Sub Area 5 – The Velodrome, Griffins Sports Field, N. Dulwich Station 31 4. Buildings and Sites of Specific Interest 35 4.1 Listed Buildings 35 4.2 Unlisted Buildings 38 5. Guidelines 42 5.1 Introduction 42 5.2 Development Form and Urban Morphology 43 5.3 Public Realm 45 5.4 Improvements and Repairs 46 5.5 Shop Front Design 50 Appendix: Further Reading 51 Useful contacts 52 Other useful contacts 52 Conservation Area Regeneration Department 1. Introduction 1 Introduction 1.1. The Purpose of the Appraisal 1.1.1 This document forms the basis of a Conservation Area Appraisal for the area of Dulwich Village. It is by no means exhaustive, and merely outlines some of the history and qualities of the Conservation Area. Its intention is to draw out those characteristics that make the Dulwich Village conservation area special. It is also to provide a clear indication of Southwark’s approach to its preservation and enhancement, and guide future development. 1.1.2 Once adopted by the Council this appraisal will be a material consideration when assessing planning applications. It will assist and guide all those involved in development and change in the area. 1.1.3 The statutory definition of a Conservation Area is an “area of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance”. Conservation Areas are normally centered on listed buildings and pleasant groups of other buildings, open space, archaeological interest or an historic street pattern. It is, however, the character of areas, rather than individual buildings, that such a designation seeks to preserve or enhance. The most recent legislation dealing with Conservation Areas is the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act, 1990 (Sections 69 to 78). Guidance to the legislation is provided in Planning Policy Guidance Note No. 15 [PPG15}: Planning and the Historic Environment, published by the Departments of the Environment and National Heritage in September 1994, section 4 of which deals with conservation areas. 1.1.4 Planning legislation requires that special attention shall be paid to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of the Conservation Area. In doing this the emphasis will be on control rather than prevention, to allow the area to remain alive and prosperous but at the same time to ensure that any new development accords with its special architectural, visual and townscape qualities. 1.1.5 This statement has been prepared following guidance given by English Heritage in their note “Conservation Area Appraisals”. For the purpose of this statement, the Conservation Area is divided into five sub-areas shown on figure 1. Conservation Area Introduction 1.2 The Dulwich Village Conservation Area Location 1.2.1 Dulwich Village is located at the southern end of the London Borough of Southwark. Denmark Hill, Camberwell, East Dulwich, Herne Hill and Sydenham loosely border it. Topography 1.2.2 Dulwich is a low-lying area that historically was contained by natural features such as Denmark Hill and Sydenham Hill. The River Effra once flowed nearby, however today it is confined to Belair Park. The land around Dulwich was cleared and drained to create common fields that were used for grazing. Planning History 1.2.3 The Dulwich Village Conservation Area was designated on 7th September 1968 and was one of the first to be designated in Southwark. It was extended in September 1971 to include land to the south of College Road and Dulwich Common. In July 1975 it was accepted by the Secretary of State for the Environment that the area was of “outstanding architectural or historic interest”. A further extension was designated on 15 March 2005 to include the playing fields on the west and north west sides of the village; part of Village Way and Red Post Hill up to North Dulwich station; Alleyn’s School, James Allen’s Girls’ School and St. Barnabas church; and streets to the north of Dulwich Park, including Court Lane and Court Lane Gardens, Dulwich Library, Woodwarde Road and Dovercourt Road. The Dulwich Wood Conservation Area, designated 30.09.1985, is immediately adjacent to the south east and the Stradella Road Conservation Area, designated 26.09.2000, adjoins the extended area beyond the North Dulwich railway viaduct. Sub Area 1: Dulwich College Sub Area 2: Dulwich Picture Gallery, College Road & Gallery Road Sub Area 3: The Old Village of Dulwich Sub Area 4: Court Lane, Calton Avenue, Woodwarde Road & Alleyn’s School Sub Area 5: The Velodrome, Griffins Sports Field & North Dulwich Station. Figure 1: Dulwich Village Conservation Area and sub-areas. Unitary Development Plan Policies POLICY E.4.3: Conditions for Planning Permission in Conservation Areas 1.2.4 The Unitary Development Plan for the London Borough of Southwark was adopted in 1.2.7 ‘Planning permission for proposals affecting 1995. There are three policies in the Plan that relate Conservation Areas will not normally be granted to the conservation, protection and enhancement of except where certain conditions are met. These areas of character, buildings, ancient monuments, conditions are as follows: historic areas, parks and gardens of environmental i) The design of any new development or quality, architectural interest and historical alteration demonstrates that a high priority importance. has been given to the objective of positively preserving or enhancing the character or POLICY E.4.1: Conservation Areas appearance of the Conservation Area; ii) Proposals should pay special regard to 1.2.5 Where appropriate, the Council will historic building lines, scale, height, and designate new Conservation Areas and extend massing, traditional patterns of frontages, existing Conservation Areas. The Council will vertical or horizontal emphasis, plot widths seek to preserve and enhance the character and and detailed design e.g. the scale and appearance of Conservation Areas. The Council will spacing of window openings, and the nature prepare guidelines to identify their special qualities. and quality of materials; Identification of the special architectural and historic iii) Schemes should be drawn up in detail qualities of an area will be based on detailed analysis (outline applications will normally not be of the area. This will include the architectural and accepted); historic quality, character and coherence of the iv) Drawings of the proposals should show the buildings and the contribution which they make to proposed development in its setting and the special interest of the area. indicate any trees to be retained, lost or POLICY E.4.2: Proposals Affecting Conservation replaced, Areas v) A proposal for a site adjacent to or outside a Conservation Area will be unacceptable if 1.2.6 Conservation Area Consent for demolition it would have a significant adverse impact on in Conservation Areas will not normally be granted the character and appearance of the except where certain conditions are met. These Conservation Area; conditions are as follows: vi) The proposed use will not adversely affect i) Consent will not normally be given for the character or appearance of the the redevelopment of, or demolition or Conservation Area.’ partial demolition of buildings, or parts of buildings which make a positive contribution 1.2.8 The Unitary Development Plan is currently to the character or appearance of the under review. A first Draft of the new plan has been Conservation Area; placed on deposit. It is expected that the new plan ii) There are acceptable and detailed plans for may be adopted in 2006. The new draft Unitary the site of the building to be demolished Development Plan, also known as The Southwark or partially demolished. Demolition is not Plan, is supported by a number of supplementary to be undertaken before a contract for the planning guidance documents relating to different carrying out of the works of redevelopment has been themes – including design and heritage conservation made, and planning permission has been granted for – and for different areas. the development. Conservation Area Introduction Heritage Conservation Supplementary Planning • The protection or any retained fabric; Guidance: • An acceptable replacement scheme; • Work requiring listed building consent Section 4, Conservation Areas: without a detailed statement setting out the Section 4.3, Preservation and justification, design approach and methods Enhancement: for the work.” Further Information Paragraph 4.3.1 “In exercising its powers under the Planning Acts and Part 1 of the Historic Buildings 1.2.9 This document is not exhaustive, and and Ancient Monuments Act 1953, the Council further advice and information can be obtained must pay special attention to the desirability for the Planning department, London Borough of of preserving or enhancing the character or Southwark. appearance of its conservation areas. In Southwark this requirement is satisfied in a number of 1.2.10 Information on the review of the Unitary ways including the formulation of conservation Development Plan, including electronic versions of policy, production of supplementary guidance the plan and supplementary guidance, can be found and character assessments, and in assessment on the Council’s web site at www.Southwark.gov.