Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

CHAIRMANS INTRODUCTION Today Calverton is a strong, active, well networked community. Despite our very low population density and lack of geographical proximity, we are proactive in making our village a great place to live. Despite being a small village our population is of the optimum size for us to have a thriving community, without being so big as to fragment into smaller units. Participation is high and we are able to work with the local authority and other agencies to ensure that our voice is heard. However, we live in an area where we feel physically under threat of urbanisation, of being swallowed by large scale housing developments and of losing all that is special and unique in a community that has survived successfully since well before Roman times. The Western Expansion Area could be viewed as a threat, but it is also an opportunity for us to address our sustainability in the context of the bigger picture. We believe that Calverton offers something that is special and unique to the wider community in Milton Keynes, not only in terms of amenity but also as an opportunity for individuals to relate to the heritage and the landscape surrounding the city. We welcome the opportunity the Localism Act has given us to prepare a Community Led Plan. This enables us to have a real say in future of our community and its place in the future of Milton Keynes. This Plan could not have been compiled without the support and input of our residents, who contributed actively to consultations and debate. Special thanks go to David Lock for his work in the early stages, David Muston for photos, Crad Allerton, John Lourie and Kate Fraser for proofreading, Milton Keynes Council for their help in preparing maps, the Conservation Department for allowing us the use of their photos and Bob Wilson, Nicola Thompson and many other Council Officers who have given help and advice, Rob Gifford and Charles Wheeler of Stony Stratford Town Council, Graham Stewart of Whaddon Parish Council, Phil Bowsher of Milton Keynes Parks Trust and all the other individuals who have helped and contributed in many ways.

Pat Stafford Chair, Calverton Parish Meeting May 2014

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...... 5 1. BACKGROUND ...... 7 1.1 WHO WE ARE ...... 7 1.1.1 Our Community ...... 7 1.1.2 Calverton Residents Association ...... 7 1.1.3 Calverton Parish Meeting ...... 8 1.2 OUR VILLAGE ...... 9 1.2.1 Planning History ...... 9 1.2.2 Ecclesiastical Parish ...... 9 1.2.3 Conservation Area ...... 9 1.2.4 Listed Buildings ...... 10 1.2.5 Growth since the 1980’s ...... 10 1.2.6 Infrastructure and Environment ...... 10 1.2.7 Flooding ...... 11 1.2.8 Utilities ...... 12 1.3 OUR HERITAGE ...... 13 1.3.1 Origins ...... 13 1.3.2 Our Church...... 13 1.3.3 Calverton Manor ...... 13 1.3.4 World War II ...... 14 1.3.5 Lion’s Mouth (Gorrick’s) Spring ...... 15 1.3.6 Famous and Notorious Residents ...... 15 1.3.7 Economic Development...... 16 1.3.8 The Coming of Milton Keynes ...... 16 1.4 OUR PLACE IN THE LANDSCAPE ...... 17 1.4.1 Topography ...... 17 1.4.2 Our Landscape ...... 17 2. PLANNING FOR OUR FUTURE ...... 19 2.1 INTRODUCTION ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. 2.2 METHODOLOGY ...... 19 3. THEMES & ISSUES ...... 21 3.1 Our Community ...... 21

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

3.2 Our Landscape, Environment, Growth and Infrastructure ...... 22 3.2.1 Landscape...... 22 3.2.2 Environment & Growth ...... 24 3.2.3 Infrastructure ...... 26 3.3 Heritage ...... 28 4. VALUING THE PAST, FACING THE FUTURE : Our Action Plan ...... 29 4.1 Community ...... 31 4.2 Landscape ...... 33 4.3 Growth & Environment ...... 35 4.4 Infrastructure ...... 37 4.5 Heritage ...... 39 5. NOTES & APPENDICES ...... 41 5.1 Notes ...... 41 5.2 APPENDIX 1 : 2011 Census ...... 45 5.3 APPENDIX 2 : Our Planning History ...... 47 5.4 APPENDIX 3 : Listed Buildings in Calverton ...... 50 5.5 APPENDIX 4 : Our Physical Geography ...... 53 5.6 APPENDIX 5 : Design Guide for Calverton and the Wealds ...... 57

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Calverton is one of Milton Keynes’ oldest communities, but one that knows it must also look to the future. We are proud of our long history, enlivened by many unusual characters; from Bronze Age settlers to being part of the Station X network in WW2. We value the importance of our heritage, but we are also a modern community networked into the wider world, with the expectation of ‘fit for purpose’ infrastructure and services to support our community that is, only a couple of narrow fields from one of the modern and most forward looking cities in UK. Our location, with the three Wealds spread out over two miles, belies our close and active community. We value our physical heritage and our Conservation Area with many Listed Buildings, but we are also aware of the need to move with the times. However, we have already lost a substantial area of our surrounding countryside to the WEA. An additional six thousand five hundred new homes are to be built on land that was formerly part of our Parish. We believe that to continue to thrive as a community we cannot stand still, and we already have experienced steady growth in the number of homes in the village. We welcome incremental growth, but realise that if we grow too large we will lose much of what makes our community work and all that is the essence of our settlement throughout its long history. Building on our initial consultations that identified all the positive aspects of our community and the challenges facing us now and in the future, we identified the Themes important to our future:  Community  Landscape, Growth, Environment and Infrastructure  Heritage From these, we were able to identify our Issues, which can be broadly stated as:  maintaining our strong community,  improving our utilities,  mitigating the threat of floods,  preserving our wildlife and countryside,  mitigating the impact of the WEA and,  preserving our physical heritage and celebrating our history From these we were able to develop our Aims and Action Plan that protects those things that are important to us through is supported by the following tools:  well defined Settlement Boundaries  supporting the Conservation Area  an effective Design Guide  the preservation of our surrounding Open Countryside. We believe that this Community Led Plan for Calverton provides a way forward that not only looks to the future but ensures that our very special heritage is given the value it deserves.

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

1. BACKGROUND The Localism Act (2011) has brought about many changes in relation to community rights. This includes the ‘Right to Plan’ which gives communities the right to have a say in the future of the places where they live, through drawing up a Neighbourhood Development Plan. The criteria laid down for the development of these plans are very strict and complex. Calverton and the Three Wealds are a small community, led by a civil Parish Meeting, linked to the long established and pro-active Calverton Residents Association. We believe that our promotion and development of a robust Community Led Plan is more appropriate to our size and is an acceptable and viable alternative to a full Neighbourhood Development Plan. Community Led Plans are initiatives led by local people planning for the future of their village, parish or neighbourhood. They do this by producing a common vision of how their community should look or develop in the future, and work together to achieve this through the statutory planning system and/or other means. This document represents Calverton’s vision and strategies, based on our environment, heritage and sustainability, to maintain our historic village as a sustainable and thriving community in the 21st century.

1.1 WHO WE ARE This Plan has been prepared by Calverton Parish Meeting/Calverton Residents Association.

1.1.1 Our Community Calverton is a lively community of approximately 157 adults and children1. Research2 has shown that this is the optimum size for participation in large groups. The closeness of our community, our high levels of participation in activities and events, and an easy neighbourliness bears this out – especially relevant in a community that has few regular church attendees or indeed pub goers and no village shop to congregate in! In addition to our pub, The Shoulder of Mutton, which has recently been taken over by new and enthusiastic landlords from within the village, there are also 3 businesses operating from converted barns in Upper Weald.

1.1.2 Calverton Residents Association The 1959 New Towns Act allowed the Government to designate the locations for New Towns and establish the relevant Development Corporations. In 1961, the Government, decided to create a new town in Buckinghamshire, to designate its area and to appoint a New Town Development Corporation to build it. In 1967, Milton Keynes Development Corporation was created. The proposed area for the new city was announced. It would swallow Calverton and the Wealds. Founders of Calverton Residents Association in 1967 celebrating the exclusion of Calverton from the new city

1 Appendix I : 2011 Census 2 Dunbar, R. I. M. (1993). See Note I

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

The village was quick to mobilise, establishing a Residents Association to take on the Development Corporation in a David and Goliath battle. In January 1967, they succeeded in removing Calverton from the proposed Designated Area of Milton Keynes. From its inception Calverton Residents Association (CRA) has been at the centre of village life working with the local authority on day to day matters, from potholes and verges to flooding and footpaths, coordinating responses to council consultations and campaigning for improvements when necessary. It has an active committee and each year runs social events that are lively, well attended and that bring our community together. In addition to these core activities CRA is parent to the Calverton Records Project that records and researches our local history and Calverton Book Group. Calverton’s Jubilee Lunch

1.1.3 Calverton Parish Meeting In 2005, Milton Keynes Council decided that the entire council area should be fully parished and that a Parish Meeting should be established for Calverton. The statutory Parish Meeting model meant that whilst having an elected Chair, there should only be two meetings a year to which all residents should be invited. For CRA, this would be a retrograde step, as not only were there already two full meetings a year, but there was also a large active committee that met throughout the year on a regular basis. After negotiating with the Council, it was agreed that Calverton would operate a system of shared responsibility3, with the elected Chair of the Parish Meeting also being the Chair of CRA and the role and the responsibilities being delegated to CRA, annually by a motion, at the Parish AGM. This model not only allowed us to maintain a broad democratic structure, but also allowed us to carry out a wider range of activities than those that would be allowed through the Parish Meeting. One of the conditions set by CRA for our acceptance of Parish status was that we would not raise a precept. The village continues to manage its affairs under this model and we continue to have high participation rates in our activities. Following the designation of the Western Expansion Area (WEA) in 2005, a revision of parish boundaries meant that Calverton would be part of a large urban parish including land which was previously open country, but would now be part of the WEA. Following a referendum in 2010, it was decided (contrary to the view taken by the Parochial Church Council) that Calverton should remain as a rural Parish Meeting comprising the area outside the WEA, and support MK Council in forming two new urban parishes to cover the new development areas (Fairfield to the north of Calverton Lane) and Whitehouse (to the south). Calverton’s Parish Boundary

3 See Note 2

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

1.2 OUR VILLAGE The Parish of Calverton is a village of 1574 people and 72 households5. It lies to the West of the new city of Milton Keynes, just outside Stony Stratford. The village is made up of the original ecclesiastical Parish of Calverton which includes Upper, Middle and Lower Wealds, the settlement around All Saints Church and Calverton Manor, plus a number of outlying farms.

1.2.1 Planning History This is not the first plan to deal with our future. In 1983 the Council developed a Plan for Calverton, followed by the 2003 local Plan which led to the designation of the WEA in 2005.6

1.2.2 Ecclesiastical Parish The ecclesiastical parish boundaries are not contiguous with those of the civil parish. The Church of All Saints is part of a larger parish that includes St Mary’s, Stony Stratford.

1.2.3 Conservation Area In 1971, a Conservation Area was designated in Calverton and Lower Weald, this was extended in 2009 to incorporate parts of Middle Weald. The Conservation Area Summary of Special Interest 7 describes it thus: The distinctive characteristic of the proposed conservation area is that of simple stone- built vernacular buildings in a pastoral landscape setting arranged along the line of a single road. Amongst the surrounding fields is the evidence of old track ways and open field farming. Lower Weald, Calverton itself is an attractive wooded settlement dispersed along a shallow valley into which flow two streams. The village survives largely unaffected by twentieth century housing development. At the northern end is an important group of buildings containing the manorial farm complex, church, former school building and almshouses. An ornate walled park surrounds the former Rectory at Calverton Place in which there are numerous mature trees that can be seen from public vantage points. Rectory Farm in Lower Weald maintains the village's link to the surrounding countryside.

4 2011 Census Appendix 1 5 2013 Electoral Roll 6 Appendix 2 : Our Planning History 7 Calverton Conservation Area Review can be found at: https://www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/planning-and-building/conservation-and-archaeology/calverton- conservation-area-review

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

1.2.4 Listed Buildings As a historic village, Calverton is fortunate in having a number of listed buildings8 of which two, Calverton Manor and All Saints Church are Grade 2*. In addition, in Lower Weald, there are 22 Grade 2 listed buildings and a number of Grade 2 bridges and walls. There are a further 4 Grade 2 listed buildings in Upper Weald.

1.2.5 Growth since the 1980’s Since the 1980’s the village has experienced slow but steady growth in the number of residencies. This incremental growth has allowed us to gradually absorb the growing number of residents into our community. This has included 10 barn conversions and 6 new houses. In addition, 2 barns have been converted to business premises. This represents a growth in residential properties of 23%. When the initial plans for the Western Expansion Area were presented, they subsumed the entire village into the development with the village becoming a narrow park with development to the east and west. This proposal galvanised the residents into action and the far western development proposal was quickly dropped due to infrastructure constraints. CRA continued to work to ensure that the final boundaries of the expansion area minimised harm to our historic setting and have continued to be pro-active around issues connected to the expansion. In order to maintain our rural identity, the village agreed that rather than include the proposed 6,000 houses within our existing Parish; a proposal which would have left the existing community as a minority voice, new Parishes of Fairfield and Whitehouse would cater for the land within the WEA. However, this does not negate the fact that the land which is being developed for housing was formerly part of Calverton, and we would contend that represents significant housing growth in the area.

Map Calverton vs WEA/Fairfield?

1.2.6 Infrastructure and Environment Living in an attractive historic setting is not without its disadvantages. Whereas the city of Milton Keynes benefits from the full range of high quality infrastructure, smaller rural communities do not have these advantages. Important issues for the sustainability of our community, apart from the threat of being subsumed into the city, centre on our infrastructure and the environment.

8 Appendix 3 : Listed Buildings in Calverton

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

1.2.7 Flooding Lower Weald is notoriously prone to flooding. The junction of the two brooks which carry heavy flows from off the hill, and the substantial run-off from the lane produces significant flooding to the road on a regular basis, and flooding to homes when conditions are extreme. Our watercourses have been given "critical" status by the Drainage Board. This means that they conduct management/maintenance activities annually, due to the risk of flooding. In April 1998 major floods occurred, these were a ‘120 year’ event that caused significant flooding to 11 properties and another in 2007 when properties were flooded. The illustration (below) of the 1998 flooding in Lower Weald shows that the extent of the flood was far greater than in the environment agency flood map below.

Flood Zone 3

Flood Zone 2 Flood defences

(Not all may be shown*) Areas benefiting from flood defences (Not all may be shown*)

Main rivers

Environment Agency Flood Map for Calverton In 2000, in response to the 1998 event, the Council undertook improvements to the culverts in Lower Weald in an attempt to prevent the brooks backing up and overflowing. Further improvements were made by constructing a divert channel in the grounds of Calverton House, for when there are heavy flows. However this particular change seems less effective than first anticipated and houses are still at risk, as demonstrated by the 2007 event. However, flooded roads are a constant issue that affects both residents and road users. When the road floods it becomes a ford and on three or more occasions each year is flooded to levels

where it becomes impassable.

1998 Floods, Lower Weald

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

1.2.8 Utilities Our location, in open country to the west of Watling Street, has made it uneconomic for utility companies to provide mains gas. Households rely on various combinations of electricity, liquid gas, oil or solid fuel for cooking and heating; this can be expensive and less convenient than a mains gas. Electricity is brought to us through overhead lines. Although the supply has become more stable since new cable was installed, we are still prone to power cuts and the service is vulnerable to

external incidents. The telephone service is also delivered by overhead cables. These are not only vulnerable to lightening strike and other mishaps, but cannot deliver the high speed internet connections necessary for residents, including home workers, and businesses to be able to access the full range of modern media. There is no cable for either television or broadband, and those living in listed buildings or in the conservation area cannot fit satellite dishes. Not only are overhead installations unsightly, particularly so in a historic rural conservation area but they do not provide the quality of service and supply that is necessary in an era when more and more people conduct business from their homes.

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

1.3 OUR HERITAGE

1.3.1 Origins The settlement of Calverton dates back some 4,000 years. The Roman settlement from 350AD predates that of Stony Stratford. Recent archaeology has revealed extensive evidence of Iron, Bronze Age and Roman settlements, including a Saxon burial ground of national significance. The foundations of the 12th century medieval longhouse were excavated in Lower Weald in 2001.

1.3.2 Our Church Our Parish Church, originally known as All Hallows was founded around 600AD, has Registers from 1559. The church was rebuilt on its original foundations in 1818. In the 19th Century the Church was linked to the Oxford Movement and John Henry Newman, was a visitor to The Old Rectory and it is believed that he prepared, if not wrote, some of his Tracts for the Times there. He later became a Roman Catholic Cardinal and in 2010 was beatified by Pope Benedict II – a precursor to becoming a Saint.

1.3.3 Calverton Manor The Manor of Calverton was held by Bisi, a retainer to Edward the Confessor. Following the 1066 Norman invasion, the manor was gifted to Hugh de Bolbec. The 1086 Doomsday Book records de Bolbec’s holdings:9

After many years in the ownership of the Earls of Oxford, the Manor was bought by Sir Thomas Bennet, a former Lord Mayor of London in 1616. His nephew Symon Bennet inherited the house. After his death, his widow Grace Bennett became notorious for treating local people badly, clearing and enclosing land but letting it grow wild. She married off her daughter Frances, at the age of 13, to the dissolute teenager James Cecil, the 4th Earl of Salisbury, of Hatfield House. Following the early death of her husband in 1994, Frances became the first woman to make the Grand Tour of Europe.

9 Hugh holds CALVERTON himself. It answers for 10 hides. Land for 10 ploughs; in lordship 3 hides; 3 ploughs there. 18 villagers with 8 smallholders have 7 ploughs; a ninth possible. 9 slaves 1 mill at 13s 4d; meadow for 5 ploughs. The total value is and was £10; before 1066 £12. Bisi, a thane of King Edward's, held this manor. There a man of Queen Edith's had 2 hides as one manor; he could sell.

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

Grace was murdered in the Manor in 1693, by a butcher and a helper from Stony Stratford. They were arrested at Beachampton Wood, tried in Stony Stratford, and hanged in Calverton. In 2011 and 2012, the Grade 2* listed Manor featured in BBC2’s Restoration Home television series.

1.3.4 World War II

1.3.4.1 Station X Calverton enjoyed a relatively eventful World War II, playing a role in the work of Bletchley Park and Whaddon Hall, in their communications with agents throughout occupied Europe. The remains of the brick generator house can still be seen in the field adjacent to the Church. During the War, the field to the south of the Church played home to an array of masts linked to a cluster of huts where forces personnel Remains of Transmitting Station, Lower Weald broadcast messages to our agents in Europe. There was a larger station and mast array adjacent to Upper Weald in Calverton Lane. Here, messages were received from agents in Europe. The foundations of the buildings are clearly visible and, as in Lower Weald the remains of the brick generator buildings are still standing.

1.3.4.2 Bombs For such a small village, Calverton unusually suffered three bombing raids. The first two, two weeks apart involved strings of bombs centred on the Fairfield Farm house. The third and more spectacular was the dropping of 50 incendiary devices on Lower Weald. No.4 Charity Cottages’ roof was damaged, together with a number of barns. Villagers were reported as running for cover and hiding under the bridges over the brook – bombs were for towns and cities

no not for quiet rural hamlets. ARP Report of bombing in Lower Weald, 17 May 1941

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

1.3.5 Lion’s Mouth (Gorrick’s) Spring Close to where the road through Calverton joins the Beachampton Lane is the historic Gorrick's Spring. Tucked into a leafy hollow close to the village road, it has a very peaceful feel to it, surrounded by trees, with the water trickling from a rather battered stone lion's head beneath the steps. The spring was renovated with funding from Milton Keynes Council in the late 1980s, but is now in need of significant works. When "Gorrick's Spring" flows fast and clear, Stoop down and drink for health is here; If Gorrick's Spring should e'er run dry, Lion's Mouth Spring 1938 "Beware for Pestilence is nigh." (Wolverton Photographic Society)

Extract from Romance around Stony Stratford by R. Ewart Barley)

1.3.6 Famous and Notorious Residents For such a small community, Calverton has produced a surprising number of famous and notorious residents.  Two Lord Mayors of London o Sir Thomas Bennet, owner of Calverton Manor, in 1603 o Sir Ian Bowater of Calverton House in 1969

 An Archbishop o John Habgood, grew up in Calverton. He became Archbishop of York in 1983 and in 1995, was created a life peer as Baron Habgood of Calverton

 A murder victim o Grace Bennet, widow of Sir Thomas Bennet’s Grandson Symon, was murdered in 1693.

 An early feminist o Grace Bennet’s daughter became the Countess of Salisbury, following the death of her dissolute husband in 1694, became the first woman to make the Grand Tour of Europe.

 A notorious Duchess o Margaret, Duchess of Argyll well known socialite in the early 1960s, whose divorce from the Duke created a major scandal was a resident of Calverton House during WW2 when she brought her children to the village.

Margaret, Lord Habgood, Frances Cecil Duchess of Argyll Baron Habgood of nee Bennet, Calverton Countess of Salisbury Image courtesy of the 15 National Portrait Gallery

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

1.3.7 Economic Development For most of its history, Calverton was an agrarian community. The land lent itself to a mixture of livestock and arable farming. But by the late 19th and early 20th centuries the growth of industry, particularly the building of the railways and canals brought about subtle changes. The development of a large railway works at Wolverton provided employment for many in the surrounding areas; there was even a special Works Bus to pick up and drop of workers from local villages including Calverton. The 1911 Census records several villagers employed by the works, and shows that in Nos. 1-5 Lower Weald alone, four of the houses had individuals identified as employees of the Railway Works. By the mid 20th century, villages such as Calverton were in decline. Mechanisation had reduced the need for labourers and the economy was providing opportunities for those prepared to move. The population had reduced significantly. Houses occupied by extended families numbering 10 or more were reduced to single occupancy. Instead of the numerous children shown in Victorian photos, there were very few and many of the houses were occupied by couples or single people and the population was ageing.

1.3.8 The Coming of Milton Keynes In 1967 Milton Keynes Development Corporation was created, with revised plans skirting round Calverton and the Three Wealds. Development of Milton Keynes brought about significant change. Not only did people move to the new city to enjoy the opportunities for employment and better housing, but many also moved into the surrounding villages giving them new life. Calverton was one of these villages, rejuvenated by the new families restoring the community and making it the thriving place it is today.

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

1.4 OUR PLACE IN THE LANDSCAPE

1.4.1 Topography Calverton and the three Wealds run from the high ground surrounding Upper Weald. A single ribbon-like lane runs the length of the village, winding downhill through Middle Weald to Lower Weald, where it runs along the valley of the Stacey and Whaddon Brooks and through to join the Great Ouse just south of the village.10 To the Great Ouse in Stony Stratford is flanked to the south, by the linear park, part of the network of parks developed by Milton Keynes Development Corporation and passed on to Milton Keynes Parks Trust when the development of MK was passed to the Commission for New Towns. In 2011, the Parks Trust acquired 218 acres of land located on the north bank, reached by a footbridge from the riverside parkland, to extend the park through to Passenham.

1.4.2 Our Landscape Calverton is situated in an area of attractive landscape, with open views across the hills. During the days of MKDC, the views across to Calverton and beyond from Watling Street, were thought significant enough for MKDC to have created a ‘window’ in the high hedge that then marked the city boundary, to allow those using the road to enjoy the exceptional vista. This has now grown over and will soon be lost completely as the WEA developments are built. The fields within the village envelope form some of the most extensive and best preserved ridge and furrow farmland in the region. This dates back to early strip farming, but today is valued by farmers as

the increased surface area provides extra grazing.

1.4.2.1 Walking The countryside surrounding Calverton is crisscrossed by a network of footpaths and recreational walks that are popular with residents of Milton Keynes who welcome the opportunity to enjoy the attractive countryside. These include a Circular Walk to the west and running the length of the village, Swans Way and many footpaths that provide opportunities for those who enjoy less structured walks.

10 See Appendix 3 : Our Physical Geography

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

2. PLANNING FOR OUR FUTURE

2.1.1 Introduction This part of our Community Led Plan sets out in detail how we have undertaken our planning process and the themes and issues that have emerged. We have looked at the issues around planning and physical development and we have also identified issues which are of practical importance for the sustainability of our community.

2.1.2 Methodology Our approach to generating our Community Plan has been simple. We have used our existing systems of Meetings, Newsletters, email and notices to keep people informed and augmented these with more focussed workshops and consultations.

2.1.2.1 Communications The village is proactive in its communication with a seasonal newsletter which is circulated both electronically and as hard copy. We have email addresses for 85% of the households and use email and paper flyers for distributing information and details of meetings. In 2009, we received a grant from Milton Keynes Council that allowed us to upgrade our notice boards and, as with other close rural communities, we understand the value of word-of-mouth.

2.1.2.2 Meetings Calverton Residents Association (CRA) is the village’s channel of communication and consultation. CRA has a minimum of two full meetings a year: an AGM and a regular Half-Yearly Meeting, together with the ability to call special meetings if appropriate. We have used regular meetings to keep people up-to-date with planning matters and have used these meetings to introduce the plan, provide feedback on progress, seek opinions and discuss issues. We have also used workshops to consult and elicit what people felt was important and good about our community, and to identify those things that were our key issues. We used SWOT11 analysis as it is a simple tool to identify the salient issues.

2.1.2.3 Consultation We presented our initial conclusions to a meeting, to ascertain whether what we were proposing was in line with people’s thinking and to gain feedback and identify any complications or further issues. We have also used our consultation opportunities not only to identify issues, but also to gain consensus on acceptable solutions. This has not always been easy and our first draft, following consultation and a vote, was withdrawn at our 2013 AGM and we returned to the drawing board. We have used subsequent consultations to ensure that we are on the right lines and that there is a consensus behind our proposals, that we have not missed anything and that there are no serious errors or misunderstandings. A further consultation was carried out at our Half-Yearly Meeting and by email and changes incorporated. We then moved to develop our final plan which was put out for consultation in March 2014.

11 SWOT Analysis examines Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

To ensure that we identified all issues and to maintain, wherever possible, a consensus, we circulated drafts to our wider stakeholders, including non-resident agricultural landowners, businesses based within the village and our neighbouring parishes. One unexpected outcome our consultation, was to develop a dialogue with our neighbouring parishes, Whaddon Parish Council and Stony Stratford Town Council regarding traffic management. Although we have conflicting views on the issues and possible solutions, we realised that traffic management along the western flank of MK was a joint concern and now plan to work in partnership to seek solutions.

2.1.2.4 Milton Keynes Council We found the officers at Milton Keynes Council very supportive in answering questions, directing us to appropriate information sources, in the production of maps and plans and amongst other things, providing us with a ballot box for the vote.

2.1.2.5 Acceptance of Plan Once the full draft of the Plan had been circulated to the residents and stakeholders for final comments, we produced the final version. This was circulated via email and in hard copy to all households to ensure that everyone on the electoral roll had the opportunity to read the document. There was then a secret ballot of all electors in the Parish to ensure that the Plan was supported by the majority of our community, with Final approval to be given at the AGM of the Parish Meeting in May 2014.

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

3. THEMES & ISSUES In our initial consultation, a number of themes emerged as important to our community: 1. Building a sustainable community that does not grow beyond its optimum size 2. Ensuring a defined Settlement Boundary to maintain our character and community. 3. Ensuring the visual coherence of the physical environment that reflects our heritage 4. Supporting the Borough’s long established countryside protection policies, and the areas designated as open countryside. st 5. Acquiring 21 century infrastructure to ensure our sustainability. 6. Protecting and celebrating our heritage and its place in the broader history of MK

These can be encapsulated under three headings:  Community  Landscape, Growth, Environment and Infrastructure  Heritage From our analysis of these Themes and Issues we were able to develop our Aims and build them into an Action Plan that creates a way forward that not only faces the future but ensures that our very special past and heritage are given the value they deserve.

3.1 Our Community Key Themes  Sustaining a pro-active community with a strong sense of identity  Maintaining an ideal size to sustain activities, neighbourliness and effective participation Key Issues  Growth leading to fragmentation in our community and loss of identity  Fear of becoming a suburb of Milton Keynes rather than a rural community with a history going back more than 2,000 years.

Residents feel that Calverton is a great place to live. The village is friendly, and residents believe that they have ‘great neighbours’. There is plenty going on, and our population is the ideal size to sustain activities, neighbourliness and effective participation. It is also a low crime area. Residents value the strong Residents Association and Parish Meeting. However, the population is ageing and there are few families with children. People feel that travelling distances to schools and shopping, and the lack of any useful public transport, means that families need to be able to afford to run two cars in order to live here. On the other hand, the rural setting is attractive to single people and couples who enjoy living the countryside but close to the amenities of a large town. Pressure for further expansion creates a fear that if the village became much bigger, it would fragment into smaller isolated groups. We have a sustainable and thriving community; we do not want to lose it.

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

3.2 Our Landscape, Environment, Growth and Infrastructure Our residents welcome the Planning Bill and Localism agenda, as the opportunity to articulate the major worry of being swallowed by the growing city, through development being imposed from outside. We have already lost a substantial area of our surrounding countryside to the WEA. An additional 6,500 new homes are to be built on land that was formerly part of our Parish the boundary only being redrawn to allow us to maintain our rural identity. Our residents and agricultural landowners have different priorities. Residents are attracted by the amenity of the countryside, the landscape and historic setting. The agricultural landowners are concerned about the sustainability of their businesses and are alert to future opportunities to maximise the return on their assets.

3.2.1 Landscape Key Themes  Preserving attractive and historic landscape  Encroachment of the urban area Key Issues  Ensuring a robust buffer of trees and other planting between village and the WEA  Sustainability for farmers with clear boundaries that protect the long-term future agriculture  Protection and preservation of our abundant wildlife and historic ridge and furrow fields The village is in an attractive setting, running along a single road surrounded by ancient ridge and furrow pasture. The rolling countryside provides a delightful setting for the village that is split into three distinct settlements, descending into a valley divided by the Stacey and Whaddon brooks12. There is an abundance of wildlife and the area is criss-crossed with footpaths that allow recreational walkers to enjoy unspoilt countryside close to their homes. The surrounding farms are a mix of Open countryside map pastoral and arable, with sheep and cattle grazing the ridge and furrow areas, whilst the arable farming takes place on the outlying land. These areas are designated as Open Countryside13. There are the remains of an ancient stone quarry near the Beachampton Road.

12 See Appendix 4: Our Physical Geography 13 See note 3

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

We believe that a robust landscape barrier is essential in defining the boundary of the WEA and to minimise its visual impact through landscaping that is both effective in screening and sensitive to our historic landscape. This will also serve to protect our abundant wildlife.

WEA area, as seen from Lower Weald There is a proposal for a new cricket ground, with two pitches, on the boundary of Calverton and Fairfield Parishes. This would not only provide Milton Keynes with a valuable sporting facility, but also serve to provide further green space between the new development and the open countryside.

Proposed cricket field on the boundary of Calverton and Fairfield Parishes, east of Middle Weald, to the south of the proposed new storm water pond. Drawing courtesy Tudor Cowley/CMI Consulting Ltd.

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

3.2.2 Environment & Growth Key Themes  Pressure from further expansion of MK  Sustainable growth and development  Flood risk  Effects of mineral extraction Key Issues  Potential future development  Risk of urbanisation through infill development  Reducing the risk of flooding  Minimising impact of mineral extraction Calverton has an historic church and a pub, but no other social amenities; nevertheless the village has a thriving and active community. Calverton has grown steadily over the past 30 years. The 52 homes, existing in 1980, have been joined by 16 new dwellings, either as new builds or barn conversions, an increase of nearly 30%. Two further barns have been converted into commercial premises. It was originally intended that the WEA with its 6,500 new homes would remain within our parish boundaries. However, we felt that this area should be redefined to become an urban parish. This does not negate the fact that these new homes will be built on land that was originally within our boundaries. We would oppose any further westward expansion of the city boundaries and we believe that these boundaries are essential in preserving our historic landscape and rural character. Our population is around the optimal size for a strong community14; pressure for further development could destroy the things that make our community work so well. Residents, although not adverse to more low key incremental growth, believe that Calverton has played its part in providing for housing growth through the land incorporated in the WEA. The Conservation Area has meant that development within the area and beyond has been appropriate and sympathetic, maintaining the integrity of the rural design and feel. There are still opportunities for infill within the village which would allow for sustainable incremental growth. To this end we propose a series of Settlement Boundaries which delineate the village envelope for each of the four settlement areas.15 This would clearly delineate them from the Open Countryside and Conservation Area and ensure that development takes place only within these defined areas.

Proposed Settlement Boundaries

14 Ibid Dunbar 15 For detail see Note 4

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

To support this we have developed An Outline Design Guide for Calverton and the Wealds16. This sets out the guidelines for any new build or development to existing buildings to ensure that they are in harmony with their surroundings, not only within the Conservation Area, but also throughout the rest of the village. Lower Weald is prone to flooding at times of heavy rain when the Stacey and Whaddon brooks become overloaded. We experience regular flooding when the road must be closed as it is impassable by all but the largest vehicles. These produce bow waves that can push water into homes. In addition, there are rarer flood events that result in significant damage to people’s homes for example the floods of 1998 and 2007. Not only was there substantial loss and damage to the contents of homes, but also structural damage forcing people to leave whilst the properties were dried out and building work completed. Although there has been some flood mitigation work, we still experience road closures and there is still a threat to a number of houses if there is prolonged or very heavy rainfall when the surrounding area is already waterlogged. 1998 Bailing out in Lower Weald Mineral extraction is taking place along the Ouse at Passenham. Most of this has already been agreed, although we are alert to the potential for changes and new licences. We reiterate our position that traffic management measures should confine heavy traffic to the north bank.

16 Appendix 5

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

3.2.3 Infrastructure Key Themes  Traffic and transport  Delivery of utility services  Developing digital infrastructure Key Issues  Parking and Traffic Management including pedestrian safety  Lack of public transport  Undergrounding electricity and telephone services  Poor provision of services  Provision of high speed broadband and cable TV The numbers of cars within the village are increasing - the 2011 Census data showed that there are more motor vehicles than adults in Calverton. Roads are becoming increasingly busy. The ramifications of the closure of Calverton Lane are unknown, and the logic for this proposal is unclear to some. There is a great deal of doubt about assurances given regarding future traffic levels, especially in relation to the potential development of a larger supermarket in the centre of Stony Stratford, local traffic into Stony Stratford from the WEA and the Stony Stratford Neighbourhood Plan’s support for an extension to the H1 (Ridgeway). Stony Stratford’s demand for the reawakening of the proposal for extending the H1 to the Beachampton Road is strongly opposed. The development is inappropriate, will drive traffic through the Wealds and Passenham, and would produce little or no benefit to those who are most affected. Although we have different preferred solutions, our consultations with Whaddon and Stony Stratford, have led us all to the conclusion that a comprehensive study of traffic flows, throughout the wider area, including start/destinations, data modelling of the effects possible change is essential before any major alterations are made. Such a study should include Passsenham and Beachampton to ensure that any changes do not transfer problems to neighbouring communities. Public transport in the village is virtually nonexistent. A single bus runs once a week on Fridays, taking passengers into the City Centre. They have little more than an hour to do their shopping before the bus leaves on its return journey.

Traffic in Lower Weald

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

Although situated just outside the city boundary, we suffer from weak utility infrastructure. The Calverton Conservation Area and high numbers of Listed Buildings mean that many of us cannot receive satellite TV and media. The absence of fast broadband is an increasing problem as more people work from home and more and more services are delivered on-line. Problems are experienced with other services. Phone and electricity are delivered through overhead cables which are not only vulnerable, but also an eyesore in a Conservation Area. Many homes have low water pressure that prevents them installing energy efficient boilers. There is no mains gas, cable TV or fibre optic broadband. Indeed, it is ironic that, when Milton Keynes was planned in the 70’s cables were installed to prevent the visual clutter of TV aerials on newly built homes, yet in a historic conservation area, television aerials and overhead wires are a universal presence. We believe that it is a reasonable expectation to have the same levels of infrastructure as those available only a couple of fields away in the WEA or in Stony Stratford where they are soon to get superfast broadband.

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

3.3 Heritage Key Themes  Protecting our historic setting  Maintaining and celebrating our history Key Issues  Supporting the Conservation Area  Increasing awareness of our history  Restoring Lion’s Mouth Spring Calverton has an unusually long and fascinating history dating back over 4,000 years, with settlements dating back to the Bronze Age. Calverton Manor and All Saints Church are Grade 2* listed and there are 22 other listed building and structures in Lower Weald and a further 4 in Upper Weald. Lower Weald and parts of Middle Weald are within the Calverton Conservation Area. There also the remains of WW2 Bletchley Park radio installations in both Upper and Lower Weald. We realise that our character goes beyond the built environment and that the soft landscape is crucial to our character as is our historic field system and the need to ensure that they preserved and well maintained and kept free from visual clutter. This includes Gorrick’s Spring which is in need of repair, re-planting and improved access. We are committed to maintain our unique physical character not only through the established channels offered to us through our Conservation Area and the planning processes but more proactively, by active monitoring and maintenance by residents and ensuring that our history is publicised and celebrated. Gorrick’s Spring 2013

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

4. VALUING THE PAST, FACING THE FUTURE : Our Action Plan Calverton is one of Milton Keynes’ oldest communities, but one that knows it must also look to the future. We are proud of our long history, enlivened by many unusual characters, from Bronze Age settlers, to being part of the Station X network in WW2 and much more. We value the importance of our heritage, but we are also a modern community networked into the wider world, with the expectation of ‘fit for purpose’ infrastructure and services to support our community that is only a couple of narrow fields from one of the modern and most forward looking cities in the UK. Our location, with the three Wealds spread out over two miles, belies our close and active community. We value our physical heritage and our Conservation Area with many Listed Buildings, but we are also aware of the need to move with the times. We believe that to continue to thrive as a community we cannot stand still, and we already have experienced steady growth in the number of homes in the village. However, we are also aware of the threat to all we value through urban encroachment. We welcome incremental growth, but realise that if we grow too large we will lose much of what makes our community work and all that is the essence of our settlement throughout its long history.

This section sets out our Action Plan to achieve these aspirations.

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

4.1 Community

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

4.2 Landscape

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

4.3 Growth & Environment

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

4.4 Infrastructure

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

4.5 Heritage

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

5. NOTES & APPENDICES

5.1 Notes 1. Dunbar Numbers An intimate community is one in which some members recognize and are recognized by all of the others, and most of the members recognize and are recognized by many of the others. This is in contrast to (usually larger) communities where members are known and interact mostly within their own subgroup, such as neighbourhood, department, or occupation. The contrast between the two types is illustrated by comparing hamlet with town, military company with battalion, parish church with diocese, or a country school with a huge urban one. Intimate communities seldom have more than about 150 members. Dunbar's number is based on studies of social animals, which have shown a correlation between the typical frontal brain capacity the members of a species and the maximum size of the groups in which they live.[2] The number of relationships the human brain can handle is large but not unlimited. In a small church the minister typically knows everyone, and the congregation is “one big family.” It is not easy to grow beyond 150 members, however, because that requires (besides a bigger building) augmenting the minister with paid staff, systematically recruiting and training volunteers, and dealing with increased numbers and diversity by developing specialized groups and programs. Educators are advocating subdividing large schools into smaller units so that staff can know all the students and there will be more feeling of belonging, support and continuity. Dunbar, R. I. M. (1993). Coevolution of neocortical size, group size and language in humans. Behavioural and Brain Sciences 16 (4): 681-735.

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

2. Parish Meeting/CRA Model When Calverton accepted enparishment, it was agreed with Milton Keynes Council that it would be on the basis that the work of the Parish Meeting, which was only statutorily obliged to meet once a year, would be devolved to Calverton Residents Association. This would allow it to undertake the full range of its activities including social events ensure that our existing democratic structure was maintained. To accomplish this we agreed an operating model of Shared Responsibility.

Shared Responsibility Model

Role of Parish . Statutory responsibilities only Meeting . Delegates all day to day/consultative role to CRA Role of CRA . Consultations undertaken on behalf of Parish Meeting

. Social programme . Community development . Grass cutting . Insurance . Umbrella Records Project and Book Group . Take decisions to PM for ratification Chairmanship . Same Chair for each body Constituency . Parish Meeting Chair voted by all electors . CRA committee appointed by all residents Meetings . Annual meeting of Parish linked to CRA AGM in October* . Half-Yearly Meeting of Parish to ratify CRA decisions . CRA meets on normal timetable

3. Open Countryside

The definition of Open Countryside in PPG7: The Countryside – Environmental Quality and Economic and Social Development: In the open countryside, planning permission will only be given for development that is essential for agriculture, forestry, countryside recreation or other development which is wholly appropriate to a rural area and cannot be located within a settlement.

* AGM may need to move to April

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

4. Settlement Boundaries We believe that ‘settlement boundaries’ showing the village envelope for each of the four areas of settlement should clearly defined, in order that the areas inside them can be distinguished from that which is designated as ‘open countryside’. Land within the Conservation Area, and that within the curtilage of Listed Buildings, would retain the additional controls. In the proposing settlement boundaries, the outer extent of existing residential properties in the each of the settlements has been followed; in effect, the outer edge of domestic gardens based one OS maps. In the case of farms, the outer extent of the ‘home’ farm enclave has been followed. Boundaries have been chosen so that they are ‘defensible’ i.e. follow established and recognisable features on the ground, or on Ordnance Survey map, or through Google Earth satellite imagery. This includes field boundaries and hedgerows, footpaths, watercourses etc. We have avoided arbitrary lines, for example, through the centre of fields as they are more difficult to identify on the ground.

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

5.2 APPENDIX 1 : 2011 Census

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

5.3 APPENDIX 2 : Our Planning History With thanks to David Lock In 1983 the Council produced A Draft Plan for Calverton, of which only a damaged copy has been found. It is not known whether it was ever officially Adopted as a final document. The Council's analytical diagrams of the village are still useful, and are reproduced here.

1983 Draft Plan :Cover

1983 Draft Plan showing the original Conservation Area boundary and some "attractive vistas", and features considered significant

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

1983 Draft Plan showing the only major development site at that time the former wood yard in Lower Weald (marked "A"). This is now occupied by three large detached houses

The proposed policies in this 1983 Draft Plan permitted change of use of redundant farm buildings to homes "where it is considered that the change of use would enhance the appearance of the village and would meet a particular local need for dwellings of the type proposed". New homes "within the village" would be permitted subject to assessment of the "extent to which it would meet a particular local need"; the amount of accommodation proposed on the site; the impact of adjacent buildings and views; the impact on "the character of the area"; the present use of the land; the retention of any natural features; provision of drainage; appearance; and "access, sight-lines and parking". Small scale industrial and commercial premises would also be permitted, including "craft and studio homes...with a small retail element". The Council said it would take a flexible attitude to the creation of a village shop. should one be proposed, subject to parking arrangements, noise etc. By the late 1990s it was becoming obvious to Milton Keynes Council that the new city was going to have to spread beyond its originally designated boundaries. After many cycles of public consultation, in 2002 the Council published a Draft Local Plan proposing that Milton Keynes should grow in various directions including westwards from Oakhill, down the slopes of Shenley Dens farm to the Whaddon Road at the bottom of the hill. This proposed westerly direction of expansion was on the route of City Road H5 Portway which, the Council argued, connected fresh land directly and by the shortest possible route to Central Milton Keynes.

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

To many residents of the village of Whaddon, however, the proposal appeared to be a sprawling of Milton Keynes over what they called "the Shenley Ridge" (actually the top of a slope from a wide area of higher ground) that ought to be stopped before it swamped their own village and more land in the territory of Aylesbury Vale District Council. The Vale and the County proposed a green belt and other devices as part of a campaign to stop this westwards encroachment, and argued that it would be better for Milton Keynes to grow east across the M1 instead. The case against development on the slopes of Shenley Dens Farm was accepted by the independent Local Plan Inquiry Inspector. But instead of proposing the eastern expansion across the M1 that had been put to him, the Inspector took up a proposal from developers to plan a western expansion, but to pivot the proposed direction of the growth from Crownhill northwards parallel to V4 Watling Street, instead of heading westwards. Thus he proposed allocating for development all the land fronting V4 Watling Street that lay in Calverton Parish. This included the land defended by villagers from inclusion in the New City in 1967, and a similar width southwards of land forming Oakhill Lane Farm and part of Fairfield Farm, as well as the Council's own land (occupied by Two Mile Ash, Shenley Hill, Common, Upper Weald and Whitehouse Farms), which had been part of the Council's own Draft Plan proposal. After a short period of public consultation, in which the Calverton Residents Association was very active even though having been wrong-footed by the Inspector's unexpected intervention, MK Council accepted his recommendation. Shenley Dens Farm is still farmland today, whereas the land between Stony Stratford and the Crownhill Crematorium is prepared for the development of 6,500 new homes, with all the necessary schools, community facilities, shops and amenities that such an area requires. This is a very large development - roughly the same size as the whole of Bracknell New Town when first Designated in 1949.

Milton Keynes Local Plan 2005 - showing the Western Expansion Area

The pale green dot notation is "open countryside" which washes over Calverton and the Wealds. The yellow area with a star is a sand and gravel deposit. The "Linear Park Extension" relates to the Great Ouse Linear Park running through to Newport Pagnell that the Borough Council is piecing together. The black hatching is the Conservation Area boundary (extended in 2009).

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

5.4 APPENDIX 3 : Listed Buildings in Calverton

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

5.5 APPENDIX 4 : Our Physical Geography With thanks to David Lock

MK Council Plan from Draft Core Strategy 2010

Calverton and the Three Wealds have a population of 15717 living in 72 houses.18 The village is on the south side of the valley of the river Great Ouse, which runs east to Newport Pagnell, on to Bedford. and becomes part of the River Nene which reaches the Fens and eventually the North Sea. The Great Ouse is the boundary between Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire. The Great Ouse valley is gentle - the river meanders lazily through the landscape, with broad floodplains that are frequently wet. The river's floodplain near Calverton is to the north of the river, reaching Passenham. Tributaries of the Great Ouse run from the higher areas of boulder clay through which the river passes. Calverton is the point at which the Whaddon Brook runs down to meet the river. Calverton and Lower Weald grew up at the point the packhorse road from east of Newport Pagnell, leading to Buckingham and beyond, crossed the Whaddon Brook. Middle Weald and Upper Weald are situated on the lane which runs along the rising slopes to the west of Whaddon Brook.

17 2011 Census 18 2014 Electoral Roll

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

The pattern of the River Great Ouse running west to east to the north of our area, and the Whaddon Brook running up from the south to meet the Great Ouse, is emphasised here. It is the reason for the pattern of settlement, and the Whaddon Brook tributary of the Great Ouse has been a major influence in forming the vision of a Calverton Linear Park proposed in this plan.

The Great Ouse valley runs from the south west to the north east of this map . The tributaries from the south, from west to east (left to right), are the Padbury Brook (also known as The Twins), the unnamed brook at Beachampton, Whaddon Brook through Calverton and Lower Weald, and Loughton Brook. The River Ouzel valley is just inside the north east corner of the map. Tributaries from the north from west to east are unnamed brooks from Leckhampstead and Wicken, the Dogs Mouth Brook, and the Rover Tove at Cosgrove Priory. The contours are correct on this map (5m intervals) but the colours are exaggerated to assist interpretation of the topography. Topographically, the land rises from about 61m (200ft) above Ordnance Datum in the north and west to nearly 107m (350ft) in the south and east. The soil is a "light and stiff clay with a subsoil of clay and stone" says A History of the County of Buckingham: Volume 4 (1927), continuing that "the greater part is laid down in grass. The principal crops grown are wheat, oats, beans and barley", and the same is mostly true today. In landscape terms the Whaddon Brook and Great Ouse valleys pass through hunting country. To the south was the extensive Whaddon Chase, and to the north the Grafton and Potterspury hunting parks enjoyed by King Henry VIII. Thus the landscape is smattered with woodland blocks, covers and coverts set in open fields, which were eventually Enclosed with hedgerows in stages from the 1600s to the early 1800s. More recently there has been investment in cover and woodland plantings for game shooting on Fairfield Farm. Views to the north, across the Great Ouse, past Passenham and over Deanshanger and Old Stratford are to the Whittlebury Woods and Abbey Wood at Silverstone Grand Prix circuit. Views to the west are of

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future the suburban edge of Stony Stratford, and across V4 Watling Street is the built up edge of Milton Keynes. To the south the Whaddon Brook opens out to a wide headwater basin surrounded by Milton Keynes to the east, with Whaddon Village and wide spaces to the foot of the slopes of Nash, to the south. West the views are foreclosed by the rising ground, from the crest of which can be seen Beachampton Wood which stands above Beachampton Village. The climate locally is very dry, approximately 600mm per annum on average. However, fast run-off in storms or over sodden ground means there can be fierce short periods of flood in Lower Weald if ditches are not regularly cleared.

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

The Western Expansion Area provides for a storm water attenuation pond east of Lower Weald (not shown in the diagram below - its location is on the brook south of the "A" in "AREA 11)) which, it is said, will hold back storm water and improve conditions caused by that part of the catchment. A different scheme, to hold back storm water on the Whaddon Brook south of Lower Weald (such as is shown in the diagram) has been abandoned for the time being on the grounds that the properties affected are too few to make such expenditure worthwhile. The scheme is illustrated here as it may be that the so-called "Luckett Pond" and "Cowley Pond" - areas that would hold back storm water for several days to allow it to flow downstream at a slower rate - will be necessary after all if flooding in Lower Weald is not relieved by the pond to be created in Area 11. It is understood some £239,000 may have been provided by the Western Expansion Area Tariff payment for the Inland Drainage Board to carry out work to the Whaddon Brook if necessary. The public footpath network is extensive: along, around, and across the Whaddon Valley. Paths run from the village to Beachampton and across to Stony Stratford. Routes to various points along Watling Street will either be extinguished or re-aligned along roads and paths in the new development. The great western expansion of Milton Keynes from V4 Watling Street coming west towards Calverton and the Three Wealds, will see the suburban edge of the new city and its peripheral parkland and landscape buffers come within one field's distance of Calverton Lane. The fold in the ground from Lower Weald up to Watling Street will be dominated by the appearance of new development, and by the advance works of a water-attenuation pond which the development is to provide to protect the village from flooding from that direction.

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

5.6 APPENDIX 5 : Design Guide for Calverton and the Wealds Much of the existing character of the village comes from the quality of the buildings and their relationship between the road, areas of private garden and agricultural land. This includes features such as boundary walls and landscape planting which, together, contribute to the appearance and identity of the village. When considering development proposals that may come forward, it is important to establish the key design considerations that, together, capture the essential character of the village. Our 5 key design considerations cover:

1. Scale and Massing 2. Relationship to the road 3. Materials 4. Landscape and Boundary Treatments 5. Parking and Storage

Not only should design considerations be used to shape and influence the form of development from the outset but they should also provide criteria against which proposals can be objectively assessed. Such considerations will be important in shaping our responses to planning applications and other possible changes and demonstrate a proactive stance to accommodating change where appropriate.

1: Development should reflect existing scale and form Scale and massing is critical in ensuring that the size and height of development is appropriate to the character of the village. Existing development is domestic in scale, principally two storeys in height with a pitched roof. There is a mix of small terraces of cottages, groups of converted agricultural buildings often distinguished by their simple, functional forms, as well as other one-off buildings, some of which are village landmarks, for example, the Church, Calverton Manor, the Shoulder of Mutton and the Old School House. Buildings tend to be grouped closely together with variations in eaves and roof height, frequently punctuated by brick built chimney stacks, giving a rich variety and informal rhythm to the layout and disposition of the built form. This reflects the organic and historic growth of the village. New development proposals must respect this character, with proposals limited to two storeys in height in the village. Terraced forms and groupings, with variations in eaves and roof height, will be encouraged.

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

2: Development should have a positive relationship with the road The character of the village depends significantly to the relationship of a building to the road. In the majority of the buildings front onto and overlook the road and associated lanes, the main elevation of the building is the most prominent. Short runs of terraced cottages and houses provide strong visual continuity and enclosure of the road. This is punctuated by some buildings which have been constructed at 90 degrees to the road, presenting an end gable or elevation, adding to the visual interest of the village. Front gardens and the positioning of houses relative to the edge of the road also influence the character and appearance of the village. In some locations, particularly parts of Lower Weald, cottages and houses open directly onto the road without a front garden. Elsewhere small front gardens are present with cottages and houses occupying a position that is higher and set back from the street, for example Manor Farm Cottages and some cottages in Upper Weald. In other locations, particularly in Upper Weald, a few a houses substantial front gardens are set further back from the road are present. There are also farm courtyards, not only as working farms, but also with barn conversions for residential and commercial use. New development proposals should reflect the prevailing character of different locations, ensuring there is a positive relationship with the road and lanes, and a clear distinction between the public fronts of buildings and more private rear garden and courtyard spaces.

4: Landscape and Boundary Treatments should avoid suburban styles The landscape gives the village its distinctive character. Calverton and Lower Weald site within a more enclosed landscape, with areas of woodland and specimen trees, particularly around the church, lending an Arcadian quality to the environment. Boundary treatments are quite formal, with extensive use of brick and stone boundary walls enclosing garden and courtyard spaces and contributing to the close groups of buildings. Middle Weald sits within a more open landscape defined by managed hedgerows. Boundary treatments comprise hedgerows with some metal decorative railings and wooden post and rail fences. Upper Weald also has a more contained landscape character, with areas where long views are available. A mix of hedges and woodland defines particularly the northern approach into Upper Weald, with a mix of different boundary treatments present throughout. Careful consideration must be given to the use of boundary treatments ensuring that they contribute to the prevailing character of the village, resisting more suburban features such as close-boarded fencing and overly ornate gates for example.

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future

5: Parking and Storage provision should not clutter the fronts of buildings Parking can be challenging to accommodate within the built environment, particularly in historic settings. Generally, parked cars on the road are not an especially dominant feature within the village, although there are a couple of locations where there is pressure for parking particularly in Lower Weald. New development must be carefully designed to avoid exacerbating existing parking problems, with space for on plot parking provided that is unobtrusively located away from the building frontage and the road. In addition, space must be allowed for storage, particularly wheelie bins and recycling boxes, so that these are not allowed to clutter the fronts of houses and the adjoining roadway.

Calverton : Valuing the Past, Facing the Future