
East Northamptonshire Council – Oundle Conservation Area Character Appraisal Item 7 – Appendix C Oundle Conservation Area Character Appraisal The Conservation Studio, 1 Querns Lane, Cirencester, Glos GL7 1RL T: 01285 642428 E: [email protected] The Conservation Studio 2009 East Northamptonshire Council – Oundle Conservation Area Character Appraisal 2 www.theconservationstudio.co.uk The Conservation Studio 2009 East Northamptonshire Council – Oundle Conservation Area Character Appraisal 3 Oundle Conservation Area Character Appraisal Contents 1 Statement of the Special Interest of the Oundle Conservation Area 2 Introduction 2.1 Background 2.2 Planning policy context 2.3 Purpose of the appraisal 2.4 Community Involvement 3 The Oundle Conservation Area 3.1 Designation 3.2 Activities and uses 4 Location and Landscape Setting 4.1 Geographic location 4.2 Topography 4.3 Geology 4.4 Landscape setting 5 Historical Development 5.1 Archaeology 5.2 Historical development 6 Spatial Analysis 6.1 Layout and spaces 6.2 Relationship of buildings to spaces 6.3 Landmarks and focal points 6.4 Views and vistas 6.5 Trees 7 Streetscape 7.1 Public Realm 7.2 Boundaries 8 The buildings of the conservation area 8.1 Building types 8.2 Building form 8.3 Listed buildings 8.4 Locally listed buildings 8.5 Positive buildings 8.6 Building Materials 8.7 Shopfronts 9 Character Areas 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Character Area 1: West Street 9.3 Character Area 2: The town centre - New Street, Market Place and St Peter’s Church 9.4 Character Area 3: North Street The Conservation Studio 2009 East Northamptonshire Council – Oundle Conservation Area Character Appraisal 4 10 Issues 10.1 Conservation area boundary review 10.2 Public realm 10.3 Traffic management and car parking. 10.4 Listed buildings at Risk 10.5 The control of unlisted ‘positive’ buildings 10.6 Sites requiring enhancement 10.7 Local List 10.8 Control of new development 10.9 Visitor interpretation 10.10 Shopfronts Appendices Appendix 1 Townscape Appraisal Map Character Area Map Appendix 2 Bibliography The Conservation Studio 2009 East Northamptonshire Council – Oundle Conservation Area Character Appraisal 5 1 STATEMENT OF THE SPECIAL INTEREST OF THE OUNDLE CONSERVATION AREA The key characteristics of the Oundle Conservation Area, which make it worthy of its status as a conservation area are: • A long history, with development starting in the 6th century AD with the establishment of a Saxon settlement which took advantage of the location on rising land above the flood plain of the River Nene; • A monastery was established in the early 8 th century and Oundle developed under the patronage of Peterborough Abbey; • At some stage, probably in the 13 th century, the distinctive burgage plots were laid out along West Street and south of the Market Place; • Today, Oundle is an attractive and vibrant historic town which lies within an attractive countryside setting; • Of note are the surviving burgage plots with their distinctive long thin plots stretching back from the main streets (although some of these lie outside the current conservation area boundary); • The principal open spaces are the Market Place (where frequent street markets are a popular attraction), the widened section of New Street, and St Peter’s Churchyard; • Oundle School is a major driver of the local economy and occupies at least five notable historic buildings within the town centre as well as much of the land to the immediate north of the centre; • The town centre also includes a number of varied shops, banks, public houses, cafes, restaurants and the town’s Tourist Information Office; • High quality public realm with traditional stone paving in the Market Place and in St Peter’s Churchyard; • A high concentration of listed buildings, which form almost continuous frontages along West Street, New Street, the Market Place and North Street; • Four grade I listed buildings - St Peter’s Church, the Talbot Hotel, The Berrystead, and Cobthorne; • Eight grade II* listed buildings including a number of notable town houses and two groups of almshouses; • Many other grade II listed buildings of great merit, such as the former Town Hall in the centre of the Market Place; • A large number of more vernacular listed houses, cottages, and outbuildings, dating to between the 17 th and the 19 th centuries; • The almost universal use of Oolitic limestone (in the form of ashlar blocks or rubblestone), with some Collyweston stone slate roofs or Welsh slate, for most of these historic buildings; • There has been some 20 th century development, particularly on the south side of the town, which has adversely affected the historic layout of the town. The Conservation Studio 2009 East Northamptonshire Council – Oundle Conservation Area Character Appraisal 6 2 INTRODUCTION 2.1 Background This Conservation Area Appraisal has been written by The Conservation Studio on behalf of East Northamptonshire Council. This Appraisal, with the accompanying Management Proposals, will be used to guide future development and improvements in the town in conjunction with existing and forthcoming planning policies adopted by East Northamptonshire Council. The linear conservation area boundary encompasses most of the historic town centre from Stoke Hill in the west, passing through the Market Place and St Peter’s Churchyard, and finishing at the junction of North Street with Blackpot Lane to the north east. It includes some of the principal buildings of Oundle School, but excludes other notable school buildings off Milton Road and Glapthorn Road. It also excludes the rear portions of many of the medieval burgage plots which face onto West Street and the Market Place. Recommendations for extensive changes to the existing conservation area boundary are included in the Management Proposals. 2.2 Planning policy context Conservation Areas are defined as ‘ areas of architectural or historic interest the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance’ in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (The Act). Local Planning Authorities are required by the Act to identify the parts of their area that should be designated as conservation areas and to formulate and publish proposals to preserve or enhance them. Local authorities must submit proposals for the protection and enhancement of conservation areas for consideration at a public meeting within the relevant area. They must also have regard to any views expressed by people attending the meeting. Broadly, the effects of designation are: • Conservation Area Consent must be obtained from the local planning authority or Secretary of State prior to the substantial or total demolition of any building or structure within a conservation area, with some exceptions; • The local planning authority must consider the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of the conservation area when assessing applications for change in conservation areas; • Permitted development rights are slightly different in conservation areas; • Permission is required from the planning authority to fell or lop a tree over a certain size. As well as receiving statutory protection, conservation areas are protected by regional, county and local planning policies. The relevant documents are: • The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990; • Central government guidance, principally as set out in “Planning Policy Guidance 15: Planning and the Historic Environment” and “Planning Policy Guidance 16: Planning and Archaeology” . • East Midlands Regional Plan (adopted March 2009) The Conservation Studio 2009 East Northamptonshire Council – Oundle Conservation Area Character Appraisal 7 • The Joint Core Spatial Strategy for North Northamptonshire (adopted June 2008). • East Northamptonshire Council’s emerging site allocations development plan documents. 2.3 Purpose of the appraisal This appraisal defines the special architectural and historic interest for which the Oundle Conservation Area merits designation. It identifies the positive features that should be protected and highlights the negative factors that detract from its character and appearance. It will be used by the Council in considering proposals for demolition or alteration of buildings, as well as for new developments. It will also help property owners and developers to take account of the importance of buildings, features, spaces and landscape within and adjacent to the conservation area. This Conservation Area Character Appraisal leads to Management Proposals, setting out policies and actions to conserve and enhance the conservation area’s special architectural and historic interest and to mitigate the effects of negative features. Preparation of the appraisal involved an extensive survey of the conservation area undertaken in August 2009. The omission of any particular feature does not imply that it is of no significance. 2.4 Community involvement The survey of the conservation area has included a process of public consultation to identify the following: • The special characteristics of the Oundle Conservation Area; • The key negative features and issues; • A range of possible actions that would mitigate or offset these detractors. The consultation began with a meeting with the Oundle Town Council on 3 September 2009 when the proposed conservation area boundary was presented. The Conservation Studio 2009 East Northamptonshire Council – Oundle Conservation Area Character Appraisal 8 3 THE OUNDLE CONSERVATION AREA 3.1 Designation
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