INTRODUCTION HOW WILL UPAVON'S DESIGN STATEMENT WHAT IS A VILLAGE WORK? DESIGN STATEMENT? If a village design statement A Village Design Statement is (VDS) is adopted by a local a description of a village authority, it becomes a (which is not necessarily the "Supplementary Planning same area as a parish) at a Document" (SPD). Under point in time, highlighting the the Planning and qualities its residents value, Compulsory Purchase Act and setting out the residents' 2004 the local development wishes for the design of framework will be development in the village. It is comprised of local intended to help to manage the development documents, process of change, whether which include development that change stems from large plan documents, that are developments or small-scale part of the statutory additions and alterations. It is development plan and not to be used to determine supplementary planning whether development should documents which expand Figure 1 Upavon Village Centre take place; that is the purpose policies set out in a of the Local Development development plan document Framework (LDF) produced by or provide additional detail. the District Council. It sets out Therefore, although not a guidelines as to how planned statutory document, the development should be carried VDS if adopted will form out and is designed to be part of the LDF and as such complementary to the Local carry considerable weight Development Documents. [1]. WHO IS IT FOR? ANCIENT AND MODERN The Statement is for everyone UPAVON concerned with the physical form within which the daily The village is situated in the activity of the village takes Vale of Pewsey which forms place. In particular: a broad, low-lying for residents, it provides landscape unit separating guidance for keeping any the two main chalk upland Figure 2 Conservation Area alterations and extensions blocks of the Marlborough in sympathy with the Downs and Salisbury Plain character of the village; to the north and south. It is for developers, their dominated by intensive architects and designers, it agriculture and explains what the village characterised by a mixed community would like to pattern of farmland, see in new and altered woodland and hedgerows. buildings, and in changes The Vale has for hundreds to the village's landscape of years been the economic setting; heart of the Kennet District for local authorities, it sets area, and encompasses the out material considerations great majority of the to be taken into account in settlements in the District. arriving at judgements on These have developed in planning. the rich and sheltered agricultural land present.[2] Figure 3 Avon Square and Upavon lies in the valley of Watson Close the Christchurch River Avon which rises in the Vale of Pewsey and flows south to the Swindon. In early times, as GUIDELINES FOR sea, passing through Salisbury the lower ground nearer the THE FUTURE in Wiltshire. The river has river used to be frequently carved the easily eroded chalk waterlogged, the area 1 All proposals for of Salisbury Plain. The fertile around Upavon used to be development should take alluvial soils, mixed with the crossed by upland roads, into account the official chalk, create a fertile flood notably the Ridgeway which Kennet Landscape plain good for grazing and passed through Casterley Conservation Strategy. [4]. arable crops. In the words of Camp and an 2 The significant trees Avebury/Ludgershall road. the Kennet Landscape outlined in the conservation area statement must be assessment: “The whole area These ancient ways across preserved and pollarded. [Pewsey Vale] has an the land have been used in Tree-planting and essentially rural, agricultural or near their present preservation in other areas character within which only positions for many of the village should be smallscale, sensitively- thousands of years. encouraged in line with designed development, active nature conservation associated with existing built The parish has a values. form, could be successfully boomerang type shape with 3 The existing access to the accommodated without down land, pasture and River Avon which is central adverse impacts”[3] arable land on either end to the village should be with the river flowing across maintained and improved. the middle, alongside which 4 New developments should there used to be water retain hedgerows on site, meadows. and boundaries should be On the West side are Old marked with broadleaf Nursery Ditch and Water hedges rather than fences. Dean bottom with 5 Where planning Widdington Farm and conditions require plantings, Casterley Camp. use of native species To the East are Chisman’s appropriate to the (formerly Rich) Cleeve and landscape character and Rowden’s (formerly ecology of the location Tenantry) Cleeve. Size is should be encouraged. 3,352 acres. 6. The open character of This site was ideal for the The Village Centre should be retained at all costs [6]. early Priory and the Figure 4 River Avon development of the village. 7. St Mary’s Church Two of the “principal threats” It is still a lovely place for a including the churchyard and other landmarks need and issues important to community, small enough to to be retained and landscape quality in (the retain several "village" conserved. Pewsey Vale) character area values, but with easy 8. Subdivision of existing are: agricultural intensification, access to rail as well as particularly drainage and sites and gardens should be road communications. Later avoided particularly in the cultivation of vale floor pasture, development on the outer and the widespread loss of ‘green centre’ of the village. edges towards Andover was hedgerows and trees….and Within the conservation determined by the building the localised intrusion of roads area there are many mature of Trenchard Lines (formerly and overhead power lines and trees that have been the influence of built RAF Upavon) in the early previously recorded as development on other days of the RAF. important within the settlements within the Vale [5]. Whilst the roads into and Conservation Area The village is sited where the out of Upavon still ensure Statement. [13] The general river could be forded, allowing links to larger settlements, principle for development access from Winchester and they are also temptation to should be that "every new' Andover in the East towards modern vehicles to speed. general market house Devizes and Bath and Bristol Long, straight and should be matched with an in the West. The valley is the downward stretches are affordable home" [8]. main north/south route from inviting! A 21st Century Salisbury to Marlborough and problem. GUIDELINES FOR The most positive effects of occupied from about 50 BC THE FUTURE the surrounding geography through Roman times to about 9. No extension of the limits are the wonderful views and 450 AD. of development should be walks. Upavon is seen to permitted nestle into its valley as it The Abbey of St Wandrille de in the Local Plan period to always has done, still Fontenelle was granted to 2011. hugging the swift, clean Upavon Church between 1078 10. Suburban "pattern-book" river full of lively trout and and 1086 by William the layout should be avoided. surrounded by fields and Conqueror. New developments should meadows. The geography be diverse with varieties of of the place, having shaped It is likely that in 1086 the style, house types and siting, it in the past, is still a strong principal estate in Upavon was using materials appropriate defining factor into its future. held by the King because it to a rural environment and was not mentioned in the avoiding an excess of UPAVON: THE NAME Domesday Book but in the roadway. New development AND THE PLACE Geld Rolls. should respect the local distinctiveness of the rural The early Middle Ages saw a Name and urban character of the period of expansion and District [9]. Variously Upavon, prosperity making Church and 11. Developers should Uphaven, Uphavene, Manor rich. protect existing views within Uphavon, Oppravene, the village and into the Huphaven The 1100s saw the countryside, and should development of a very create vistas for newly substantial church and a developed areas. Any new Norman Abbey established a development or large Development of the parish Priory between the church and building extension proposed of Upavon the Avon. for a significant gap or Pre-historic space between buildings Towards the end of that should be resisted. There is evidence of century, Upavon was granted 12. “The needs of people ploughing on the to the de Tancarville family. should be put before ease of traffic movement in downs above Upavon 1200 - 1300 designing the layout of in pre-historic times. residential developments” 900 - 1200 In 1204 the Manor passed to [10]. New development one of King John’s Barons, should help to create places King Edmund granted Peter de Mauley, to whom a that connect with each other Upavon to Alfswith between Tuesday market was granted sustainably. Providing the 939 and 946. in 1220. right conditions to encourage walking, cycling Legend has it that a The Manor then passed from and the use of public gold chair was buried Peter de Mauley to Gilbert transport. People should in the ramparts of Basset in 1234. come before traffic [11]. Casterley Camp. 13. Direction signs within By 1261, the Manor had the village should be Another says that passed to Gilbert’s brother, replaced as necessary with Upavon village was Philip. In 1262 Philip was signs more in keeping with originally sited at granted a Monday market and the rural environment. Casterley Camp. a fair for three days at the 14. In future developments Exaltation of the Cross. (14 boundaries should be walls There have been Neolithic September). of brick, or brick and flint, or and bronze age cob, or broadleaf hedges.