Hilperton Village Design Statement Part 1 General Information Hilperton Village Design Statement 1. INTRODUCTION 2005 Any village in this Country today is always likely to be subject to change. It is not only large developments which can alter a village, but it can be equally affected by smaller alterations. Conversions, additions to buildings, homes, gardens, pressure on open spaces, footpaths, hedgerows, even street signs can also affect the look and feel of a village. Change cannot be prevented or undone and there will always be a need to move with the times CONTENTS if the village is to remain a lively and attractive community. However, new developments large and small can be planned and designed in a way that will enhance the existing character of the village and this document provides Part 1 General Information advice on how to do that. The aim of the advice is to minimise the impact on Hilperton as a whole, 1. Introduction 3 and to ensure that any further development or change will protect and enhance the character of the village and its surrounding area. As 2. A tour of the parish 4 Supplementary Planning Guidance, the recommendations will help to guide the decisions of the Planning Authority, and so will have to be taken into Planning Guidance account by: statutory bodies, public authorities, planners, developers, Part 2 builders, architects, designers, engineers, local community groups, commercial enterprises, and by individuals, making planning applications. 3. Planning context 9 The area that was studied for the purpose of this Statement comprises 4. Hilperton set in its surroundings 10 everything contained within the Parish Boundary plus a small area which falls outside the Parish Boundary, altogether covering some 800 hectares. 5. The old village 13 This consists of the old village of Hilperton, Hilperton Marsh, the settlement 6. Hilperton Marsh 17 at Whaddon, and the whole of new development at Paxcroft Mead. A large part of the old village is designated a Conservation Area. The Planning Authority (West Wiltshire District Council) has also defined a Part 3 Reference Village Policy Limit enclosing the conservation area, much of the old village outside it and Hilperton Marsh, restricting development outside. Paxcroft Mead is a new housing development adjoining Trowbridge and covered by 7. Statement of consultation 20 urban planning guidance. 8. Who to contact about village issues 20 This document, which has been produced by a Steering Group made up of 9. Acknowledgments 21 local people, is based on a considered understanding of Hilperton’s past; describes the village as it is today and makes recommendations for the 10. Glossary 21 future. It highlights the qualities valued by its residents, whose views, and 11. Map 23 opinions were obtained at a series of public exhibitions held in April 2002. Please pass this document on to any future occupant of your house. 2 Hilperton Village Design Statement Hilperton Village Design Statement 3 Part 1 General Information Part 1 General Information 2. A TOUR OF THE PARISH the name of Hilperton, but still bearing semi-detached houses. There is the Saxon influence. an access road to the Gardens Estate. Hilperton is a village in the county of Wiltshire, in the West Apart from the names of numerous Wiltshire District Council area. It is a long ribbon settlement, owners and tenants of land, little seems Hill Street leads from Marsh one mile to the east of Wiltshire’s county town, Trowbridge. to have been recorded of any events road at the junction with Horse The towns of Bradford-on-Avon, Melksham, Devizes and in Hilperton’s history until the first Road. In the corner formed by Westbury are all less than ten miles away, and it is twelve official census in 1801, when a working these roads are Marshmead miles to the south east of the historic city of Bath. It is at the population of 708 was recorded. Only and Newleaze, with houses top of a gradual incline on a bed of mainly Oxford Clay 20 people were employed in mostly built in grey with Alluvium in parts. The highest point in the Parish, at agriculture, compared with 688 reconstituted stone or concrete the Parish Church of St Michael, is sixty-four metres above employed in Trade, Manufacturing and block. Marshmead includes 40 sea level, and is on a par with the top of the spire of St Handicrafts’ industries, probably linked n houses that were built as a self- James Church in Trowbridge. The land drops away to 30 to the existence of the large Woollen Kennet and Avon Canal build project, one of the first schemes metres on the northern Parish boundary formed by the River Industry in Trowbridge and also that by Wyke Road, Marsh Road, and of its kind in Britain. Started in 1950, Avon and the Kennet and Avon canal. And at 40 metres, on the owners of the Mills lived in the group of people included a few n Horse Road. The housing development the southern boundary is Paxcroft Mead, a housing Hilperton, so it seems safe to assume skilled builders, but mainly office or Hilperton House in the middle of this triangle was built development commenced in 2000, which has doubled the that their workers also lived here. in the 1960s. At one time, there used to other workers, a majority of whom number of houses in the parish. The population of Hilperton small businesses. Some of the newest enterprises are the Many of the older cottages in the be a public house at each corner of the had not put a spade in the ground in April 2002 was 4296, based on the Electoral Roll. There development of those associated with the Kennet and Avon village are thought to have been triangle. The Prince of Wales is now a before this project. A good many are were 1796 dwellings of a great variety, types, ages and styles, canal, where there is a holiday boat hire company, moorings weavers’ homes. private house. The Ring O’ Bells on still occupied by members of the from the oldest found in the Conservation Area, surrounding original group or their family. The and boat supplies and a small Touring Caravan Park. In the There are four visually distinctive Marsh Road near the junction with St Michael and All Angels Church to the newest at the project was finished and opened in countryside surrounding the built-up areas are many farms, residential areas in Hilperton Parish; Horse Road, is now a guest house and Paxcroft Mead development. The key roads running through 1954. It caused a lot of interest at the about 50% having an interest in arable and 50% in animals, Hilperton Marsh in the north; the old on the other corner, closest to the the Parish are the B3105 to Staverton, and through to join time and was a remarkable achieve- beef, and dairy. Some of these have diversified with small village in the centre; further south, the Canal, is the King’s Arms, which the A363 north of Bradford-on-Avon; and the A361, ment considering that the group had business units along side their agricultural interests. new development of Paxcroft Mead; remains a pub. recently diverted to pass through the Paxcroft Mead virtually no model to follow and and the fourth is the hamlet of development. Unfortunately the level of traffic through the There is evidence of both Iron Age settlement and Roman Wyke Road was once the main received no external encouragement or Whaddon, in the Northeast corner of village, especially heavy goods vehicles, detract from its rural habitation at Whaddon. East of the church is a well thoroughfare from Trowbridge to media interest. Newleaze was local the parish. character. The proposed expansion and development east of preserved example of an abandoned medieval settlement. Staverton, Holt, and Melksham. authority housing although many of Trowbridge will inevitably increase these levels. There is a The settlement is well documented and its ownership can be Opening on to it was the driveway to the houses are now owner occupied traced from 1086 to the present day. It is a Scheduled Wyke House, a large property, owned regular bus service to Trowbridge and Melksham. Hilperton Marsh and it provides the only access to the Monument, protected by English Heritage. Throughout the by the Hammond family, who were village school, other than a footway Hilperton has a strong sense of community spirit, with many parish there is documented evidence at 30 sites of artifacts The Kennet and Avon Canal, opened in owners of cloth mills in Trowbridge. link to Hill Street. There is also some thriving special interest groups. The village hall and playing and settlements ranging from bronze age flints and iron age 1810, forms part of the northern The original Jacobean house was built housing for older residents. field in Whaddon Lane, St Mary’s Church which doubles as pottery to evidence of early farming. boundary of the Parish. A wharf in 1616 and was replaced with a a centre for those in the Marsh area and the new centre at constructed at the time also served the Victorian house in 1864, built in the Paxcroft Mead are all well used by groups as their base. A The earliest written mention of a settlement in the area first needs of Trowbridge. Today, this is the same grand style. Opposite was The wide range of activities for all ages are covered, from appeared in the ancient Saxon book, Cantularium Saxonium site of Hilperton Marina, a gateway for Poplars, a large Victorian house, toddlers, play-groups, scouting and guiding groups, walkers, of 964AD, was that of Hulpryngmor.