Pluckley Parish Design Statement Westfields Thorne Estate & Lambden Rd Fir Toll Lower Station Road Pluckley Parish Design Statement Contents Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 5 Parish Design Workshops ............................................................................................... 5 The Result ....................................................................................................................... 5 The Parish ....................................................................................................................... 7 Village Conservation Area ............................................................................................... 8 Station Conservation Area ............................................................................................... 9 The Periphery .................................................................................................................. 9 Trees and Woods .......................................................................................................... 10 The main roads in Pluckley ........................................................................................... 12 Farming ......................................................................................................................... 13 Industrial and commercial buildings .............................................................................. 14 Building styles ............................................................................................................... 15 Old Pluckley .......................................................................................................... 15 The nineteenth century began to change the village ............................................ 16 Twentieth century innovation ................................................................................ 17 Desireable Boundaries .................................................................................................. 19 Recent issues of controversy ........................................................................................ 20 Recommendations – Landscape ................................................................................... 21 Recommendations – House Design Issues .................................................................. 21 Recommendations – Commerce and Industry: ............................................................. 21 Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................... 22 This Design Statement has been formally adopted by Ashford Borough Council as Supplementary Planning Guidance. The document expresses the many views held by Pluckley residents involved with its preparation. In adopting the Design Statement the council is not necessarily supporting all of these opinions, but is undertaking to take into consideration the design guidelines included when making planning decisions. The council does not have sufficient powers as a planning authority to require these design guidelines to be met in all cases and the active support and commitment of developers, landowners, and householders is also essential. The guidance in this document is intended to supplement and support the policies of the Ashford Borough Local Plan 2000. Pluckley Parish Design Statement 2003 3 1950’s Map drawn by WI showing the settlement patterns, from The Street at the top of the Greensand Ri dge to the Station and Brickworks in the clay val ley contours in feet 4 Pluckley Parish Design Statement 2003 Introduction Pluckley Village Appraisal was published in April 2000 and well described village life and work. The first item in its action plan for the future was a ‘Parish Design Statement’ (PDS). A group in the parish started to talk about a design statement in May 2001. Four people met informally and started to plan how it was to be carried out: three members of this group had previously worked on the village appraisal. A leaflet sent to every household in the parish announced the project. A pre-meeting on 11 September, announced by posters and in the parish magazine, was attended by about 50 people from all parts of the village. The aims of a design statement were explained and the structure of a workshop day to be held on 22 September was described. In addition, another 35 households whose members had expressed an interest in PDS issues were sent letters containing a copy of an already published Parish Design Statement from another village. Parish Design Workshops Saturday, 22 September, turned out to be a perfect, sunny day. In the morning, seven teams of two, three, or four people were The aims of a sent out to walk/cycle round and photograph specific parts of the village. A local bus took some to the start of their area Village or Parish and collected them at lunchtime. The films were processed Design Statement are: while everyone ate a splendid lunch provided by the parish • To reflect the views council. Then the groups were ready to lay out their of villagers on the character of photos, discuss their findings with others, and add their their village. comments. Enthusiasm was enormous and it was difficult • To gain agreement to persuade people to go home at the appointed time of from Ashford Borough Council 4:30pm. At the end of the day, some volunteers took away so that its status is accepted comments and photos to assist them to write simple as Supplementary outlines on landscape, settlement patterns, buildings, trees Planning Guidance. and woods, traffic and village signs. On 11 October, following widespread publicity, the photographs, and comments were again displayed in the village hall between 7:30 and 9:30pm. Interest was marked – often from people who had not attended the The description of a original workshop. Further comments were PDS from the Countryside written. Although these were not necessarily in planners’ or architects’ language, it was clear Commission Report called that villagers particularly valued the setting ‘Village Design’ is: of the village but were critical of some of • To describe the distinctive character of the its newer buildings. village and the surrounding countryside. The views of a wide cross section • To show how character can be identified at of villagers have been expressed as three levels – all inseparable in Pluckley fairly as possible in this Parish Design • The landscape setting of the village Statement. Phrases in inverted commas • The shape of the settlement and italics in various parts of this document indicate typical examples of • The nature of the buildings themselves those views. • To draw up design principles based on the distinctive local character. The Result •To work in partnership with the local The draft was circulated to all planning authority in the context of parish councillors. Comments received existing local planning policy, were taken on board. A further public and to influence policies. meeting was held to allow villagers to comment upon the recommendations. Pluckley Parish Design Statement 2003 5 The Geology of Pluckley Greensand R idge from Munday Bois Road North to Jennings and the Downs from Charing Road 6 Pluckley Parish Design Statement 2003 The Parish The village lies mostly on the crest and southern slope of the Greensand Ridge, overlooking arable fields and the extensive woodland of the low clay Weald. Seen from the low Weald, only the church spire, the tall Scots pines and the new estates of Westfields and Sunflowers noticeably break the soft line of the ridge top. The parish falls into a number of differing parts: almost all is part of a Special Landscape Area; there are two conservation areas; peripheral development; and outlying settlements – scattered farms, and the linear development that loosely links some of the varied parts together. Pluckley is a parish with distinct characteristics in differing areas – but all linked by a common theme. Almost everywhere views open up to the wider surrounding countryside or into more intimate green spaces close within the road network. This openness is largely achieved by the fact – part accidental and part by design of planning policy – that almost all roads are only built up on one side for long stretches. Orchards of apple, pear, and plum, Greensand Ridge from Smarden Road together with alder windbreaks are very visible on the northern approaches to the village centre. Now there are no hop gardens; the last was grubbed out in the 1970’s. The character of Pluckley parish is defined as much by its openness to the countryside as by its buildings. Views are greatly treasured by villagers and visitors alike. As drivers approach the village from Charing, Little Chart, or Egerton, the view down Forge Hill to a huge expanse of forest lies before them framed by historic buildings. Malmains Oast The same view can be seen from the churchyard. Footpaths from Forge Hill lead, within about 100 yards, to stunning views over farmland and the Weald. North of Lambden Road, countryside (un-built and grazed by sheep) forms a ‘green heart’ to the village. Seen from the Mundy Bois area, there is a clear view of the village, clinging to the hill of the Greensand Ridge. Green heart of the village from Lambden Road ‘Preserve the open views’ Pluckley Parish Design Statement 2003 7 Village Conservation Area This area is compact with a diversity reflecting its history and