Vale Royal Borough Council WEAVERHAM (VILLAGE) CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL AUGUST 2007 Adopted 27th September 2007 INTRODUCTION who are most closely affected by the Conservation Areas are many and varied. designation of the conservation area accept They were introduced by the Civic Amenities the content of the appraisal. As a result, a Act of 1967, and are now an accepted part of public consultation exercise has been Town and Country Planning legislation and undertaken, the considered responses from practice. More than 9,100 have been which have been incorporated into this final designated in England. Local Authorities are version of the appraisal. required to identify “areas of special architectural or historic interest, the character The Borough Council’s methodology for of which it is desirable to preserve or conducting Conservation Area Appraisals was enhance”. They are also under a duty to adopted in 1997 and has been accepted as review existing designations regularly. an example of Good Practice In Conservation by the Royal Town Planning Institute. It has been recognised that if the special However the Council has resolved to continue interest, character and appearance of a to revise and improve its methodology for conservation area is to be retained, it must be conducting conservation area appraisals managed. The first task in this process is to whilst striving to maintain a degree of define and analyse the special characteristics consistency between the various completed that justify the designation of the conservation studies. The format presently used is in bullet area. This is achieved by carrying out a points under standard headings and therefore Conservation Area Appraisal. some duplication of text will occur. The character of an area depends upon its The principal effects of this designation are: historic background, the architectural quality and interest of its buildings, their materials 1. The Council is under a duty to prepare and detailing, the way they relate to each proposals to ensure the preservation or other, the line of the highway, the quality of enhancement of the area the landscape, trees and open spaces and a 2. In carrying out its functions under the variety of unique features. A Conservation Planning Acts, and in particular when Area Appraisal provides a description of those determining applications for planning elements. permission and conservation area consent, the Council and the Secretary of State are An appraisal also provides the basis for required to take into account the desirability of development plan policies and development preserving or enhancing the character or control decisions, both within and adjacent to appearance of the area the Conservation Area boundary. The 3. Permitted development rights are more appraisal will subsequently provide the restricted within the designated area background for a management plan; 4. Consent must be obtained from the proposals to preserve or enhance the area Council for the demolition of any building in and additional control regimes. It may also the area (subject to certain exceptions) identify development opportunities. Therefore 5. Extra publicity must be given to planning the Government has stated that up to date applications for development in the area appraisals (not more than 5 years old) are 6. Six weeks’ notice must be given to the considered to be essential for all existing and local planning authority before any works are proposed conservation areas. carried out to trees within the designated area. It becomes an offence, subject to Vale Royal Borough Council understands the certain exceptions, to cut down, top, lop, importance of involving the local community in uproot, wilfully damage or destroy any tree in the appraisal process. It has recognised that the area without the prior written consent of these studies are only valid if those people the local planning authority. Inside front cover Weaverham (Village) conservation area appraisal – background, policy context and summary Background Cheshire County Council initially designated Weaverham Conservation Area on 12 Feb’ry 1974. It was extended by Vale Royal District Council on 16 April 1981. An initial appraisal was adopted on 20 December 2001. The Government now suggests that to be up to date, appraisals should be not more than 5 years old. A review was therefore conducted in 2007 followed by a public consultation exercise. Revised conservation area title, boundary and appraisal were adopted by Vale Royal Borough Council on 27 Sept’ber 2007. Policy Context most require to be accompanied by a Design The purpose of the planning system is to and Access Statement. The highest contribute towards sustainable development. standards of design, signage and advertising As part of this principle, national and regional are required to protect street scene character. policy directs new development towards defined urban areas. Part of this rational is to Local Plan Policy BE 23 states: protect and preserve the character of the The Borough Council will evaluate countryside and existing settlements. applications for development within and adjacent to the boundaries of designated The Regional Spatial Strategy proposes that conservation areas against those the majority of development should be in a characteristics which are revealed in corridor between Liverpool and Manchester. conservation area appraisals. Significant Regeneration proposals should also focus on consideration will be given to ensuring that these metropolitan centres. development proposals respect, maintain and compliment those aspects of the appraisal The Borough’s Local Plan First Review which define the local distinctiveness of the Alteration, adopted June 2006, is the relevant area, in particular these elements will include: document for the control of development. • The prevailing townscape of the area; Weaverham is situated within the North • Dominant building styles, materials and Cheshire Green Belt, where development is details; normally constrained. Weaverham (Village) • Important spaces and landscaping within Conservation Area lies within the Weaverham the area; Village Policy Boundary where appropriate • View into and out of the conservation residential and commercial development is area; allowed, subject to the policies contained • Unique characteristics of the area. within the Borough’s Adopted Local Plan. Demolition proposals within conservation Planning proposals need to meet national and areas normally require consent and need to local requirements for sustainable be justified. They may not be allowed until a development. Applications will normally be contract for the construction of an approved, required to be fully detailed, in order that the appropriately designed replacement property impact of the proposals can be assessed and has been signed. i Weaverham (Village) conservation area appraisal – background, policy context and summary Appraisal Summary Situated in the Cheshire Plain, the village of Its overall character is now being subsumed Weaverham lies in an area that was largely within that of the commuter suburb that the an agricultural landscape until the late C19th, wider village has become. with apple orchards a key feature of the area. It has been a well-established settlement There is significant disturbance from through since Saxon time and lies close to part of an traffic and on street parking can be important highway that has possibly existed problematic. In some parts overhead since Roman times. It also had an affinity with wirescape creates clutter. Vale Royal Abbey, the River Weaver and the early salt industry There is limited scope for further development within the conservation area without it having The conservation area is focused on the an adverse impact on its character. However original village core, which developed along the sympathetic restoration of many of the the old highway to Northwich, between the old properties would enhance the local character. ‘Roman’ road and the Parish Church. Its Additional planning controls may be buildings generally align this highway, but the necessary to ensure that the special pattern has evolved and the larger village has character of the area is not eroded further. now assumed a suburban character. No single architectural style or building material dominates the historic properties. Development is essentially domestic in scale. Terraced property dominates the street scene with ecclesiastical and institutional buildings as more substantial structures in a traditional manner. The local vernacular accommodates slate and tile roofing above red brickwork with some render. There is also some exposed original timber framing and good examples of thatch roofing. Despite many examples of unsympathetic alterations, original windows and interesting detailing can still be observed. Practical Support Most properties are generally well maintained, Within the conservation area, the potential but there have been instances of neglect. exists to grant aid private enhancement Where modern development is found in the schemes that have a public benefit. The Conservation Area, it attempts to be relatively enhancement of the public realm may also be sympathetic in character, but poor quality supported. detailing is common. Detailed supplementary design guidance may Apart from the churchyard, open spaces are be provided to assist applicants when essentially highway related. There are some developing their proposals. significant trees, which together with mature hedges soften