Harvington Conservation Area Harvington The Harvington Area Appraisal and Management Proposals were adopted by Wychavon District Council as a document for planning purposes. Minute 53 of the Executive Board meeting of 25 November 2015 refers. Wychavon District Council Planning Services Civic Centre Queen Elizabeth Drive Pershore Worcestershire WR10 1PT Tel. 01386 565000 www.wychavon.gov.uk 1 Harvington 1 Part 1 APPRAISAL 1 INTRODUCTION 2 Purpose of a Conservation Area Appraisal Planning Policy Framework 2 SUMMARY OF SPECIAL INTEREST 3 3 ASSESSING SPECIAL INTEREST 4 Location & Landscape Setting Historical Development & Archaeology Plan Form Spaces Key Views & Vistas 4 CHARACTER ANALYSIS 14 General Buildings Materials Local Details Boundaries Natural Environment Negative Features & Neutral Areas Threats 5 ISSUES 28 Appraisal Map Part 2 MANAGEMENT PROPOSALS 31 1 INTRODUCTION 2 MANAGEMENT PROPOSALS 3 DESIGN CODES 4 ARTICLE 4(2) DIRECTIONS APPENDIX 01 Statement of Community Involvement APPENDIX 02 Sources & Further Information 1 Harvington 2 Part 1 …………………………………… Planning Policy Framework CONSERVATION AREA 1.4 This appraisal should be read in APPRAISAL conjunction with the Development Plan, which comprises the saved policies of the 1 INTRODUCTION Wychavon District Local Plan (June 2006) and national planning policy as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework Purpose of a Conservation Area (March 2012) specifically Wychavon Appraisal District Local Plan Policy Env12 which is 1.1 intended to ensure that development A conservation area is an “area of special preserves or enhances the character or architectural or historic interest, the appearance of conservation areas. character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance” National Planning Policy Framework 126 – (Planning (Listed Buildings and 141 sets out the Governments planning Conservation Areas) Act 1990, Section policy on conserving and enhancing the 69). A conservation area is usually the historic environment. Chapter 7 ‘Requiring historic part of a town or village. Part of the good design’ is also relevant. The village of Harvington is designated a protection and enhancement of the historic conservation area. environment plays an important role in the delivery of sustainable development. 1.2 Under Section 72 of the Planning (Listed 1.5 Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act Broadly, these policies seek to ensure that 1990 special attention must be paid to the the conservation area is preserved by desirability of preserving or enhancing the refusing permission for: character or appearance of the conservation area. This appraisal the demolition of any building or identifies the special interest and character structure if its loss would damage its of the Harvington Conservation Area, and character or appearance. provides guidance on how the preservation the extension or alteration of a building or enhancement of its character or where the change would damage its appearance can be achieved. The first character or appearance. part of the appraisal identifies its special development which would be harmful to interest and character. The second part its setting or character or appearance. sets out management proposals for addressing the issues identified in the development which would adversely appraisal. affect or result in the loss of historic plots, layouts and street pattern, 1.3 important views, open spaces, tree cover or boundary features within the The Harvington conservation area was conservation area. designated in November 1969. The boundary was reviewed in 2015 during the signage which would be harmful to the preparation of this appraisal. The current character or appearance of the and proposed revisions to the conservation conservation area. area boundary are shown in the appraisal. 2 Harvington 3 1.6 2.2 Wychavon, along with Malvern Hills and Therefore, with more than a thousand Worcester, have prepared a revised Local years of settlement Harvington displays a Plan (the South Worcestershire range of important architectural and Development Plan). This Plan has been historic features. The earliest surviving submitted to the Secretary of State for include an early 15th century manor house examination which commenced in October and dovecote. Throughout prominent 2013. The Plan contains Historic historic buildings include timber framed Environment Policies SWDP6; SWDP24; domestic dwellings from the same period, which when adopted will replace those in and more recent buildings of quality dating the Wychavon Local Plan. from the 18th through to the 20th century. The Parish Church of St James dates from 1.7 at least the early 11th century having This appraisal supplements Local Plan undergone several alterations over time. It policy Env 12. is also notable for displaying the only coppered spire (added to the tower in the mid 19th century) within the Vale of Evesham. 2 SUMMARY OF SPECIAL INTEREST Therefore the special interest of Harvington that justifies its designation 2.1 as a conservation area includes: Although Harvington has seen significant Its long history, still evident in the growth over the last 40 years, through layout of the village, its buildings, and successive development plans, it still setting. manages to maintain the characteristics of a quiet rural village, reflecting the long The survival of a clear demonstration of history of settlement dating back to the 9th the historic social hierarchy within the century. Throughout this period the village village, evident in the size, design and developed as a settlement with a strong siting of buildings. link to its agricultural hinterland albeit based upon a fairly poor local agrarian The survival of the historic form and economy (Worcestershire County Council, identity of the village, evident in 1970). buildings, plots and village layout. The village’s historic plot layouts and The number and quality of historic buildings are still very much evident buildings. although much of the open nature of the village, that was an earlier characteristic The survival of historic fabric and has been lost to recent development. The detailing. early linear form was also influenced by a series of steep and irregular slopes, with The consistent use of timber framed housing following several by-roads and construction in a number of prominent lanes (Winterburn, 2001). The village also domestic buildings throughout. lies close to the River Avon, near to the location of an early crossing point. The significant contribution of the natural environment in trees, gardens, open spaces and hedges. 3 Harvington 4 The conservation area boundary has been 3 ASSESSING SPECIAL reviewed and regarded as appropriate and has been drawn to reflect this special INTEREST interest. Location & Setting Location 3.1 Harvington stands above the flood plain of the River Avon in undulating unwooded countryside within the county of Worcestershire. During the latter part of the 20th century the village’s original compact form has extended north to link with the smaller settlement of Harvington Cross. The village lies some 4 miles north- east from the market town of Evesham and Evidence of continual habitation since the 6 miles south of the Warwickshire market th 12 century. Parish Church of St James town of Alcester. The village is situated th and later 15 century dovecote. adjacent to the county boundary with Warwickshire. 3.2 The main village street (that lies within the Conservation Area) formed part of an older route between Offenham Cross and the Lenches, fording the River Avon south of the village. Running west to east lies the old road to Stratford-upon-Avon. The older part of the village is described as “containing the best of the village buildings and the best of its landscape, trees, attractive courts, footpaths and lanes” (Worcestershire County Council, 1970). It is within this area that the listed buildings are located, that include the Church of St James that sits prominently upon one of the ridge lines. Landscape Setting 3.3 Historic environment of quality 15th century Although the proximity of the village to the cottages, Stratford Road. River Avon has not played as significant role in its evolution and development as one might expect, it is likely that the two tributaries that run into it along with the river itself neatly describe the early parish 4 Harvington 5 boundaries (Winterburn, 2001). The although it is audible given certain wind surrounding countryside comprises open direction. However, the absence of through farmland, pasture and the characteristic traffic adds to the relative tranquillity of the feature of the Vale of Evesham orchards, conservation area. horticultural buildings and market garden land uses. However, these are not 3.5 generally visible from within the village and The undulating topography, which has correspondingly there is not a strong been noted, rises to some 40 metres at the connection with the open countryside from highest point within the conservation area. within the majority of the conservation area The soil is sandy with a subsoil of gravel (Worcestershire County Council, 2009). and Keuper Marl, being a type of Sandstone (WVCH 1913). Historical Development & Archaeology The Origins & Development of Views from the south. Harvington 3.6 It is speculated that the locality may have been settled as early as the Roman period with the name of Harvington derived from a crossing point of the River Avon for an army or similar on route to the Roman settlement of Alcester (Winterburn, 2001). 3.7 Whether the village can be said to originate from this early period is obviously debatable. It is as likely that the proximity to fresh water and reasonably fertile land Views from the north east, with Cotswold were as plausible a reason for early escarpment in background. settlement as any other. However the origins of the village can certainly be 3.4 traced back to the late Saxon period. For The village was bypassed with the opening example architectural features within the of the new A46 from Evesham to Stratford- fabric of St James Church, such as the upon-Avon in the mid 1970s which runs lack of a transept and the extreme height relatively nearby to the south of the village.