Wealden District Council Local Plan Wealden Local Plan Design and Heritage Background Paper Issues, Options and Recommendations Consultation October 2015 How to Contact Us Planning Policy Wealden District Council Council Offices, Vicarage Lane, Hailsham, East Sussex BN27 2AX Telephone 01892 602007 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.wealden.gov.uk Office hours Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8.30am to 5.00pm and Wednesday 9.00am to 5.00pm You may also visit the offices Monday to Friday, to view other Local Plan documents. A copy of the Wealden Local Plan Background Papers and associated documents can be downloaded from the Planning Policy pages of the Wealden website, www.wealden.gov.uk/ planningpolicy or scan the QR code below with your smart phone. If you, or somebody you know, would like the information con- tained in this document in large print, Braille, audio tape/CD or in another language please contact Wealden District Council on 01323 443322 or [email protected] Wealden Local Plan Design and Heritage Background Paper Part 1: Background 1 Introduction 5 1.1 Background 5 2 The Historic and Built Environment in Wealden 7 2.1 Timeline of historic settlement and activity in Wealden 7 2.1.1 Introduction 7 Contents 2.1.2 The Weald 8 2.1.3 Prehistoric Activity and Settlement 10 2.1.4 Roman Activity and Settlement 12 2.1.5 Saxon Activity and Settlement 13 2.1.6 Medieval Activity and Settlement 14 2.1.7 Post Medieval Activity and Settlement 20 2.1.8 Farmsteads 22 2.1.9 Major Local Industries 28 2.1.10 Other Trades and Industries 32 2.1.11 Transport 36 2.1.12 Military History 38 2.1.13 Famous People and Notable Local Figures 41 2.2 National Character Areas 44 2.2.1 Introduction 44 2.2.2 High Weald 45 2.2.3 Low Weald 45 2.2.4 Pevensey Levels 46 2.3 The High Weald Area of Oustanding Natural Beauty (AONB) 46 Management Plan 2014-2019 2.4 Heritage Assets within Wealden 47 2.4.1 Introduction 47 2.4.2 Listed Buildings 47 2.4.3 Conservation Areas 48 2.4.4 Scheduled Monuments 48 2.4.5 Parks and Gardens 48 2.4.6 Areas of Archaeological Potential 48 2.4.7 Non Designated or Locally Designated Heritage Assets 49 2.4.8 Historic Environment Record 49 2.5 Historic Farmsteads 50 3 Design - Policy and Guidance 51 3.1 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 51 3.2 National Planning Policy Guidance (NPPG) 52 3.3 Other National Guidance Documents 57 3.4 Wealden Core Strategy Local Plan 2012 58 3.5 Wealden Local Plan 1998 58 3.6 Wealden Design Guide 60 Wealden Local Plan Design and Heritage Background Paper Contents 4 Historic Environment - Legislation, Policy and Guidance 63 4.1 Designation of Heritage Assets 63 4.2 Statutory Duties and Consent Regimes 64 4.2.1 Introduction 64 4.2.2 Scheduled Monuments 64 4.2.3 Listed Buildings 65 4.2.4 Conservation Areas 65 4.2.5 Historic Parks and Gardens 66 4.2.6 Non Designated Heritage Assets 66 4.3 National and Local Planning Policy and Guidance 67 4.3.1 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 67 4.3.2 National Planning Policy Guidance 69 4.3.3 Wealden Core Strategy Local Plan 2012 73 4.3.4 Wealden Local Plan 1998 73 4.3.5 Wealden Design Guide 73 4.4 Historic England 74 4.4.1 Introduction 74 4.4.2 The National Heritage Protection Plan 74 4.4.3 Historic England Advice 75 4.4.4 Heritage At Risk Register 80 4.4.5 Historic Landscape Characterisation 82 Part 2: Issues and Options 5 Design - Issues and Options 83 5.1 Design of Development 83 5.1.1 Design of Development Issues and Options 84 5.1.2 Preferred Options for testing 87 5.2 Impacts of Development 90 5.2.1 Impacts of Development Issues and Options 92 5.2.2 Preferred Options for testing 94 Wealden Local Plan Design and Heritage Background Paper 6 Historic Environment - Issues and Options 97 6.1 Historic Environment 97 6.1.1 Historic Environment Issues and Options 98 6.1.2 Preferred Options for testing 101 6.2 Archaeology 103 6.2.1 Archaeology Issues and Options 104 Contents 6.2.2 Preferred Options for testing 105 6.3 Conservation Areas 106 6.3.1 Conservation Area Issues and Options 107 6.3.2 Preferred Options for testing 108 6.4 Non-Designated or Locally Designated Heritage Assets 109 6.4.1 Non-designated or Locally Designated Heritage Assets Issues 110 and Options 6.4.2 Preferred Options for testing 111 6.5 Historic Parks and Gardens 112 6.5.1 Historic Parks and Gardens Issues and Options 113 6.5.2 Preferred Options for testing 114 6.6 Energy Efficiency and Responding to Climate Change in the 114 Historic Environment 6.6.1 Energy Efficiency and Responding to Climate Change in the 115 Historic Environment Issues and Options 6.6.2 Preferred Option for testing 116 Appendices 1 NCA Profiles in Wealden 119 1.1 NCA Profile 122:High Weald 119 1.1.1 NCA Profile 122:High Weald 119 1.1.2 Pressure for Change 120 1.1.3 Opportunities 120 1.2 NCA Profile 121:Low Weald 121 1.2.1 NCA Profile 121:Low Weald 121 1.2.2 Pressure for Change 122 1.2.3 Opportunities 122 1.3 NCA Profile 124:Pevensey Levels 123 1.3.1 NCA Profile 124:Pevensey Levels 123 1.3.2 Pressure for Change 124 1.3.3 Opportunities 124 2 High Weald AONB Management Plan 125 3 Conservation Areas in Wealden 127 4 Registered Parks and Gardens in Wealden District 129 Wealden Local Plan Design and Heritage Background Paper Contents 5 Key Farmstead Characteristics in Wealden 131 5.1 NCA Profile 122:High Weald 131 5.2 NCA Profile 121:Low Weald 134 5.3 NCA Profile 124:Pevensey Levels 137 Wealden Local Plan Design and Heritage Background Paper 1 Introduction 1.1 Background 1.1.1 Design quality and heritage are intrinsically linked, because of the value we place on our historic environment and the fact that the historic environment is not only rich in terms of cultural value and architectural interest, but also portrays all of the characteristics we associate with high standards of design quality. Introduction 1.1.2 The Government’s objective for the planning system is to promote good design that ensures attractive, usable and durable places. This is a key element in achieving 1 sustainable development. The Government attaches great importance to the design of the built environment in stating that: good design is indivisible from good planning and should contribute positively to making places better for people(1) . 1.1.3 The historic environment is defined as: All aspects of the environment resulting from the interaction between people and places through time, including surviving physical remains of past human activity, whether visible, buried or submerged, and landscaped and planted or managed flora(2). 1.1.4 The Government’s objective is that the historic environment and its heritage assets should be conserved and enjoyed for the quality of life they bring to this and future generations. Wealden has a very high quality environment due to its unspoilt natural landscape character and historic settlements. 1.1.5 Wealden has a rich historic environment which is an important asset to be safeguarded and enhanced, and the built heritage should be reflected in new development through the consideration of local distinctiveness. It is important that a high standard of design should be required in all new developments, whether it is an extension or an alteration to an existing building, changes of use of existing buildings, or new housing or business developments. New development should create a strong sense of place through drawing on the local context and local distinctiveness of an area by being well-designed functional, attractive and sustainable. 1.1.6 Design relates not only to new large housing or commercial developments, or individual new houses or buildings, but to alterations and extensions to existing buildings, which can respect the plan form, period, style, architectural characteristics and the type and standard of architectural detailing and finishes of the original building. 1.1.7 The evidence for the historic development of settlements throughout the landscapes within the District points to distinct types and periods of settlement. Many of the smaller historic village settlements within the District have retained their original plan forms and distinctive character– whether linear, along ridgelines within the High Weald; dispersed along route ways and nucleated around cross roads and former market places. 1 National Planning Policy Framework (2012), Chapter 7 2 National Planning Policy Framework, Annex 2: Glossary 5 Wealden Local Plan Design and Heritage Background Paper 1 1.1.8 The Local Plan will ensure that the principles of the National Planning Policy Introduction Framework (NPPF) and National Planning Policy Guidance (NPPG) are implemented and that the local character and distinctiveness of different areas of the District are protected and reinforced. This will also contribute to place making as development proposals will need to respect the identity of a settlement and its surroundings. 1.1.9 Local Plan policies will also establish principles relating to ‘Heritage Assets’, both designated and non-designated, building on core objectives. These principles, where appropriate, will be supported by Supplementary Planning Documents, to help to understand the significance of assets and to assist in development proposals.