IL Brigstock Conservation Area Character Appraisal 1 Querns Lane Cirencester Gloucestershire GL7 1RL t. 01285 642428 f. 01285 642488 e. [email protected] CONTENTS 1.0 STATEMENT OF THE SPECIAL INTEREST OF THE BRIGSTOCK 1 CONSERVATION AREA 2.0 INTRODUCTION 2 2.1 Background 2 2.2 Planning policy context 2 2.3 Local Plan and the emerging Local Development Framework 2 2.4 Purpose of the appraisal 3 2.5 Community Involvement 3 3.0 THE BRIGSTOCK CONSERVATION AREA 4 3.1 Designation 4 3.2 Activities and uses 4 4.0 LOCATION AND LANDSCAPE SETTING 5 4.1 Geographic location 5 4.2 Topography 5 4.3 Geology 6 4.4 Landscape setting 5.0 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT 7 5.1 Archaeology 7 5.2 Historical development 7 6.0 SPATIAL ANALYSIS 10 6.1 Layout and spaces 10 6.2 Relationship of buildings to spaces 11 6.3 Landmarks and focal points 11 6.4 Views and vistas 12 6.5 Trees 12 7.0 STREETSCAPE 13 7.1 Public Realm 13 8.0 THE BUILDINGS OF THE CONSERVATION AREA 14 8.1 Building types 14 8.2 Building form 14 8.3 Listed buildings 15 8.4 Locally listed buildings 16 8.5 Positive buildings 16 8.6 Building Materials 16 Brigstock Conservation Area CHARACTER APPRAISAL October 2009 CONTENTS 9.0 NEGATIVE FACTORS 19 9.1 Definition of negative factors 19 10.0 ISSUES 20 10.1 Conservation Area boundary review 20 10.2 Control of unlisted ‘positive’ houses 20 10.3 Alterations to listed buildings 20 10.4 Sites requiring enhancement 20 10.5 Public realm 20 10.6 Local List 20 10.7 Traffic management 20 10.8 Satellite dishes 21 10.9 Protection of views 21 10.10 Protection of trees and open spaces 21 10.11 Control of new development 21 APPENDICES Appendix 1 Townscape Appraisal Map 22 Appendix 2 Bibliography 23 Brigstock Conservation Area CHARACTER APPRAISAL October 2009 1.0 STATEMENT OF THE SPECIAL INTEREST OF THE BRIGSTOCK CONSERVATION AREA The key characteristics of the Brigstock Conservation Area, which make it worthy of its status as a conservation area are: • Early settlement with Saxon origins on the edge of Buckingham Forest; • Location either side of Harper’s Brook, with undulating countryside providing an attractive rural location; • The many mature trees, Harper’s Brook and the large field to the north of Park Walk provide a variety of green, natural spaces within the conservation area; • Hall Hill with its listed Market Cross, trees and War Memorial, provides a small, informal village ‘square’ in the middle of the village; • St Andrew’s Church with its late 10th century staircase tower, listed grade I; • 12th century Manor House in the centre Wallis’s Mill, Back Lane of the village, listed grade II*; • Fine collection of historic buildings dating from the 16th to the 19th century, mainly built using local limestone, either in coursed blocks or rubble stone; • Simple vernacular forms, often relating to agricultural uses such as farmhouses, barns, and stables, all within the core of the village; • Use of a very wide variety of roof materials including Collyweston stone slabs, zigzag clay pantiles, natural slate and thatch; • Despite some modern infill, the village is Hall Hill remarkably cohesive with mostly listed or ‘positive’ unlisted buildings creating the streetscape; • Reminders remain of Brigstock’s industrial past, namely the watermill in Latham Road, now a house, and the former Wallis’s Mill in Back Lane, now used as offices. Brigstock Conservation Area CHARACTER APPRAISAL 1 October 2009 2. 2.0 INTRODUCTION 2.1 Background Broadly, the effects of designation are: This Conservation Area Appraisal has been • Conservation Area Consent must be written by The Conservation Studio on behalf obtained from the local planning authority of East Northamptonshire Council. It was or Secretary of State prior to the prepared in September 2008, along with the substantial or total demolition of any Management Proposals, and both were building or structure within a conservation subject to a process of full public consultation area, with some exceptions; after which any necessary amendments were made and the final documents produced. • The local planning authority must consider the desirability of preserving or This Appraisal, with the accompanying enhancing the character or appearance Management Proposals, will be used to guide of the conservation area when assessing future development and improvements in the applications for change in conservation village in conjunction with existing and areas; forthcoming planning policies adopted by East Northamptonshire Council. • Permitted development rights are slightly different in conservation areas; The present conservation area boundary encompasses the historic core of the village • Permission is required from the planning very tightly, excluding back lanes and authority to fell or lop a tree over a certain landscape features which together make an size. important contribution to the special interest of Brigstock. A substantial extension to 2.3 Local Plan and the emerging Local include Park Walk and Bridge Street, and Development Framework other smaller changes to the boundary, are detailed in the Management Proposals. This Current planning policies for Oundle, Appraisal covers the whole of the including those governing development and conservation area, as proposed in the the management of change in conservation Management Proposals. areas, are laid out in the North Northamptonshire Core Spatial Strategy 2.2 Planning policy context (CSS), adopted in June 2008. In particular, CSS Policy 13 (Sustainable Development Conservation Areas are defined as ‘areas of Principles) sets out criteria for raising architectural or historic interest the character standards of design and the protection of or appearance of which it is desirable to existing historic and landscape assets. CSS preserve or enhance’ in the Planning (Listed policies need to be considered in conjunction Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 with the East Midlands Regional Plan (The Act). Local Planning Authorities are (adopted March 2009), in particular Policy 27 required by the Act to identify the parts of (Regional Priorities for the Historic their area that should be designated as Environment). conservation areas and to formulate and publish proposals to preserve or enhance The conservation area character appraisal them. Local authorities must submit and management proposals documents will proposals for the protection and sit alongside the conservation policies enhancement of conservation areas for contained within the CSS and Regional Plan consideration at a public meeting within the and be complementary to its aims of relevant area. They must also have regard to preserving and enhancing East any views expressed by people attending the Northamptonshire’s conservation areas. meeting. Brigstock Conservation Area 2 CHARACTER APPRAISAL October 2009 The current relevant planning documents are: Preparation of the appraisal involved an extensive survey of the conservation area • The Planning (Listed Buildings and undertaken in August 2008. The omission of Conservation Areas) Act 1990; any particular feature does not imply that it is • Central government guidance, principally of no significance. as set out in “Planning Policy Guidance 15: Planning and the Historic Environment” and “Planning Policy Guidance 16: Planning and Archaeology”. 2.5 Community involvement • East Midlands Regional Plan (adopted The survey of the Conservation Area has March 2009). included a process of public consultation to identify the following: • The Joint Core Spatial Strategy for North Northamptonshire (adopted June 2008). • The special characteristics of the Brigstock Conservation Area; • East Northamptonshire Council’s emerging site allocations development • The key negative features and issues; plan documents. • A range of possible actions that would 2.4 Purpose of the appraisal mitigate or offset these detractors. This appraisal defines the special The consultation began with a meeting and architectural and historic interest for which walkabout with Town and District Councillors the Brigstock Conservation Area merits on 11th September 2008. It was followed by designation. It identifies the positive features a period of full public consultation. that should be protected and highlights the negative factors that detract from its character and appearance. It will be used by the Council in considering proposals for demolition or alteration of buildings, as well as for new developments. It will also help property owners and developers to take account of the importance of buildings, features, spaces and landscape within and adjacent to the Conservation Area. This Conservation Area Character Appraisal leads to Management Proposals, setting out policies and actions to conserve and enhance the conservation area’s special architectural and historic interest and to mitigate the effects of negative features. The Management Proposals will be included within a Supplementary Planning Document within the Local Development Framework and, as such, will be adopted as local planning policy. Brigstock Conservation Area CHARACTER APPRAISAL 3 October 2009 3. 3.0 THE BRIGSTOCK CONSERVATION AREA 3.1 Designation The Brigstock Conservation Area was first designated on 22 January 1971. 3.2 Activities and uses Brigstock is primarily a residential village with many of the residents working in nearby Corby or Thrapston. In the centre of the village are a small number of shops including a small supermarket, two public houses (one of which is currently closed and being refurbished) and a number of other facilities including a beauty salon. A combined Newsagents and Post Office can also be found in the High Street although the future of the Post Office is not certain. Originally, the village would have relied upon its rural hinterland to provide jobs in agriculture and other country-related Headmaster’s House, Brigstock and Lathams C of E activities. Many of the historic buildings in the Primary School, Latham Street conservation area provide links to this past, with a number of former mills, farmhouses, barns, stables, and piggeries, all located centrally in the village.