Development and Infrastructure Service Seirbheis an Leasachaidh agus a’ Bhun-structair Grantown-on-Spey Conservation Area Appraisal Measadh Sgìre Glèidhteachais Bhaile nan Granndach June 2019 www.highland.gov.uk Grantown-on-Spey Conservation Area Appraisal – Final – Adopted 16 May 2019 Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION, PURPOSE AND JUSTIFICATION ................................................................................. 4 1.1 Date and reason for designation ..................................................................................................... 4 1.2 Purpose of appraisal ........................................................................................................................ 4 1.3 Method ............................................................................................................................................ 5 2.0 LOCATION AND LANDSCAPE ................................................................................................................ 6 2.1 Location ........................................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Relationship Wider Strathspey, Geology and Topography ............................................................. 6 3.0 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT ................................................................................................................ 7 3.1 The first ‘Grantown’ ........................................................................................................................ 7 3.2 The New Town of Grantown: the first hundred years (1765 – 1865) ............................................. 7 3.3 The next fifty years (1865 – 1914) Victorian Development .......................................................... 14 3.4 The next hundred years (1914-2016) ............................................................................................ 19 4.0 CHARACTER AND APPEARANCE ........................................................................................................ 21 4.1 Spatial Analysis .............................................................................................................................. 21 4.1.1 Layout and Activities .............................................................................................................. 21 4.1.2 Open Spaces, Trees and Landscape........................................................................................ 27 4.1.3 Views, Approaches and Landmarks ........................................................................................ 34 4.2 Buildings and Townscape .............................................................................................................. 37 4.2.1 Townscape Character ............................................................................................................. 37 4.2.2 Key Listed and Unlisted Buildings ........................................................................................... 39 4.2.3 Materials and Local Details .................................................................................................... 45 4.2.4 Building Condition .................................................................................................................. 51 4.2.5 Public Realm ........................................................................................................................... 53 5.0 CONSERVATION AREA BOUNDARY .................................................................................................... 55 5.1 Boundary Review ........................................................................................................................... 55 5.1.1 Building Analysis ..................................................................................................................... 56 5.1.2 Positive Contribution .............................................................................................................. 56 5.1.3 Historic Interest ...................................................................................................................... 56 5.1.4 Setting and Physical Context .................................................................................................. 57 5.1.5 Anomalies ............................................................................................................................... 57 5.1.6 Recommendations .................................................................................................................. 58 5.2 Character Areas ............................................................................................................................. 59 2 Grantown-on-Spey Conservation Area Appraisal – Final – Adopted 16 May 2019 6.0 MAPS ........................................................................................................................................... 61 6.1 Building Analysis Map .................................................................................................................... 62 6.2 Positive Buildings Map .................................................................................................................. 63 6.3 Boundary Map ............................................................................................................................... 64 7.0 ASSESSMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE ........................................................................................................ 65 7.1 Summary of Key Features .............................................................................................................. 65 7.2 The Planned Town ......................................................................................................................... 65 7.3 Town Design .................................................................................................................................. 66 7.4 Comparative Examples .................................................................................................................. 66 8.0 CONSERVATION ISSUES ..................................................................................................................... 68 8.1 Loss of original architectural details and building materials ......................................................... 68 8.2 Repair and maintenance ............................................................................................................... 68 8.3 Buildings at Risk ............................................................................................................................. 68 8.4 Quality of new development, alterations and extensions ............................................................ 69 8.5 Quality of public realm .................................................................................................................. 71 8.6 Protection of setting, trees, and traditional boundaries ............................................................... 71 9.0 OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRESERVATION AND ENHANCEMENT ............................................................ 73 9.1 The control of unlisted buildings ................................................................................................... 73 9.2 Building maintenance and repair .................................................................................................. 73 9.3 Buildings at Risk ............................................................................................................................. 73 9.4 Quality of new developments, building alterations and extensions ............................................. 74 9.5 Public realm enhancement ............................................................................................................ 75 9.6 Trees and setting ........................................................................................................................... 75 10.0 MONITORING AND REVIEW ............................................................................................................ 76 10.1 Conservation Area Management Plan ........................................................................................ 76 10.2 Conservation Area Appraisal Review .......................................................................................... 76 Sources .................................................................................................................................................... 78 Appendix 1 ............................................................................................................................................... 79 Appendix 2 ............................................................................................................................................... 80 3 Grantown-on-Spey Conservation Area Appraisal – Final – Adopted 16 May 2019 1.0 INTRODUCTION, PURPOSE AND JUSTIFICATION RO-RÀDH, RÙN AGUS FÌRINNEACHADH 1.1 Date and reason for designation The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas (Scotland) Act 1997) states that conservation areas “…are areas of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance.” Local authorities have a statutory duty to identify and designate such areas. The Grantown-on-Spey Conservation Area was designated in mid-1974 by Moray and Nairn Joint County Council prior to Reorganisation under the