Supplementary planning guidance note Settlement Character Plan Maghull-Aintree December 2003 Andy Wallis Planning and Economic Regeneration Director Balliol House Balliol Road Bootle L20 3RY 1. Introduction small hamlets dispersed along a network of historic routes. Lydiate and a. We have produced Settlement Plans particularly Sefton retain evidence of to describe the main features that this rural character. This network of make up the character of each of the historic routes provided a framework five urban districts in Sefton. The for later developments and still districts are based on the existing remains in place. settlements of Bootle, Crosby, Maghull, Formby and Southport. The b. Compared to other settlements in Settlement Plans consist of these Sefton the development of the guidance notes and the railways brought only limited growth. accompanying map, available from This growth occurred mainly to the the planning department. west of Maghull station and formed a distinct pocket of Victorian detached b. The Settlement Plans identifies the and semi-detached houses set in distinct character areas within each large plots. district, and are based on patterns of land use, building type and period of c. The major period of growth occurred development. Physical features such during the inter and post-war periods with the construction of large scale as key routes, landmarks, junctions G and boundaries are shown. The speculative suburban housing in plans also indicate the locations both Aintree and Maghull. Such development means there is little where Design Statements must be G prepared and submitted with a variation in the urban form . The early suburban housing used linearG and planning application. G curvilinear grid layouts that linked c. The plans should be used to develop into the existing route network with a scheme that responds positively to some evidence of field boundaries its contextG. Each plan also includes influencing plot layout. However the area-based design guidance that later housing developments are addresses specific issues relevant to planned around a network of that settlement area and must be distributor roads and cul-de-sacs that taken into account when developing a ignores the historic structure of the scheme. area. d. This guidance note and the 3. Broad Character Zones settlement plans are based on an (Residential) Urban Design Study of Sefton. The Residential Key Components of Character ASL tables below refer to information Character Study gathered by the study. Area Ref. Small pre- • Tight curvilinearG road layout MBCZ war semi- that links into the historic 1 e. Some of the technical terms in this detached route network. guidance are explained in a glossary housing • Brick and rendered at the back of the Design SPG. elevations. G • Small front gardens with These terms are indicated by a ‘ ’, the parking to side. first time they appear in each section • limited tree coverage. of the SPG. Large pre- • Spacious curvilinear road MBCZ war semi- layout. 2 detached • Brick and render elevations housing with curved bay windows & tiled roofs. 2. Assessment of the Local • Above average plot sizes. Character of Maghull/Aintree Victorian • Villas & detached properties MBCZ villas & set in spacious plots. 3 semi- • Development along historic th a. Prior to the mid 19 Century the area detached routes. was essentially rural with a series of housing • Evidence of historic plot boundaries influencing layout. Old Roan Local Centre • Use of red brick & slate roofs ASL Study Ref. ANRD1 with stonework. Description & Location Key Elements of Character • Dense, mature tree coverage. Local convenience • Purpose built 2 storey Post-war • Increasing use of cul-de-sacs MBCZ shopping & small shopping parades; semi- with little integration into 4 supermarket. upper floors a mix of detached historic route network. residential & storage. housing • Range of architectural styles Junction of Ormskirk Road • Development creates from 1950’s to 1970’s. & Altway. G sense of entry and Small • Ribbon development along MBCZ enclosure from Victorian historic routes. 5 Old Roan Station opposite. Ormskirk Road. semi- • Short front gardens, larger detached rear plots. housing • Red brick elevations and slate roofs. Ormskirk Road Retail Park • Clusters of mature trees. ASL Study Ref. ANRD2 Description & Location Key Elements of Character Mix of retail, leisure and • Single storey retail industrial uses. sheds set in large 4. Broad Character Zones areas of car parking (Commercial & Industrial) Adjacent to A59 Ormskirk with fast food Road. restaurants fronting highway. Maghull District Centre Aintree and Old Roan • A59 Ormskirk Road Stations provide access ASL Study Ref. MNRD1 forms barrier between via public transport. leisure and retail Description & Location Key Elements of Character elements. Mixed commercial area • 2/3 storey pavement • Poor quality containing ‘high street’ fronted ribbon landscaping to multiples, local development along highway. businesses, supermarket Liverpool Road North. and civic/community • Purpose built 2 storey facilities. ‘U’ shaped shopping parade; upper floors a 5. Areas of Local Centred on triangular area mix of residential & bounded by Liverpool storage. Distinctiveness Road North to west, A59 • Single storey Northway to east and supermarket with Westway to the north. forecourt parking. a. Areas of Local Distinctiveness are • Community uses in low more closely defined areas within the Leeds/Liverpool Canal rise, detached buildings forms part of western set in district that have either retained their boundary of town centre. parking/landscape. original character or illustrate a • Weak sense of entry distinct or important period of growth into district centre. • Poor linkages between within a particular settlement. community facilities. Achieving a high standard of design • Westway isolates shopping parade from will be particularly important in these community uses and areas in order to preserve or enhance secondary retail. their established character. • Limited landscaping within retail core. b. The following have been defined as Areas of Local Distinctiveness Sefton Lane Industrial Estate within the area covered by the ASL Study Ref. MNRD2 Maghull-Aintree Settlement Plan: Description & Location Key Elements of Character Industrial estate with some • Assortment of single Lydiate. ‘trade’ retail uses. storey brick and prefabricated industrial Station Road. Access off Sefton Lane. units dating from Liverpool Road South. 1950’s to present. Adjacent to greenbelt and • Limited landscaping. Cheshire Lines path. • Functional layout & signage reduces Lydiate legibilityG of estate. ASL Study Ref. MALD1 General • Pre 19th Century settlement with character & clusters of development along formG historic route. • Retains village character with strong relationship with surrounding • Plot layout influenced by historic field landscape. boundaries and lanes. • Variations in built form reflect organic • Strong linear form that links into growth of settlement. historic route network. • Settlement bounded by Leeds- Architectural • Typical examples of 1930’s Liverpool to south & east. character suburban. Architectural • Variety of building styles from • Part brick, part rendered front character Victorian to present day whose elevations with Curved bay windows scaleG, form and detail are to ground and first floors. appropriate to a village setting. • Hipped tiled roofs. • Generally 2 storeys in height. • Front gardens enclosed by low brick • Use of red brick and render walls. Tree • Scattered clusters of mature trees Tree • Mature trees located in front and rear coverage within surrounding open farmland. coverage gardens. • Mature trees within front plots on Threats to • Loss of boundary walls to front of Southport Road. character properties. Threats to • Loss of boundary walls & poor quality • Loss of original detailing to character infill developmentG could undermine properties. sense and quality of enclosure & • Loss of mature trees through age or character of village. felling. • Loss of original detailing to properties. • Loss of mature trees through age or felling. 6. Design Guidance Station Road ASL Study Ref. MALD2 a. We have developed the following General • Example of Victorian suburban guidance from an assessment of the character & development of villas & semi- strengths and weaknesses of the area form detached properties set in large as set out in the above tables. The grounds. • Railway provided focus for guidance gives more detailed advice development. to support the policies set out in the • Plots set out along historic route UDP and the Borough-wide guidance network with evidence of historic field boundaries influencing layout . in Part 1 of the Design SPG. • Retention of original features including windows, roofs & boundary b. The guidance is in two parts, firstly walls. • Distinct character of area creates there is district–wide advice relating to strong sense of entry/exit to it. the Broad Character Areas; secondly • Leeds – Liverpool canal forms strong there is more detailed guidance boundary to south of area. Architectural • Extensive use of red, smooth faced relating to the Areas of Local character brick with decorative brickwork Distinctiveness. Here a high standard detailing to upper floors/eaves & of design is required to preserve or slate roofs. • Painted stone detailing to main enhance their established character. elevations including window surrounds and string courses. • Retention of original features