Wick Pulteneytown Conservation Area Appraisal – DRAFT 2 V5 - NOVEMBER 2020 WICK PULTENEYTOWN CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL Draft: NOVEMBER 2020 FOR THE HIGHLAND COUNCIL CIRCULATION to COMMITTEE. 1 Wick Pulteneytown Conservation Area Appraisal – DRAFT 2 V5 - NOVEMBER 2020 CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE ........................................................................................................... 4 1.1 Conservation area designation ........................................................................................................ 4 1.2 Purpose of the appraisal.................................................................................................................. 5 1.3 Method ............................................................................................................................................ 6 1.4 Background ...................................................................................................................................... 6 2.0 LOCATION AND LANDSCAPE ................................................................................................................ 7 2.1 Location ........................................................................................................................................... 7 2.2 Relationship with Caithness, Geology and Topography .................................................................. 7 3.0 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT ................................................................................................................ 8 3.1 Ancient Wick .................................................................................................................................... 8 3.2 Wick in the late 18th century ........................................................................................................... 8 3.3 Establishment of Pulteneytown: Wick Harbour and the Herring Fishery ....................................... 9 3.4 Establishment of Pulteneytown: Building in the first half of the 19th century .............................. 10 3.4.1 The Telford Bridge .................................................................................................................. 10 3.4.2 Lower Pulteneytown .............................................................................................................. 10 3.4.3 Upper Pulteneytown .............................................................................................................. 12 3.4.4 Development .......................................................................................................................... 12 3.5 Pulteneytown: second half of the 19th century ............................................................................. 13 3.6 20th century ................................................................................................................................... 15 3.7 21st century .................................................................................................................................... 15 4.0 Character and appearance ................................................................................................................ 17 4.1 Spatial Analysis .............................................................................................................................. 17 4.1.1 Setting ..................................................................................................................................... 17 4.1.2 Spatial components ................................................................................................................ 18 4.1.3 Layout and form of Lower Pulteneytown ............................................................................... 18 4.1.4 Layout and form of Upper Pulteneytown .............................................................................. 25 4.1.5 Open Spaces, Trees and Landscape........................................................................................ 31 4.1.6 Approaches, Views and Landmarks ........................................................................................ 34 4.1.7 Activities ................................................................................................................................. 39 4.2 Buildings and Townscape .............................................................................................................. 40 4.2.1 Townscape Character ............................................................................................................. 40 4.2.2 Key Listed and Unlisted Buildings ........................................................................................... 41 4.2.3 Materials and Local Details .................................................................................................... 55 4.2.4 Building Condition .................................................................................................................. 68 4.2.5 Public Realm ........................................................................................................................... 70 2 Wick Pulteneytown Conservation Area Appraisal – DRAFT 2 V5 - NOVEMBER 2020 5.0 CONSERVATION AREA BOUNDARY .................................................................................................... 73 5.1 Boundary Review ........................................................................................................................... 73 5.1.1 Historical Interest ................................................................................................................... 74 5.1.2 Architectural Interest ............................................................................................................. 75 5.1.3 Setting and Physical Context .................................................................................................. 76 5.1.4 Anomalies ............................................................................................................................... 77 5.1.5 Recommendations .................................................................................................................. 84 5.2 Character Areas ............................................................................................................................. 84 6.0 MAPS ................................................................................................................................................. 86 6.1: Draft Feu Charter Plan 1813 ......................................................................................................... 87 6.2: Building Date Analysis Map .......................................................................................................... 88 6.3: Listed and Positive Buildings Map ................................................................................................ 89 6.4 Boundary Map: recommendations ............................................................................................... 90 7.0 ASSESSMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE ........................................................................................................ 91 7.1 Summary of Key Features .............................................................................................................. 91 7.2 The Planned Town in Scotland ...................................................................................................... 91 7.3 Comparative Examples .................................................................................................................. 92 8.0 CONSERVATION ISSUES ..................................................................................................................... 94 8.1 Loss of original architectural details and building materials ......................................................... 94 8.2 Repair and maintenance ............................................................................................................... 95 8.3 Buildings at Risk ............................................................................................................................. 95 8.4 Disused buildings and vacant sites ................................................................................................ 97 8.5 Quality of new development ......................................................................................................... 98 8.6 Quality of public realm .................................................................................................................. 98 8.7 MANAGEMENT OF TREES AND OPEN GREEN SPACE .................................................................... 99 9.0 OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRESERVATION AND ENHANCEMENT .......................................................... 101 10.0 MONITORING AND REVIEW .......................................................................................................... 101 Sources .................................................................................................................................................. 102 Appendix 1: Stakeholders ...................................................................................................................... 103 Appendix 2: Listed buildings ................................................................................................................ 1033 Appendix 3: Positive building definition ...............................................................................................