Conservation area character appraisals Beaumaris area Adopted 14 December 2006 Copyright Maps in this document are based upon the Ordnance Survey mapping with permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. Licence No LA09001L For further information contact the Built Environment and Landscape Section Old photographs and maps © Archive Service, Isle of Anglesey County Council and The Department of Archives and Manuscripts, University of Wales Bangor. Permission must be sought from the Council before reproducing any part of the document. Contents Executive Summary Location Plan Original Conservation Area Boundary Article 4 Direction Area Boundary Boundary Review and Recommendations 1. Introduction 2. Conservation area 3. Community 4. Date designated 5. Reason designated 6. Location 7. Area covered Conservation area Article 4 direction area 8. Setting 9. Historical background Population Change Archaeology 10. Open spaces Trees and hedgerows 11. Townscape Burgage plots Views 12. The local economy 13. Physical fabric Local building material and styles 14. Principal buildings 15. Positive and negative elements 16. Appendices Executive summary This Conservation Area Character Statement will become a working Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) upon adoption. It supports Ynys Môn Local Plan 1996 (Policy 40) and the stopped Unitary Development Plan (Policy EN13) which states that the character and appearance of all designated Conservation areas will be protected from unsympathetic development. Enhancement of their character will be achieved by carrying out improvements and permitting suitably designed new development. This document will be a material consideration in the determination of planning applications. Unlawful developments may result in enforcement action being taken. Circular 61/96 (paragraph 20) states that the quality of place should be the prime consideration in identifying, protecting and enhancing Conservation areas. This depends on more than individual buildings. It is recognised that the special character of a place may derive from many factors, including: the grouping of buildings, their scale and relationship with outdoor spaces, architectural detailing, and so on. Planning Policy Wales 2002 (paragraph 6.5.15) states that if any proposed development would conflict with the objective of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of a Conservation area, or its setting, there will be a strong presumption against the granting of planning permission. Summarised below are elements that contribute to the character and appearance of the Beaumaris Conservation area and Area of Article 4 Direction requiring preservation or enhancement. History The town originated in 1295 with the building of the Castle by Edward I. Beaumaris Castle is of international importance. The town developed under the burgage plots system which is still evident today. The sea continues to play an important role in the growth and prosperity of the town. The Tudor Period saw great physical change in the town. Many of the town’s finest buildings were erected in the early nineteenth century including; Green Edge, Bulkeley Arms Hotel, Victoria Terrace, and Baron Hill. Setting The core of the medieval town is formed by four streets. The beginning of the eighteenth century saw the formation of much of the present day character of the town. The historic town has a high concentration of protected buildings. Land reclamation has continually altered the town's coastline. There are important amenity trees within the Conservation area. Beaumaris Castle has been designated as part of a World Heritage Site. The setting of the castle is enhanced by the adjacent Baron Hill park land. There are panoramic views of the Snowdonia range across the Strait that are deemed worthy of protection (See 11. TOWNSCAPE 'Views'). The area lies within Anglesey’s AONB, SSSI and Penmon Historic Landscape. Architecture The town has a diverse range of architectural styles. There is a wide range of building ages. The varying roofs are an extremely important characteristic of the town. Front elevations are predominantly painted render although there are good examples of both stone and red brick faced buildings. Dormer windows, porches, canopies, pediments, fanlights, stone boundary walls, and decorative ironwork are all common features which play an important role in forming the character of the town. Fine examples of original shop fronts still survive. Many of the buildings have the elegance and proportions of the late Georgian and Regency period, with small panes and narrow glazing bars. Boundary review and recommendations (See Appendices I, II and III) The character and quality of the streetscape of the historic town of Beaumaris is formed by a combination of the built form, the wealth of architectural detail (that reflect the different periods and development of the town), and the spaces (both open and enclosed) that the inter-relationship between the buildings creates. The potential impacts on, and threats to, the character of the Conservation area are therefore dependent on all buildings, and open spaces, that have an influence on the spaces and streets within the boundaries of the Conservation area. The re-evaluation of the current boundary of the Conservation area has identified locations where the boundary excludes buildings or features that are integral to the quality and form of the setting of the Conservation area itself. It has also identified areas of new development that do not preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the area. These proposed additions and deletions to the Conservation area are described below. Important note: A review of the Article 4 Area Direction boundary does not form part of this document. The historic Pier forms an important element in the visual quality of the town and has significant impact on the Conservation area directly from the Green, the sea, and from the western approach to the town. It is recommended that the boundary be amended to include the Pier. The Chapels of Rest and the old lower Cemetery (which include fine examples of specimen trees that contribute to the area) situated on the western approach to the town provide an important visual containment to the town’s western boundary. The adjacent stone wall bounded historic road delineates the old from the new (Cae Mair) and offers views towards the sea, town, and mainland. It is proposed that the boundary be redrawn so as to encompass the Chapels of Rest and lower cemetery as well as a length of the adjacent road. It is recommended that the boundary be amended to include the above. A re-evaluation of the boundary that presently includes the modern development of Britton’s Hill property would suggest that the boundary be re-drawn to omit this property. It is recommended that the boundary be amended to omit this property. The post-Conservation area designation residential garages off Arnold Close to the rear of No’s 65-70 New Street and Long Cottage development do not preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the area. It is recommended that the boundary be amended to omit these developments. The post-Conservation area designation Gerddi Stanley estate development requires the boundary to be redrawn so as to follow the new physical features/property borders. It is recommended that the boundary be amended to omit this new development. A re-evaluation of the boundary line that presently includes; No's 1 and 3 Maes Hyfryd, row of residential garages to rear, and the modern Telecom Exchange would suggest that the boundary should be redrawn to omit these properties. It is proposed to terminate the boundary at the formal Gate Piers and flanking historic brick walls (inclusive) of the Lodge entrance to Stanley Street. It is recommended that the boundary be amended to omit the above properties. In order to preserve or enhance the special character of the Conservation area every effort should be made to ensure that future developments should have regard to the existing; materials, style, size, scale, roof and building line so as to be sympathetic to their surroundings. The important views and open spaces that exist should be preserved. 1. Introduction Conservation areas were created by the Civic Amenities Act of 1967 when it was decided that listing historic buildings individually was not enough to protect groups of buildings, which although not individually listed contributed to the character of the place as a whole, and their setting. It was also realised that the spaces between buildings, and trees, were also important elements and it was decided to protect whole areas to be called Conservation Areas. The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 requires local authorities to designate as Conservation areas “Any area of special architectural or historic interest the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance”. It is the character of areas, rather than individual buildings that the Act seeks to preserve or enhance. Conservation area designation should be seen as the prime means of recognising, protecting and enhancing the identity of places with special character. Quality of place should be the prime consideration in identifying Conservation areas although there can be no standard specification for Conservation areas. Designating a Conservation area does not prevent future change to buildings and their surroundings. It does mean, however, that the local planning authority when considering planning applications, including those which are outside a Conservation area but would affect its setting, must pay special regard to whether the proposed changes “preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Conservation area”. The designation should enable the character of the area to be retained and controlled, ensuring that any new development is sympathetic to both the special architectural and historic interest of the area, but without affecting its function or prosperity. If a proposal involves the total or substantial demolition of a structure or a building within the Conservation area then “Conservation Area Consent” from the local authority will be required.