Peterborough City CentreConservation Area Appraisal

Conservation Area Appraisal MasterclassJoanna Burton, Beacon Planning

10 November 2011

Aims of this morning

• Understanding of what a conservation area is

• Understanding of how they are designated and why

• Understanding of their role within the planning process

Background theory Case study: Peterborough City Centre Conservation Area Walkabout: Long Causeway Round-up

What is a conservation area?

First introduced in 1967 and now designated under Section 69 and 70 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 and requires that every local authority:

69 (1) “shall from time to time determine which parts of their area are areas of special architectural or historic interest the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance”.

69(2) “It shall be the duty of a local planning authority from time to time to review the past exercise of functions under this section”

71(1) “It shall be the duty of a local planning authority from time to time to formulate and publish proposals for the preservation and enhancement of any parts of their area which are conservation areas.”

Where are the conservation areas? Any areas that have been identified to be of special architectural or

historic interest.

• Town and city centres• Rural villages and hamlets• Historic associations with a particular industry or event e.g. mining,

fishing, philanthropist model villages• Homogenous in date and chronology e.g. C19 suburbs• Exceptional public realm or quality of open spaces• Individual heritage assets e.g. country estates

- 8,000+ designated conservation areas in England

How can we appraise special character?

Research:• current and past land use• social and economic background• aspect, geology and relief• distribution, type and condition of designated and non-designated heritage assets• density, types and forms of buildings, gardens and green spaces• place names and earliest references

Documentary sources:• OS and other maps• trade directories• aerial photographs• historic environment record (HER) data• historic characterisation studies

Fieldwork:• site survey of area and its environs• wider area e.g. viewpoints• publicly accessible places

What does it mean?

- Planning authorities, when deciding whether to grant planning permission within Conservation Areas, are required by law to pay special attention to the need to preserve or enhance

- Local planning authorities should take into account the desirability of sustaining and enhancing the significance of heritage assets – HE7.4 PPS5

- There should be a presumption in favour of the conservation of designated heritage assets – HE9.1 PPS5

What does it mean?Core Strategy DPD: Adopted 23 February 2011 Policy CS17 The Historic Environment The Council will protect, conserve and enhance the historic environment throughout Peterborough, through the special protection afforded to listed buildings, conservation areas and scheduled ancient monuments and through careful control of development that might adversely affect non-scheduled, nationally important archaeological remains; other areas of archaeological potential or importance; historic features and their settings; buildings of local importance; and areas of historic landscape or parkland (including, but not limited to, those on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest).

All new development must respect and enhance the local character and distinctiveness of the area in which it would be situated, particularly in areas of high heritage value. There will be particular emphasis on the following:

• the use of Conservation Area Appraisals and associated Management Plans to ensure the preservation and enhancement of the individual character of each of Peterborough’s conservation areas;

What does it mean?Demolition: Demolition within a Conservation Area, other than demolition for which there is statutory exemption, must be granted prior Conservation Area Consent by the relevant Local Planning Authority. Demolition without consent is a criminal offence. There will be a presumption in favour of retaining buildings those buildings considered to make a positive contribution to the character or appearance of such areas.

Scrutiny: Planning applications will be judged in part on their impact on the character and appearance of the conservation area and/or its settings, with a requirement to preserve or enhance the special architectural or historic interest. This will most often necessitate high quality design and materials. English Heritage is invited to comment on development proposals that are considered to affect the character or appearance of a conservation area, or where a material change of use is proposed – in both instances where the application site is over 1,000 square metres.

Trees: Anyone intending to cut down, top or lop a tree in a Conservation Area, regardless of whether or not it is covered by a tree preservation order, must give notice to the LPA. The LPA then has 6 weeks to consider the contribution the tree makes to the character of the area and if necessary make a Tree Preservation Order to protect it.

What does it mean?

Permitted development rights: The rights that owners have to do works to their properties without planning permission are reduced, and can be further restricted through the use of an Article 4 Direction. This includes applying certain types of cladding, inserting dormer windows, and erecting satellite dishes which are visible from the street.

Article 4(2) Direction: LPAs may choose to place further restrictions on other alterations that would be harmful to the special character of the conservation area, such as painting a building a different colour, replacing distinctive front doors and windows, or other architectural features. The LPA must be able to justify these restrictions, and must undertake public consultation.

Planning policy: LPAs should have local plan policies in place to guide development within conservation areas. The conservation area appraisal and management plans can be adopted as supplementary planning guidance to strengthen their postiive management.

Table of contents

1.0 Introduction2.0 Summary of Special Interest3.0 Planning Policy Context: Conservation Areas4.0 Assessment of Special Interest5.0 Character Analysis6.0 Issues affecting the Conservation Area7.0 Enhancement opportunities8.0 Management Plan9.0 References and Contacts

C17 & C18 Peterborough1610

1721

Research

Special architectural interest• Statutory listed buildings• Buildings of local interest• Buildings of townscape merit• Architectural groupings• Palette of materials• Scale and massing• Unique characteristics• Local distinctiveness• Landmarks• Views and vistas• Public realm• Trees

Issues and Enhancement

Management Plan“sets out the way in which development pressure and neglect will be managed to ensure conservation areas retain the qualities which led to their designation.”

• Local Plan Policies• Guidance• Regeneration Strategy• Enhancement Schemes• Street and Traffic Management• Trees, Open Space and Green Infrastructure Strategy• Enforcement and Remediation Strategy• Restriction on PD rights through Article 4 directions

Management Plan

Management PlanMaterials

(See also Policy CS16 – Urban Design and the Public Realm; Policy CS17 – The Historic Environment)

A hierarchy and palette of materials has been identified to characterise the historic buildings within the conservation area, along with a clear north-south stone axis. New development within the conservation area should seek to reinforce existing trends and respect the prevailing materials in its locale.

New development will take inspiration from the prevailing materials in its locale and reinforce the use of local materials and hierarchy of materials where possible, including oolitic limestone and collyweston slates where these are the predominant materials.

Character areas

1. Bridge Street/Long Causeway

2. Cowgate

3. Priestgate

4. Westgate

5. Cathedral Precincts

Priestgate

Of special interest?? Historic form? Spatial analysis? Built form? Materials? General ambience? Views and vistas? Landmarks? Trees? Open space? Survival

Priestgate5.38 Summary:

- Quiet, enclosed space with a varied but coherent built form with a human-scale - Predominantly office use as opposed to retail- C18 and C19 in character with strong use of stone- Key views to the Former Presbyterian Church and Town Hall

Overview of significance:

5.39 Priestgate is one of the most coherent of all spaces within the conservation area and offers a sharp contrast to the busy thoroughfares elsewhere in the conservation area. It has a strong linear character that is best preserved in the centre, becoming weaker towards either end. Views are punctuated by two key landmark buildings, Peterborough Museum and the Former Presbyterian Church which make a particularly strong contribution to its character.

Long Causeway Excercise

Historic Map © and database right Crown Copyright and Landmark Information Group Ltd All Rights Reserved 2011

Some things to think about...Special architectural and historic interestArchitectural groupingsMaterialsScale and massingUnique characteristics/local distinctivenessLandmarksViews & vistasFormal or informal?Quality of public realmTrees & open spaceSpatial organisationPrevailing architectural styleHomogenous or varied? Boundary treatments Designated buildings

Management Plan recommendationsTraffic managementPublic realmNegative buildingsNegative viewsOpportunity sitesUnsympathetic alterations eg. extensions, roof lightsStreet clutterShop frontsSpatial organisationBuilding occupancy/useLoss of original features eg. street signs, windowsCondition of building stockThreatsTrees and open space Article 4 Directions

Conclusions?

Conclusions?- Trees form a striking feature, creating a central green axis- Queensgate frontage excluded- Buildings are large in scale, three and four storeys, sitting tight to the pavement creating a sense of enclosure- Palette of materials include red brick with stone detailing- Follows the linear medieval street pattern- Identified buildings considered to make a negative contribution to the townscape- Identified negative views out of the conservation area- Poor quality public realm- Modern shop fronts