OFFICERS’ REPORTS TO
PLANNING POLICY & BUILT HERITAGE WORKING PARTY – 23 SEPTEMBER 2013
PUBLIC BUSINESS - ITEM FOR DECISION
1.
WALSINGHAM CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL AND MANAGEMENT
PROPOSALS
The purpose of this report is to recommend that the Walsingham Conservation Area
Appraisal and Management Proposals be adopted for statutory planning purposes
and become a material consideration in the planning process.
1. Introduction
At its meeting on 8 October 2012 the Working Party gave approval for the Draft
Walsingham Conservation Area Appraisal to be taken forward to public consultation.
This was subsequently undertaken in July. An Open Meeting to discuss the
document was held on 30 July 2013 and as a result the document has been
amended to accommodate many of the changes put forward by the public and
interested bodies.
The benefits of an adopted Conservation Area Appraisal are twofold:(a) The preparation of Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Proposals
documents offer a real and practical opportunity for local communities to engage
in the future management of their local environment and as such contributes very
positively to the ‘localism’ agenda.
(b) A fully adopted Appraisal and set of Management Proposals provides additional
support and guidance for decision-making through the Development
Management process, since they become, on adoption, a material consideration
for the Local Planning Authority when dealing with applications for development.
Little and Great Walsingham form one of the District’s most outstanding Conservation
Areas - with their rich history and high proportion of Listed Buildings. The review of
the Walsingham Conservation Area has been identified as a priority.
Note: Copies of the Final Draft of the ‘Walsingham Conservation Area Appraisal and
Management Proposals’ document are available for inspection in the Members’
Room; copies can also be produced on request.
2. Statutory Background
Conservation Areas are designated under the provisions of Section 69 of the
Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. A Conservation Area
is defined as ‘an area of special architectural or historic interest the character or
appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance’.
Section 71 of the same Act requires Local Planning Authorities, from ‘time to time’ to
review their Conservation Areas and formulate and publish proposals for their
preservation and enhancement. Section 72 also specifies that, in making a decision
on an application for development within a Conservation Area, special attention must
Planning Policy & Built Heritage Working Party
1
23 September 2013
be paid to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of
that area.
The document now being considered for adoption conforms to current English
Heritage guidance and government guidance regarding the management of historic
buildings and Conservation Areas as set out within the National Planning Policy
Framework (March 2012). The District’s adopted Local Development Framework
(LDF) and Core Strategy continues to provide the local planning policy context.
3. Purpose
The purpose of a Conservation Area Appraisal and associated Management
Proposals is to:
Define the special architectural or historic interest of the Conservation Area
and identify the issues which threaten its special qualities (Part 1: Character
Appraisal).
Identify revised policy or practical projects which can safeguard and/or
enhance the character of a Conservation Area (Part 2: Management
Proposals).
4. Public Consultation
Public consultation took place from 1 July – 31 July 2013 and included:A public exhibition at the Walsingham Tourist Information Centre (TIC).
An open meeting also held at the TIC within the Shirehall Museum,
attended by 35 members of the public.
Leaflets made available at various public locations within the Village and
distributed to all properties within the Conservation Area.
The appraisal document being made available on the Council website.
A press release.
Posters displayed throughout the Village.
Overall 25 written responses were received from the public. They were extremely
positive, both regarding the quality of the document and its level of detail.
The main issues raised from the public consultation can be summarised as follows:Insufficient emphasis on impact of coaches & traffic management - major
issue. Should be restricted to coach park which should have better facilities;
Heavy goods vehicles and road signs an issue;
Permitted development rights an issue;
Friday Market, 7 Market Place, which has been sympathetically renovated,
has been omitted from document - poor photo;
Considered Area 2- should be removed;
Properties need ‘tidying up’, deterioration of buildings/shabbiness of High St;
Overall traffic;
Parking problems;
Empty buildings, poor state of repair etc.;
Lack of proper management of buildings, particularly by The Estate;
Lack of proper parking provision for residents and visitors;
Are the management proposals realistic?
Planning Policy & Built Heritage Working Party
2
23 September 2013
How can general repair & maintenance be ‘encouraged’?;
Lack of detailed proposals;
Concerns that it was a ‘tick box’ exercise to allow additional housing
development;
Speeding traffic;
Resurrect market for certain days in the year?;
The on-going scaffolding on Oxford Stores;
Pedestrianise the High St. There should be a pedestrian priority;
The wheelie bins in Friday Market Place;
Public realm concerns;
Proposals not appropriate - e.g. traffic, finance, general environment?;
Do not allow intrusion of modern coffee bars, chain stores etc;
Consider edge of town parking. Provision of car parking currently at
maximum, especially at weekends;
Lack of strategic coordination between local & regional (and national?)
governments, Highway Authority & organisations in the village, in particular
Anglican & Roman Catholic Shrines & Walsingham Estate;
Local economy suffering;
Ill-served by local amenities - some unused, no post-office etc…;
There is a good argument to extend CA further to include approach from East
and North Barshams & Houghton St Giles along River Valley;
Coaches - pollution, vibrations, noise, congestion. Solutions needed;
Not updated - 11 Egmere Rd (now updated).
5. Management Proposals
5.1 Boundary Review
Following public consultation there was strong support shown and significant
representation made to keep ‘Area 2’, Blind Dick’s Lane, within the Conservation
Area boundary. As a consequence this proposal has been removed from the final
document.
Only one alteration is now being proposed to the existing Conservation Area
boundary:It is recommended that ‘Area 1’ Cleaves Drive is removed from the
Conservation Area. This area is characterised by modern dwellings which do
little to reinforce the character and appearance of the area.
5.2 Article 4 Directions
Given the high percentage of buildings that are listed within the Conservation Area,
Walsingham has not suffered from erosion of architectural character as badly as
other areas within the District. However the appraisal has identified a number of
buildings which are unlisted and which hold an important position within the streetscene or between key listed buildings.
The use of Article 4 Directions can be investigated for those buildings identified within
the document as ‘Locally Listed Buildings’ or situated in sensitive locations and which
would benefit from an Article 4 Direction. Such Articles remove permitted
development rights and help to safeguard the character and appearance of
Conservation Areas.
Planning Policy & Built Heritage Working Party
3
23 September 2013
5.3 Buildings of Local Interest
Walsingham contains a number of historic buildings that are unlisted, but which make
a positive contribution to the character of the Conservation Area. This is either due to
their age, materials, relation to surrounding historic buildings, architectural detailing,
and ‘townscape’ value or a combination of these factors. National planning legislation
still permits local authorities to identify non-designated heritage assets and to
prepare ‘Local Lists’ of important buildings which make ‘a valuable contribution to the
local scene or local history’.
The buildings listed below are proposed to be included on the Local List:The Pump, Common Place (could be considered for national listing)
5 Bridewell Street
The Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham
St Seraphim’s, Station Road
The Memorial, Westgate Street, Great Walsingham
5.4 New Development
The inherent building styles and types characteristic of Walsingham are a strength
and should be reflected in new development. The scale and siting of new
development should also be considered with particular care, as should the
architectural quality and detail (as exemplified by the Shrine Refectory and the new
Roman Catholic Church). It is recommended that all new development conforms to
the advice in this Appraisal, as well as to the adopted North Norfolk Design Guide.
5.5 Public Realm Issues
The public realm and in particular the impact of the highway within Little Walsingham
has been very much an on-going theme of concern throughout the appraisal process.
The District Council needs to work with other agencies, residents and land owners to
ensure that the public realm is maintained and enhanced. Indeed, further
investigation is needed in order to find ways of reducing the impact of traffic in Little
Walsingham especially. Two spaces have been identified which would benefit
specifically from environmental enhancement – Friday Market and Common Place.
Additional emphasis needs to be given to improving the condition of key Listed
Buildings and sites within the Conservation Area.
Overall, Little Walsingham would benefit, when funds become available, greatly from
further investment in the public realm. Solving the highway issues would considerably
improve the quality of the environment for those living, working and visiting the
village. The Council will need to liaise closely with the County Council in respect of
traffic management in order to address this matter. In the long-term the possible
implementation of a Townscape Heritage Initiative for Walsingham could be
considered.
6. Budgetary Implications
There are no immediate budgetary implications. Of more significance are the
management proposals and the need to review comprehensively the way in which
the District Council’s services are delivered within the Conservation Area in
conjunction with external bodies, agencies and statutory undertakers, including the
Planning Policy & Built Heritage Working Party
4
23 September 2013
County Council. Any consideration of Article 4 Directions would take place using
existing staff.
7. Conclusion
Walsingham Conservation Area has seen substantial physical, economic and social
changes since 1974, but its inherent architectural quality and historic value remains
intact. The historic environment provides both the backcloth and essential ingredient
in ensuring the future prosperity of the Conservation Area. Maintaining the character
of Little Walsingham and Great Walsingham is vitally important, not least for tourism
and other economic reasons as well as for its own sake and heritage importance.
The key public realm issues identified within the document, if not addressed, will
continue to have a detrimental impact on the historic environment as well as for those
who live or visit the Conservation Area.
8. Recommendations
Cabinet is recommended:8.1
To adopt the Walsingham Conservation Area Appraisal and
Management Proposals for statutory planning purposes and for it
to be a ‘material consideration’ in the planning process.
8.2
To adopt the proposed boundary change as recommended in the
Final Draft of the Appraisal document and that it be publicised in
accordance with the Planning (Listed Buildings & Conservation
Areas) Act 1990.
8.3
That the buildings identified for Local Listing be formally
recognised and recorded.
Source: Paul Rhymes, Conservation and Design Officer and Philip Godwin, Conservation,
Design & Landscape Manager (Tel. Ext. 6367 or 6131) phil.godwin@north-norfolk.gov.uk
Planning Policy & Built Heritage Working Party
5
23 September 2013