Character of Place

(3) Introduction

The District has a distinctive character we need to protect. We are committed to both maintaining and enhancing environmental quality in the District.

All new development will be expected to make a positive contribution to this character and be of high quality design. Quality of design is important everywhere within the District. It is essential to producing attractive, vibrant, sustainable places, in which people want to live, work and relax.

Government policy contained in Planning Policy Statement 1 (PPS1) - Delivering sustainable development, makes it clear that good design should be the aim of all those involved in the development process. PPS3 - Housing, also emphasises the need to create places, streets and spaces which meet the needs of people, are visually attractive, safe, accessible, functional, inclusive, have their own distinctive identity and maintain and improve local character.

(1) Design

Rochford District has a unique character and appearance, much of which stems from the traditional buildings that still dominate the towns and villages. However, more recently the adoption of modern standardised building materials and building design has, in some cases, begun to erode the character of the District. We aim to follow the principles of good urban design set out in national policies and ensure the design of all new and existing development is consistent with the local character.

Design will be expected to enhance local identity by being sympathetic to local needs and by building on local opportunities. Corporate identities, and in-house building styles, will be expected to be adapted to the local setting and not the other way around.

We will encourage and support the production of Village Design Statements (VDS) for settlements in the District. These are community-led guidance documents outlining the distinct character of villages and their proposed future development from a local perspective. Design Statements will encourage community ownership and inform planners, designers and developers of sustainable opportunities for village enhancement.

Promoting good design may sometimes conflict with other aims, for example, promoting renewable energy. While promoting the development of small-scale renewable energy projects, we will ensure the location, scale, design and other factors are carefully considered.

We have adopted Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) 2 (Housing Design) and SPD 7 (Design, Landscaping and Access Statement) which provide detailed guidance on how good design can be achieved. The Essex Design Guide and Urban Place Supplement also provide guidance on delivering good design.

(9) CP1 Design - Preferred Option

We will promote good, high quality design that has regard to local flavour through the use of the adopted Supplementary Planning Documents and the positive contribution of Village Design Statements. The Essex Design Guide and Urban Place Supplement SPDs will be adopted which provide guidance without being overly prescriptive. Developers of large residential schemes will be required to produce and adhere to design briefs, which reflect the local characteristics and distinctiveness of the development area.

CP1 - Alternative Options
Option	Why is it not preferred?
Prescriptive design guidance to ensure uniform design and high standards.	Good design is essential, but uniform design is not viable and stifles innovative design.

Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas

Good design is crucial when considering proposals that may affect historic buildings, especially those that are listed due to their architectural interest, or the character and appearance of Conservation Areas. The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 provides specific protection for buildings and areas of special architectural or historic interest.

Listed Buildings

A 'Listed Building' is a building, object or structure that has been judged to be of national importance in terms of architectural or historic interest and is included on a special register, called the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest.

Type of Listed Building	Total Number
Grade I	1
Grade II*	18
Grade II	310
Total	329

 

Table 1 - Number of Listed Buildings within Rochford District

Buildings are listed to help protect the physical evidence of our past, including buildings which are valued and protected as a central part of our cultural heritage and our sense of identity. Hence, these buildings have statutory protection and Listed Building consent is needed for their demolition, or to carry out any internal or external alterations that affect their character.

We will support the national policies that seek to protect Listed Buildings and pay particular attention to retaining their character.

Conservation Areas

Conservation Areas are 'Areas of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance' (Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990). They have been designated to preserve and enhance the character of a whole area. These areas are afforded statutory protection and in addition often contain many Listed Buildings.

Conservation Areas

Battlesbridge

Canewdon Church

Canewdon High Street

Foulness Churchend

Great Wakering

Paglesham Churchend

Paglesham Eastend

Rayleigh

Rochford

Shopland Churchyard

Table 2 - Conservation Areas within Rochford District

Many of the high quality built environments of the District have been designated as Conservation Areas. These areas have a distinctive character and we have adopted Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Plans for the District's ten Conservation Areas. These Appraisals and Management plans detail the character of the Conservation Areas, assess their quality, and the proposed actions to be undertaken to ensure their protection and enhancement.

Designation of a Conservation Area extends planning controls over certain types of development, including extensions, boundary treatments, the demolition of unlisted buildings and works to trees. However it does not prevent any change and the area may be subject to pressures (good and bad) that will affect its character and appearance. We will try to preserve the special character of the Conservation Areas and to promote good design through implementing SPD6 - Design guidelines for Conservation Areas, as well as the Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plans.

(2) CP2 Conservation Areas - Preferred Option

We will work closely with our partners to implement the actions recommended in the adopted Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plans and will have regard to the advice in the CAAs and adopted SPDs when considering proposals for development within a Conservation Areas.

CP2 - Alternative Options
Option	Why is it not preferred?
We will not take a positive approach to enhancing Conservation Areas, and will simply continue our reactive approach to proposals.	We believe Conservation Areas can be enhanced by taking a positive approach.

(1) Local Lists

We believe that many buildings in the District, despite not being listed, are of local distinctiveness and form part of a familiar and cherished local scene.

We dropped our Local List during the preparation of the Rochford District Replacement Local Plan, but more recent guidance (Review of Heritage Protection: the way forward (2004) DCMS and Heritage Protection for the 21st Century (2007) DCMS) suggests that these lists do have a valuable role. There is now positive encouragement from the government through the recent White Paper for the preparation of such lists and we propose to reintroduce one for the District.

Although there is no statutory protection for buildings included on Local Lists (except those in Conservation Areas), we will set out policies to encourage owners to avoid demolition, unsympathetic alteration or changes which would diminish the architectural, historic or townscape value of these buildings.

We will carry out a survey, using criteria set out in paragraph 6.10 to 6.12 of Planning Policy Guidance (PPG) 15 to determine in consultation with local communities, the buildings that will comprise the Local List.

Responses to our initial consultation made it clear that respondents value their local environment and believe that the historic character of the District must be protected. We will not normally approve any unsympathetic alterations, including replacement of traditional windows or alterations to the external cladding, to buildings included in the Local List - specific design guidance and advice will be included in the Development Control Development Plan Document and appropriate SPDs.

(4) CP3 Local List - Preferred Option

We will prepare a Local List to give protection to local buildings with special architectural and historic value.