Thorpe End Conservation area appraisal - Broadland … would take the place of uniform streets and...

THORPE END GARDEN VILLAGE CONSERVATION AREA

THORPE END GARDEN VILLAGECONSERVATION AREA

CHARACTER STATEMENTBROADLAND DISTRICT COUNCIL

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Designated by Broadland District Council 16th March 2010


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THORPE END GARDEN VILLAGECONSERVATION AREA

CONTENTS PAGEIntroduction 2

Historical Development 2

Location and Setting 4

Conservation Area Boundaries 4

Landscape Settings 5

Form and Character 5

Materials 10

Detractors 11

Opportunities for Enhancement 12

APPENDICESAppendix A : The Effect of Designation 13

Appendix B : Conservation Area Boundary 15

Appendix C : Unlisted Buildings of Interest 17


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THORPE END GARDEN VILLAGECONSERVATION AREAINTRODUCTIONA Conservation Area is defined as “an area ofspecial architectural or historic interest, thecharacter of which it is desirable to preserve orenhance”. The conservation of theenvironment can enhance the quality of life ofthose who live or work in the area. Under the1990 Planning (Listed Buildings andConservation Areas) Act, Local Authorities arerequired to review existing Conservation Areasand, where appropriate, consider thedesignation of new ones.

Factors which contribute to the special qualityof a Conservation Area may include:

• the architectural quality of the buildingsthemselves

• the materials of which they are made• their relationship with one another and their

setting in the landscape• the character of the spaces between

buildings, including walls, hedges, trees,grass verges and ground surface materials

• views both within the area and from outside• the way in which buildings, spaces and

landscape reflect the historical developmentof the area

The District Council is committed to theprotection and enhancement of the historicenvironment of Broadland.

Following a request by local residents thatconsideration be given to designating ThorpeEnd a Conservation Area, it was agreed withthe Parish Council that an appraisal of thewhole village should be undertaken in 2008and an area of particular interest wasidentified. It covers that part of the villagedeveloped in accordance with the original“garden village” concept set out by PercyHowes & Co, the developers, in the 1930s. It

includes the whole of the area south ofPlumstead Road and a limited area north of theroad centred on the village green and theshops. While other parts of the village - notablythe area north of the shops developed in the1980s and 1990s - include features of interestand are attractive in their own way, they lackthe particular features which characterise theoriginal development.

The present statement seeks to identify theparticular elements that characterise itslandscape and buildings.

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTThe development of Thorpe End Garden Villagehas its roots firmly in the “garden city”tradition pioneered by Ebenezer Howard atLetchworth in the 1900s and at Welwyn in the1920s. Horrified by the great smoky citiesspawned by the world’s first industrialrevolution and by the endless rows of terracedhouses built towards the end of the 19thcentury, Ebenezer Howard had a vision of acleaner, simpler way of life. Green spaces andhedgerows would take the place of uniformstreets and alleys.

But Howard was not the first in this field.Earlier a number of enlightened industrialistshad built “model villages” to house theiremployees: Lever’s Port Sunlight in the 1880s,Cadbury’s Bournville in the 1890s andRowntree’s New Earswick in the1900s; andparallel developments had taken place on theContinent.

At Hampstead Garden Suburb, founded in1907 by the philanthropist Henrietta Barnett,ideals of a socially mixed community and of“helpful neighbourliness” were linked tostandards for minimum road widths and frontgardens depths; to the retention of existing


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trees and hedgerows and the planting of newones; to the creation of pleasing relationshipsbetween buildings and to the location of thedevelopment near a new tube station so as tobe “within a 2d fare from central London”.

In the 1930s Percy and Leonard Howes of PercyHowes & Co, a firm of estate agents inNorwich, saw a potential market in theprovision of new middle class houses, withineasy commuting distance of the city, but inrural surroundings. They bought a site of 90acres (36.42 hectares) in open countrystraddling the Plumstead Road. To this day ithas remained separated by woodland from thefast-expanding city. They then set aboutproviding the infra-structure of roads,electricity, gas and telephone connections andbuilt shops, a post office and a bus shelter.

But that was not all. They were determinedthat “the ideal home at Thorpe End” (the titleof their sales brochure) should be set amidpleasant surroundings. So they laid down widegrass verges and planted chestnut trees oneither side of the new roads and along theexisting main roads. They established a greenopen space at its heart and at selected placeswithin the new development. Existinghedgerows and trees were preserved, notablybetween the two lanes of The Boulevard. Publicutilities were where possible laid under ground.

They recognised the need for certain“thoughtful restrictions” aimed at maintainingthe character of the “garden village”. Thustrees could not be felled without express

permission of the estate owners and the localauthority, fences had to be of a certain typeand houses had to be set back at least 30 feet(9.14 metres) from the road.

House designs were not stipulated, but theyhad to be designed and built under thesupervision of members of the Royal Instituteof British Architects. The use of “mellowbricks” and thatched roofs was encouraged tolend the development an “old-worldcharacter”. The houses were to be built at adensity of no more than three to the acre.

Cooperation in the interests of the wholebecame a feature of the new settlement. Tothis day the Parish Council takes responsibilityfor grass cutting in public open spaces; whilethe residents have taken on the responsibilityof road maintenance, thus avoiding the use ofstandardised kerbs and road surfacing thatwould have been required had the roads beenadopted by the local authority.

The development of the area beyond the shopson the north side of Plumstead Road wasinterrupted by the War. When developmentfinally came in the 1980s and 1990s, morethan usual care was taken in the design of thenew houses and in the layout and materials ofthe roads, footpaths and public open spaces.However economics dictated a much higherhousing density than the pre-war scheme androads are to modern local authority standards.The character is therefore very different fromthe original development and the newer estateis therefore not indicated within theConservation Area boundary.


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LOCATION AND SETTINGThorpe End is some 5.6 kilometres (3. 5 miles)from the centre of Norwich. The spread ofNorwich along the Plumstead Road extends towithin 1.2 kilometres (0.75 miles) of ThorpeEnd to the west, while New Rackheath isabout the same distance away to the east. Tothe south-west the new development atDussindale Park is, at its nearest, only 0.4kilometres (0.25 miles) away. That it stillremains separate from these settlements givesThorpe End a special character of its own. It isimportant to maintain this separation.

The village is surrounded on all sides by flatfarmland, hedgerows, trees and woodland.The extensive woods to the west separate itfrom Norwich, while views across fields in otherdirections are stopped by small woods, treebelts or hedgerow trees. Triangle Wood (a smallwood immediately south of the village) isprotected by a Tree Preservation Order.

CONSERVATION AREABOUNDARIESThe boundaries of the Conservation Area aredrawn tightly round the area identified as ofspecial interest. This includes

• The village green straddling the PlumsteadRoad together with the houses on the southside and the shops on the north side.

• The development along the south side ofPlumstead Road, extending eastwards to theend of the village and westwards to GreenLane North

• The development along the north side ofPlumstead Road, extending eastwards toinclude the Village Hall but westwards toinclude only the first two houses past thesub-station. West of these houses the vergeis too narrow for trees and consequently thedevelopment here lacks one of the essentialelements which distinguish thedevelopment scheme of the 1930s.

• The hinterland development south ofPlumstead Road, incorporating (i) theBoulevard (ii) Lawn Crescent (iii) WoodlandDrive (iv) South Walk and (v) the east side ofGreen Lane North as far as Woodland Drive(including the two houses south of thejunction with Woodland Drive, which -although their extensive open frontages arenot in character with the adjoiningdevelopment - nevertheless have an impacton the Conservation Area.

More than usual care has clearly been taken inthe design of the comprehensive post-wardevelopment to the north of the shops. But,while generally attractive in itself, it does notattempt to share with the pre-wardevelopment those features and qualitieswhich make it of particular interest, includinglow density, preponderance of trees, hedgesand grass and ”soft” road surfaces. Also,because it is less vulnerable to incrementalchanges, such as loss of trees or hedges or


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alterations to road surfaces and edges, it canmore easily “look after itself” without addedsupport. It has therefore not been included inthe Conservation Area.

LANDSCAPE SETTINGThe immediate surroundings of the GardenVillage consist of open fields and scatteredwoodland which are important in reinforcingthe sense of separation from other nearbysettlements. Policies in the Broadland DistrictLocal Plan (2006) address these areas. Theimmediately adjacent countryside is covered byPolicy ENV1 which aims to protect and enhancethe character and appearance of contryside,towns, villages and urban areas. To the southand west of the Garden Village are areas towhich Policy ENV8 also applies, being identifiedas areas of special scenic quality or importancein the landscape, whose inherent visual qualitiesand distinctive character will be protected.

FORM AND CHARACTER

THE VILLAGE GREEN (BOTH SIDES OFPLUMSTEAD ROAD)

The centre of the village is the green whichstraddles both sides of Plumstead Road. Withbusy modern traffic this is hardly ideal, but whenthe garden village was conceived in the 1930s itwould have been seen as a clear demonstrationof the developer’s claim that it was within easycommuting distance of the city by car or bus.Private roads describe shallow arcs on either sideto give the green its form. On the south side thegrassed area is interrupted by the start of theBoulevard, its position determined by an existingfield hedge whose preservation was in line withone of the objectives set out in the originalbrochure. In addition to the pre-existing treesalong the main road itself, other trees wereplanted on the green.


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North side

The north side is largely taken up by shops anda garage. Two of the commercial buildings areoriginal: the garage at the east end and theshops at the west end. They exhibit some ofthe picturesque and rustic features associatedwith the garden city movement of the earlytwentieth century: steeply pitched roofs,stepped gables and patterned brickwork(basket-weave, herring-bone). Between thesetwo buildings a further short terrace of shopswas inserted in the late twentieth century: it isill-proportioned and no attempt has been madeto harmonise its roof pitch, brick colour orwindows with the buildings alongside.

Other buildings on the north side include thecharming bus shelter on the green (flint base,timber frame, panels of basket-weavebrickwork and thatched roof), the electricitysub-station towards the west end (Kentishhipped roof). Of the few houses which frontthe green, No 79 (Dial House) at the easternend is one of the best examples of its style inthe village (thatched roof complete with curveddormers, leaded windows, bow window andthatched entrance arch). It was originallyoccupied by Leonard Howes himself.


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South side

By contrast, the south side of the green isentirely residential and forms the northernedge of the main 1930s development. Itincludes the majority of thatched houses in thevillage: one towards the eastern end of thegreen and a row of five (including a semi-detached pair) towards the western end. LikeDial House they are in the tradition of thecottage orné of the 18th and 19th centuriesand feature low sweeping roofs, dormers,mock half-timbering and (at least when built),leaded windows. One has been extended usingpin-tiles in the manner of thatch – with onlymoderate success. The other houses in thisgroup are not especially distinguished. One(east of the Boulevard) with large picturewindows dates from the 1960s. It may beregretted that the original developers did notinsist on some degree of architectural unity - atleast on the plots facing the village green. Butthe general preponderance of tall clippedhedges in front combine with the trees on thegreen to produce a generally harmoniouseffect: the loss of a front hedge to one house(west of the Boulevard, due to disease) onlyserves to prove the point.

The village sign celebrates the garden village. Itfeatures – in silhouette - a tree protected by avery steep roof with two “supporters”, bothdressed in gardening clothes and Wellingtonboots: she watering the garden; he (pipe inmouth) digging it.

PLUMSTEAD ROAD (EXCLUDING THECENTRAL GREEN)

East of the green, both sides

Houses on both sides, varying greatly in styleand size, appear mostly to date from theoriginal development. Where windows havebeen replaced they are generally in sympathywith the house. The majority have gabledroofs, which bind the houses together visually.In contrast, those with hipped roofs, appear tostand somewhat apart from their neighbours.Several houses have herringbone brickwork.One house has a discordant extension gable.But the front hedges (mostly clipped and tall),the deep setting back of the houses, the widegrass verges and the roadside trees - allrequirements of Percy Howes & Co - combineto allow the natural elements to dominate thescene. The houses, in contrast, are glimpsedrather than seen full-face. The end result is thatwhat would otherwise be very ordinary “ribbondevelopment” becomes an essential part of thegarden village.


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The modern Village Hall now stands on thenorth side, just past the last house. Its design isundistinguished, but as an importantcommunity building immediately adjoining theoriginal development and enjoying the samewide grass verge in front, its inclusion in theproposed Conservation Area is desirable.Suggestions on how it could be better knittedinto the general scene are made elsewhere inthis statement.

West of the green, south side

The architectural quality of the houses here isvery uneven. But, as elsewhere in the gardenvillage, the buildings are generally subsidiary tothe hedges, grass verges and trees. Threehouses have no front hedge and the resultingeffect on the scene over-all is very apparent.Parts of this stretch of the main road arewithout trees in the verge and suggestions onreplanting can be found elsewhere in thisstatement.

GREEN LANE NORTH (EAST SIDE, FROMPLUMSTEAD ROAD TO WOODLAND DRIVE)

Although the development along the east sideof this road is essentially “ribbondevelopment”, very varied in architecturalquality, it shares features characteristic of the1930s development behind, including hedges(to most houses) and the provision of a widegrass verge, giving an opportunity to plantmore trees (at present there is only one). Thetwo houses immediately south of the junctionwith Woodland Drive have very openfrontages, out of character with thedevelopment as a whole.

THE ROADS WITHIN THE 1930SDEVELOPMENT SOUTH OF PLUMSTEAD ROAD

In contrast to the roads considered so far (allexisting through roads), the Boulevard, LawnCrescent, Woodland Drive and South Walkwere all newly laid out in the 1930s and remainin the ownership of the residents, who areresponsible for their upkeep. This arrangementallows their construction and materials to bemuch less standardised than if they were to beadopted by the local authority. For example,the absence of a hard surfaced footpath andkerb allows the grass verge to come right up tothe carriage way; while the foundation of theroad is slightly uneven and its finish is a thinlayer of tarmacadam with rolled-in chippings,some of which has inevitably been loosenedand scattered with passing traffic. The result isaltogether “softer” and more informal thanwith a standard road. Originally the surfacewas no more than beaten and rolled hardcoreand gravel: the present surface is an acceptablecompromise with the needs of modern traffic.Everywhere in this part of the village grassverges are wide and trees (mostly chestnuts)have been planted at regular intervals.

The road layout is geometrical (straight lines,circles, semi-circles) and roadside trees arespaced at regular intervals. But this seeminglyrigid framework is complemented by theirregularity of the houses and their relationshipwith each other and by the individual plantingwithin the spacious gardens. After seventyyears of growth the environment is dominatedby trees and hedges, between which parts ofhouses can be glimpsed: here a gable, there abay window or a chimney.


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The Boulevard

The Boulevard begins at Plumstead Road as ashort tree-lined avenue cutting across the southside of the central green. It then divides into atwo-lane road with a hedge between. But unlikeother clipped, single-species, domestic hedges inthe village, planted by individual householders inthe 1930s, this is a former field hedge ofhawthorn, ivy and other species. Again, whereaselsewhere the verges are level, those either sideof the former field hedge are steeply banked.Towards its northern end it has been clipped tosome extent, but further south it has beenallowed to grow largely unchecked. The hedgecontains one mature tree. There is a cross overbetween the two lanes at the junction with LawnCrescent. The “dual carriageway” and the fieldhedge give this part of the village a characterwhich is quite unique. The idea of retaining ruralhedgerows can be found in the Percy Howesbrief as well as in the brief for HampsteadGarden Suburb and no doubt elsewhere. Speedhumps at intervals have since been introduced.

Domestic hedges are planted on low banks andthere are trees in the wide grass verges. There arealso a number of bushes (mostly square- clippedlaurels) which break down the grass verges in toshorter lengths.

Houses vary greatly in style, though most datefrom the1930s. One, on the west side, No 10 isthatched. Most have hedges in front.

Lawn Crescent

Lawn Crescent is a short cul-de-sac off theBoulevard, mid-way between the village green andWoodland Drive. It runs straight eastwards to along narrow oval at the end: it is not in fact acrescent. The modern “hammer-head” had not

yet been invented: classical geometry still ruleshere, not the car. Chestnuts have been planted atregular intervals in the wide verges down eitherside. In contrast, the long green “circle” has abush at each end but no trees. The formal roadlayout contrasts with the houses, which varygreatly in style. Those in the “circle” are at anangle to one-another and several of them arebungalows. One, on the east side, has an attractivewooden lych-gate, which provides a focal point inthe predominantly green landscape.

Woodland Drive

Woodland Drive is by far the longest road in the1930s layout. At its west end it is angled to meetGreen Lane North: otherwise it runs in a straightline eastwards and ends with a turning circle. Itsnorth side is broken at its junction with theBoulevard and by the green and trees of SouthWalk. Its elements are by now familiar: wide grassverges, chestnut trees, high hedges on low banksin front of most of the houses, occasional clippedlaurel bushes in the verges. There are several widegaps between the chestnut trees. Occasionally theyappear to have been replaced by other species (e.g.a scots pine and a larch).The circle at the east end isdensely planted with trees and shrubs which screena modern drainage plant in the middle.

The original houses follow the preferences setout in the original brochure in the use of“mellow” bricks (many examples), steep pitchedroofs (e.g. No. 28), patterned brickwork (e.g.No. 6) or black waney-edged boarding (e.g. No.20). On the corner with Green Lane North(north side) a thatched house, No 1, can beglimpsed behind high hedges. The use of palerbricks and shallower roof pitches on later housesis intrusive, though this matters less where ahouse is part screened by a high hedge.

South Walk

South Walk is an elongated semi-circle leadingoff Woodland Drive. The central area is anattractive large open space with grass, treesand bushes. Along the Woodland Drivefrontage trees are on the line of what appearsto be a straggly bramble hedge and not, aselsewhere, in the main road verge. The treesare close together and have grown tall andspindly. In amongst the brambles are many


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self-seeded chestnut saplings. This “hedge”merges with a small spinney of trees andbrambles on the west side, while on the eastside there are more trees. In the main part ofthe central area several small ornamental treesand shrubs have been planted here and there.

The houses facing onto South Walk are nearly allbungalows. Most are without front hedges but severalhave attractive low planting. One house has very brightred tiles; another has its frontage marked by largepieces of grey-green slate, both rather intrusive.

MATERIALSLANDSCAPE

The character of the village depends in greatpart on the use of green landscape elements.The “palette” is very simple: grass; deciduoustrees on the grass verges and open spaces(mainly horse chestnuts in the areas developedin the 1930s and older oaks along thePlumstead Road); trees banked up with largeflints- many planted with spring flowers; tallhedges in front of the houses.

BUILDINGS

Materials for the buildings erected in the 1930sare “recessive” in colour and texture, in linewith the developers’ aim to create a villagewhich, though new and with all modernconveniences, is nonetheless “mellow” and“old-world” in character. So bricks tend to bedark multi-red in colour and rustic in texture;tiles, whether pantiles or pintiles, tend to bemulti-red or dark grey. Other materials andeffects which were encouraged include thatch,mock half-timber and patterned brickwork(basket-weave and herringbone)


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THINGS WHICH DETRACTFROM THE CHARACTER OFTHE AREADetractors include

• The design of the newer shops on the northside of the village green.

• The varying quality and uneven surface ofparts of the private road in front of theshops.

• The metal posts and chains round thecircular green at the east end of WoodlandDrive.

• The use of over-large sized gravel on somesections of the shared access ways on thesouth side of the village green. [Seeenhancement proposal below for preferredmaterial].

• The widening of one section of the aboveaccess way.

• The absence of hedges in front of somehouses.

• Unkempt hedge south side Plumstead Roadapproaching junction with Green LaneNorth.

• The absence of trees in certain sections ofgrass verge.

• The use of brick gate piers and ornate metalgates to some houses.

• Asymmetrical design of replacementwindows at first floor over shops.

• Design of window replacements abovegarage.

• Painting over in white part of main gable togarage.

• Short strip of loose gravel on green side ofeast roadway of South Walk.

• Use of lumps of slate along one frontage inSouth Walk.


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OPPORTUNITIES FORENHANCEMENT OF THEAREAOpportunities for enhancement include

• Carrying out a survey of existing trees on thevillage green and then designing andimplementing a tree planting scheme tocomplement them. Large scale deciduoustrees are recommended in preference tosmaller scale evergreens or ornamentals inthis location.

• Carrying out a survey of trees in road-sideverges throughout the village, noting wherethere are gaps needing to be filled and thencarrying out an infill tree-planting scheme.Large scale trees recommended: probablyoaks along the Plumstead Road and horsechestnuts elsewhere. Include trees in front ofthe Village Hall.

• Carrying out a survey of trees andundergrowth on the green at South Walkand then carrying out a scheme whichwould probably include selective removal aswell as fresh inter-planting. The aim shouldnot be “total tidiness”: part of the charm ofthis area is its “wildness”.

• Removing ivy growth from trees alongPlumstead Road.

• Compiling a short design guide for newbuildings and extensions in the village sothat, without slavish copying, they respectand harmonise with the older buildings.Form and colour are the mainconsiderations.

• Identifying and addressing road drainageproblems throughout the village.

• Addressing problem of vehicles running overgrass verge by west entrance to road in frontof shops.

• Replacing broken tarmac / clinker onfootpath in front of house west of sub-station with more attractive material.

• Encouraging co-ordinated design of fasciason shops.

• Replacing metal posts and chain roundcircus at east end of Woodland Drive innatural material.


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APPENDIX ATHE EFFECT OFDESIGNATIONDESIGNATIONSection 69, Planning (Listed Buildings andConservation Areas) Act 1990 requires localauthorities to identify Conservation Areas andto designate them after consultation with theParish Councils concerned, statutoryundertakers and with other interested bodies.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATIONAny application for permission to carry outdevelopment which affects the character orappearance of the Conservation Area must bepublicly advertised on site and in the local press notless than 21 days before it is determined by theLocal Planning Authority. This may in some casesapply to developments on the fringe or margins ofthe Conservation Area where it is considered theproposed development may affect the character orappearance of the Conservation Area.

DEVELOPMENT CONTROL

New DevelopmentThe local planning authority, as a general rule,will require that all planning applications forbuilding works are accompanied by detailedplans and drawings. These drawings shouldillustrate proposed elevations in relation toexisting and adjoining buildings or theirimmediate surroundings.

The local planning authority must pay particularregard to the character of the ConservationArea and the possible effect any proposeddevelopment may have. Factors taken intoconsideration will be layout of buildings, scale,shape and form. A high standard of design andmaterials will also be expected. Peripheralelements such as design of walls, fences,planting and the visual effects of providing forvehicular traffic, e.g. access, parking areas,vision splays will similarly be considered.

It is desirable, therefore, that details ofproposals should be discussed with

Development Management Officers orConservation Officers at an early stage, preferablybefore submission of formal planning applications.

Alterations and Extensions/ PermittedDevelopmentThe form of control relating to alterations andextensions differs between Listed and unlistedbuildings within Conservation Areas. The Town& Country (General Permitted Development)Order permits, within certain limits, alterationsor extensions to any building* without the needto obtain specific planning consent. However,any proposal to alter or extend a ListedBuilding, within the limits of permitteddevelopment, requires Listed Building Consentif, in the opinion of the local planning authority,this would affect its character. Beyond the limitslaid down in the General PermittedDevelopment Order both planning permissionand Listed Building Consent will be required.

Owners of unlisted buildings can extend oralter their properties within the limits ofpermitted development without the need toobtain consent. In some situations suchalterations or extensions can have a detrimentaleffect upon the visual amenity of the streetscene and character of the Conservation Area.

The local authority would therefore encourageowners who wish to alter or extend their houses,to do so in a sympathetic manner. The authority’Conservation Officers will be pleased to giveadvice on matters of design and use of materials.

If the local authority is satisfied that in the interestsof conservation it is necessary and expedient tobring under control any particular class or classesof ‘permitted development’, application may bemade to the Department for Communities andLocal Government for a Direction under Article 4of the Town and Country (General PermittedDevelopment) Order 1995, for that purpose.

*building means in this case, a dwellinghouseTown and Country (General PermittedDevelopment) Order 1995.

Satellite dishesThe siting of a satellite dish on the chimney stackor on the roof slope or any elevation fronting the


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road, on a dwelling house within a conservationarea, requires consent from the council.

DemolitionWith minor exceptions, no building within aConservation Area may be demolished withoutthe consent of the local planning authority.Additionally, demolition of a ‘Listed Building’requires Listed Building Consent and theapproval of the Secretary of State.

Where a building which is of particularimportance in maintaining the character of aConservation Area has been allowed to decay,the Secretary of State may direct a localauthority to ensure that repairs necessary tomake the building weatherproof are carried out.

Tree PreservationIt is an offence to fell, lop, top, cause wilfuldamage, destroy or remove a tree in aConservation Area without first giving the localplanning authority at least 6 weeks notice inwriting. In that period, the authority may eitherseek to preserve the tree by serving a TreePreservation Order in which case express consentthen be obtained for any remedial work. If nosuch Order is served then work can proceed.

For trees which are already the subject of TreePreservation Orders express consent of the localplanning authority must be obtained beforeany remedial work is undertaken.

DESIGN GUIDANCE / HEDGEROWLEGISLATION

Window ReplacementsWindow replacements are often the most seriousthreat to the appearance of our conservationareas and may even affect the value of properties.

The replacement of timber windows with PVCuis likely to result in several problems

• The material cannot reproduce profiles anddetailing of traditional joinery

• The variety can destroy the visual harmonyof the streetscene

• The material is not as easy and economic torepair as timber

• It does not have the biodegradable qualitiesof timber when redundant, creating anenvironmental land fill hazard.

NB: All complete window replacements arenow required to achieve minimum insulationvalues – please consult the Building ControlSection at Broadland District Council.

In the interests of conservation, localauthorities are also empowered to relax therequirements under Building ControlRegulations when considering proposals for therestoration or conversion of historic buildings.

Other repairs that can have a detrimentalimpact include:

• Alterations to roofing materials• Inappropriate repointing techniques• Inappropriate repointing materials• Painting, rendering or cladding brickwork• Removal of decorative architectural features

such as stone or window surrounds• Installing modern plastic rainwater gutters

and downpipes

Careful repairs are as important as majoralterations and extensions.

Important HedgerowsUnder the Hedgerow Regulations 1997 (S1 No.1160):

• It is against the law to remove mostcountryside hedgerows without permission.

• To get permission to remove a hedgerow youmust notify your local planning authority.

• If the authority decide to prohibit removal ofan important hedgerow, it must let youknow within 6 weeks.

• If you remove a hedgerow withoutpermission (whether it is important or not)you may face an unlimited fine, you mayalso have to replace the hedgerow.

• For further information regarding the hedgerowlegislation see D.O.E. leaflet ‘The HedgerowRegulations – Your Questions Answered’.

GRANTSGrant assistance may be available for both listedand unlisted buildings or structures which are ofamenity value to the conservation area, both forrepair and enhancement. Grants may also beavailable for tree work / planting. Contact theConservation Section at Broadland District Council


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APPENDIX B : CONSERVATION AREA BOUNDARY


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APPENDIX C :UNLISTEDBUILDINGS OFINTERESTThe following buildings within the ConservationArea are not included in the statutory List ofBuildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interestcompiled by the Secretary of State. Neverthelessthey are considered by the District Council to be ofsufficient interest, as townscape and/or in their ownright, to warrant every effort being made tomaintain their special character.

Plumstead Road (north side)Row of four shops with stepped gables (facingvillage green)

Thorpe End Garage, facing green (at junction withBroadland Drive)

No. 79 (Dial House): thatched house (facing villagegreen)

Bus shelter (on village green)

Plumstead Road (south side)Nos. 24 and 26: pair of semi-detached thatchedhouses (facing west half of green)

Nos. 28, 30 and 32: three detached thatchedhouses (facing west half of village green)

No. 40 (Thorpe Lodge): detached thatched houseand garage (facing east half of green)

The Boulevard (west side)No. 8: thatched house and garage

Woodland Drive (north side)No. 1: thatched house (at junction with Green LaneNorth)

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