Chester Road Conservation Area Management Plan

Chester Road Conservation Area

Character Appraisal and Management Plan

Planning and Regeneration Services, 2010

Public Consultation & Adoption

The consultation draft was issued December 009 and was the subject of an eight week public

consultation. The resulting changes were agreed by the Council and the document was adopted

by the Borough of Poole on 8th June 010.

This document forms part of the evidence base for the Local Development Framework for Poole

and development proposals will be reviewed according to four key documents including:

•Poole Local Plan First Alteration (adopted March 004)

•Poole Core Strategy adopted 19th February 009

•The Southwest Regional Spatial Strategy (public consultation) July 008

•Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole Structure Plan 004

The Poole Local Plan policies included in this document are under review and will be replaced as

part of the Poole Core Strategy revisions.

Chester Road Conservation Areas Appraisal and Management Plan: Publication Details

The purpose of this document

To provide an analysis of the character and appearance of the Chester Road Conservation Area in

accordance with Section 71 of The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990

and to formulate and publish proposals for the preservation and enhancement of Conservation Areas.

The appraisal and management proposals are intended to act as guidance to residents, planners, agents

and developers in order to manage future changes and development proposals within the Conservation

Areas in ways that preserve or enhance their character or appearance.

Production Team

Stephen Thorne

Warren Lever

Hazel Brushett

Head of Planning & Regeneration Services

Environment & Design Team Leader

Conservation Officer

Publication Date:

September 2010

Design: Borough of Poole

Further information

Planning and Regeneration Services:

Civic Centre

Poole BH15 RU

Email enquiries:

Tel. 010 63331

Contents

Introduction

Part 1 The Legal and Policy Framework

1.1

Conservation Area Planning in Poole

Part Background

Location and Access

Settlement History

Part 3 Physical Character and Appearance

Part 4 Issues and Opportunities

4.1

General Planning Issues

Design Issues for New Developments

Part 5 Planning & Conservation Principles,

Guidance and Specifications

5.1

5.3

5.4

5.5

Topography, Setting and Biodiversity

Designs for Replacement Buildings

Alterations and Extensions

Building Materials and Maintenance

Landscaping: Trees, Vegetation and Boundary Treatments

Part 6 Management Options

6.1

6.3

New Development

Opportunities for Enhancement

Monitoring and Review

Map 1

Map

Chester Road Conservation Area Boundary

Chester Road Conservation Area Features

Design Codes for New Development: Chester Road

Introduction

It has been a long term aim of the Borough of Poole to Designate a

Conservation Area at Chester Road and the recent Characterisation

Study, along with a detailed survey of the area, has highlighted that the

area does have special character.

This conservation area appraisal will inform future planning decisions and

will aid the Borough of Poole in preserving the character and appearance

of the Conservation area.

Photo 1: Typical street scene

Part 1 The Legal and Policy

Framework

The practice of identifying Conservation Areas (CAs) dates from the passing of the Civic Amenities

Act, 1967 when the government recognised the importance of protecting whole areas from

encroachment by inappropriate developments and ill thought out demolition in areas identified

for slum clearances. While unique buildings may be important it is the group value and layout of

buildings on their plots and their setting together with the street design, public open space, trees

and other vegetation which all contribute to the nature and identity of a place. The 1967 legislation

is now in force under The Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and The Planning (Listed Buildings and

Conservation Areas) Act 1990. The legislation empowers local planning authorities to exercise their

duty by reviewing their areas from time to time, to designate new areas, and publish proposals

for the preservation and enhancement of conservation areas.

A variety of measures can be taken to influence high quality development and control adverse

impacts of development in conservation areas. The government has granted Local Authorities

specific powers, under the General Permitted Development Order, 1995 (GPDO) to control the

development of properties within conservation areas to preserve and enhance their character.

Various categories of development that would normally be allowed without planning permission are

more restricted in Conservation Areas. These are in addition to the normal planning requirements,

these are:



Cladding any part of the exterior of a dwelling house with stone, artificial stone, timber,

plastic or tiles (however cement and pebble dash render does not require planning

permission);

Extensions where the enlarged part of the dwelling house would extend beyond a wall

forming a side elevation of the original dwelling house; or

Extensions where enlarged part of the dwelling house would have more than one storey

and extend beyond the rear wall of the original dwelling house.

Conservation area designation also introduces control over the demolition of most buildings within

the conservation area.

Consent is required for the demolition of:



A building greater than 115 cubic meters

A wall over 1 metre high fronting a public highway

A wall over metre elsewhere

A pre 1914 agricultural building

An entire building except its façade

In addition anyone proposing to cut down or prune any tree in a conservation area is required to

give the Local Planning Authority six weeks notice.

The Draft Regional Spatial Strategy for the Southwest 2006-2026 recognises that variations “in the

architecture and ‘feel’ between cities, towns and villages across the South West is a distinctive

asset, with differences in character based on the age and function of the settlements and the

locally available building materials”. The Strategy’s policy on the Historic Environment supports

characterisation studies to assist in understanding the significance of historic areas and their

contribution to the local environment.

On 3rd March 010 Planning Policy Statement 5: Planning for the Historic Environment was published:

this replaced PPG15 and PPG16.

1.1 Conservation Area Planning in Poole

Planning policies on conservation areas are included in the Poole Local Plan 2004 and the Core Strategy

2009, and form the basis for the designation and review of all developments requiring planning

permission and consents in conservation areas. Other Borough of Poole Supplementary Planning

Guidance documents relevant to conservation areas are The Landscape and Natural Environment

Design Code and the Shoreline Character Areas Supplementary Planning Guidance. In addition there

is the non-statutory Poole Harbour Aquatic Management Plan, which contains guidelines, policies

and principles for conserving and managing the environmental, historic and commercial interests

of the harbour, which must be safeguarded as they are vulnerable to development pressures.

Part 6 of this document together with its design codes are particularly relevant to this Conservation

Area.

1.1.1 Designation of the Conservation Area

The Conservation Area was designated under The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas)

Act 1990.

Photo 2: Vegetation adds to the character

Part Background

.1 Location and Access

Chester Road lies to the North East of Poole town centre immediately adjacent to, and to the East of

the existing Branksome Park Conservation Area and close to the boundary with Bournemouth.

Based upon the Ordnance Survey mapping with the

permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s

Stationery Office. © Crown copyright.

Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright

and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings.

Borough of Poole Licence No. 100024248 2010

. Settlement History

This area of Poole remained undeveloped until the early 0th Century; it was part of the 300 Acre

Branksome Estate owned by Miss Bruce until 1853. The 1883 Plan of Indenture indicates that the

area was “Reserves Estate undisposed of”. OS nd Edition Map shows some building at the north

end of Ormonde Road. However the area developed rapidly and unlike the adjacent Branksome

Park by 191 the area had already been developed largely as it is today.

1883 Plan of Indenture (Poole Museum)

Ordnance Survey map 1936

Part 3 Physical Character and

Appearance

The setting, topography, character and appearance of a Conservation Area is crucially, what

distinguishes it from other areas and makes it unique within the locality, region or nation. Appraising

character depends on an ability to define and understand the man-made structures and landscape,

activities and uses of an area to understand how an area is perceived and experienced. A visual

appraisal includes documenting how buildings are grouped, linked or divided, coloured, arranged

with and around open spaces and vegetation. Landmarks, views and private and public spaces and

access routes create distinctiveness and define the unique qualities and experience of a place.

Photo 3: Brick front boundary walls

The Chester Road conservation area has been surveyed and has the following characteristics:

This Conservation Area lies on the eastern edge of the Branksome Park Conservation Area. It has

the following, general characteristics:



The junction of Chester Road, Eaton Road and Tower Road West forms a green framework

to the entrance of the Conservation Area.

Local topography with ridges and slopes has a strong impact on views into, within, and

out of, the conservation area.

The area has a very sylvan character that is also typical of Branksome Park.

The area contains large, detached dwellings sitting in domestic scale plots.

Frames the eastern edge to Branksome Chine Gardens.

Urban Structure and Grain

In terms of its urban structure, this area is quite cohesive. It is characterised by large, detached

Edwardian Villas on reasonably sized plots. Plots are comparatively smaller than in the adjacent

Branksome Park conservation area and this results in a much closer, regular grain. The buildings

are of similar size and layout within their plots giving the area a uniform feel.

The properties are also quite visible from the public realm, which gives the area a better sense of

enclosure than Branksome Park. However, somewhat unusually, properties often fail to back on

to each other. Houses fronting the eastern side of Chester Road and the western side of Forest

Road have no houses to the rear – an unusual feature of the area – resulting in back gardens and

garages of these properties fronting the road to the rear. This results in coarse grain, defined

building lines and well planted fronts and rears.

The area is laid out on a pattern that allows good permeability. However, the Chester Road,

Eaton Road and Tower Road West junction is a heavily engineered space designed to cater for

vehicle movements rather than the needs of pedestrians. Subsequently, this area is very open

with limited enclosure. Conservation Area status would give the Council the ability to create

pedestrian-friendly spaces that respond to character in this area should opportunities for redesign

arise in the future.

This junction is an important area as pedestrian access to Branksome Chine Gardens is available

here. Improvements to pedestrian access would be beneficial to the character and appearance

of the area.

Similarly, the Chester Road, Forest Road and Western Road junction at the northern edge of the

conservation area is designed around the needs of vehicles, resulting in a disjointed streetscape

which is detrimental to the character of the area.

On-street parking is well used throughout the area.

Gaps

The detached layout has created regular gaps in built form. These allow views through to buildings,

trees and landscaping behind. The sharp changes in topography include create steep level changes

that rise from west to east. As such, properties on Ormonde Road are quite visible from Eaton

Road, for example.

Views

Although there are no major views in this area given the lack of landmark buildings, the tree

backdrop remains an important feature which it is desirable to preserve or enhance. Houses are

generally viewed against a strong tree backdrop and this gives the conservation area a very rural

character.

Views along streets are softened by vegetation and the pitched roofscape and gaps between

buildings allow views through to trees and vegetation behind.

Permeability & Legibility

The area does not contain any highly visible landmarks. The nearby All Saints’ Church is a useful

landmark outside the area. Despite the lack of landmarks, the layout does repeat legibility enhanced

by long, sweeping streets with views to open space, aids movement through the area, and links

well to the wider route network.

Pedestrian movement is enhanced by the Chine, this contains a number of footpaths with north/

south and east/west connections.

Landscaping

This proposed conservation area is suburban and informal in character. Trees and soft landscaping

predominate and the western edge of the area is particularly sylvan as it abuts the Chine. The skyline

is punctured by treetops. This verdant nature is extremely important in defining the character of

the conservation area.

The sharp changes in topography mean that the rear gardens and garages of the houses on

Chester Road are at grade with Eaton Road. Hard surfaces puncture the rear boundaries of these

houses.

Tarmac is the main road surface although Pine Drive East is an un-made lane whose informal

character is sympathetic to the character and appearance of the area.

Density & Mix

The fine grain of the area has enabled a higher density of development than is found in Branksome

Park, giving the area a distinct character. The building type in the area is solely residential, comprised

almost entirely of single detached dwellings on individual plots and this helps define a building

typology.

By Design, Urban Design in the Planning System: Towards Better Practice makes clear on page 16 that

density influences the intensity of development and that density can be expressed in terms of the

number of habitable rooms.

Height & Massing

Generally, building mass throughout the conservation area is typified by a domestic scale, two-

storey square form, with bays and attic space under steeply pitched roofs. Roofs are generally

hipped back, which allows further glimpses of trees and landscaping.

This ‘building envelope’ – height, width, massing and depth – and the ratio between buildings and

open space, defines the character of the conservation area. Buildings are of a domestic scale and

have a similar mass. Some recent development has exceeded the typical scale of development in

the area, but this is very limited and does not impact adversely on prevailing grains.

Details & Materials

Façades

The architectural language is typical of the Edwardian era with embelishments including ornate

turrets, bays, gables and well articulated roofs adding to the richness and diversity of the area

while at the same time remaining holistic, stylistically.

Walls are predominantly red brick and in some cases render or harling is evident.

Although UPVC can be found in the area, many original wooden casements remain. Stone mullions

and decorative plaques form attractive features in some façades.

Solid to glazed ratios and window design give the buildings vertical emphasis. Well proportioned

gable and turret elements add articulation to many of the houses.

Satellite dishes have been installed on some properties. As technology advances it is anticipated

that they could be removed.

The timber balustrading is another positive feature that can be found in the conservation area.

Roofing

Much of the original roofing material has survived, with clay tiles or slates predominating. In some

cases these coverings have been replaced with concrete tiles, however, more traditional materials

can easily be reinstated in the future.

Original brick chimneys and chimney pots remain and add to the character and appearance of

the area.

Decorative bargeboards are also visible on many buildings and again, are considered positive

elements within the conservation area.

Boundaries & gardens

The area is characterised by detached red brick Edwardian villas with brick front boundary

walls. Many of the original walls remain, and add positively to the street scene and character and

appearance of the conservation area.

In some cases boundary walls have been replaced with breeze-block and other unsympathetic

materials. However, these works are not permanent and brick walls can be reinstated in the

future.

Street layout has resulted in the fronts and backs of some properties being prone to parking.

This can have a detrimental impact on the street scene and it is important that parking does not

dominate the fronts or rear of buildings.

Chester Road

Houses have a brick ground floor with harling or render above. Some of the villas also have

rusticated rendered quoins.

After the junction with Eaton Road the harling disappears and stone surrounds to the windows