Assessment of areas with special character
DRAFT SUPPLEMENTARY PLANNING GUIDANCE
1. INTRODUCTION
The Havant Borough Local Plan (adopted 17 June
'94) contains policies to preserve the appearance of Roads and
Areas with Special Character (Policies E8 & E9). The
Consultation Draft Plan Havant 2011 states that these policies are
to be retained. (Paragraph E5).
Policy E9 relates to the Wade Court
Road/Meadowlands area and seeks to retain the special character of
this area which is identified by large individually designed houses
of traditional style standing in large mature grounds'.
The Chairman of the Billett Avenue Residents
Association has written to see whether Billett Avenue,
Waterlooville could be identified within the emerging Local Plan as
an area of special character and enjoy the protection afforded by
Policy E9.
A judgement needs to be made on the
suitability of including Billett Avenue, and any other areas which
may be suggested as having special character comparable with the
character of Wade Court Road and Meadowlands, bearing in mind the
need to maintain, as far as is possible, a consistent quality and
standard of environment.
An element of subjectivity cannot be
discounted in reaching such a decision.
However in order to maintain standards the
Council has devised a methodology which introduces a degree of
rigour in the assessment of housing areas to assist with
comparisons and thereby help to determine the suitability or
otherwise of new areas being afforded protection by Policy E9.
2. METHODOLOGY
The methodology consists of a Quantitative and
Qualitative assessment of areas. The results of such an assessment
in relation to Wade Court and Meadowlands, areas of indisputable
quality, will provide a yardstick against which to judge other
areas, which claim to be of a similar character.
3. QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS:
Three quantitative aspects of the environment
have been identified:
Density
The density of a housing area indicates in
general terms the relationship between the amount of land occupied
by buildings and that which remains undeveloped. For example, a
density of 10 dwellings per hectare (4 dwellings per acre) suggests
large dwellings set within large grounds; while a density of 35
dwellings per hectare (14 dwellings per acre) would invariably
include terraced housing with smaller gardens appropriate to a
higher density of development.
Distance between buildings
An assessment of the distances between
buildings (front to front across roads, and
side to side) indicates the spaciousness that
buildings enjoy.
Tree count
The numbers or density of mature trees within
an area is a clear indication of the Arcadian character of an area.
Resources are not available to undertake a count of all the trees
in an area. An acceptable compromise has therefore been devised
where those trees which can clearly be seen from the public domain
are counted.
Essentially these are trees within front or
side gardens which make an obvious impact within the area. (The
contribution that other trees might make within the area are
assessed in the Qualitative Analysis.)
In order to assess the quantitative aspects of
the environment the following scoring system has been devised.
(1) Density:
The lowest density attains the highest
score:
0-6 dwellings per hectare 5 points
6-17 dwellings per hectare 4 points
17-25 dwellings per hectare 3 points
25-35 dwellings per hectare 2 points
35 plus dwellings per hectare 1 point
(2) Distance Between Buildings:
Three measurements are taken from plans of
each area representing the greatest distance, the smallest distance
and the average distance. When combined they produce an average
distance which are scored as follows:
Building Lines
A) Front to Front:
more than 30m = 3 points
20m - 30m = 2 points
less than 20m = 1 point
Flanks
B) Side to Side:
more than 20m = 3 points
10m - 20m = 2 points
less than 10m = 1 point
(3) Tree Count:
Having established the number of trees within
an area the density or average number of trees per hectare can be
established. The higher the density the greater the score.
More than 50 trees per hectare = 10 points
45-49 trees per hectare = 9 points
40-44 trees per hectare = 8 points
35-39 trees per hectare = 7 points
30-34 trees per hectare = 6 points
25-29 trees per hectare = 5 points
20-24 trees per hectare = 4 points
15-19 trees per hectare = 3 points
10-14 trees per hectare = 2 points
Less than 9 trees per hectare = 1 point
4. QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS
This analysis seeks to provide a comparison of
those elements which together contribute to the character of an
area but which are more subjective.
A survey form identifying 4 broad categories
has been prepared by planners and urban designers within the
Forward Planning Section.
The categories, which are amplified by
explanatory criteria, are all considered to be of equal weight,
since each in its own way is of equal value in contributing to the
character of the area:
Categories:
1. Distinctiveness of
Buildings
a) Does the area contain a high number of
buildings of distinctive character?
b) Are the buildings of similar size?
c) Are the buildings generally well
maintained?
2. Arcadian (Rustic)
Character
a) Does the area contain a significant number
of trees?
b) Are there a significant number of mature
trees?
c) Are the trees sited in. front gardens and
close to the road and pavement?
d) Are there grass verges?
e) Are there trees in the verges?
f) Are there mature shrubs?
g) Are there trees in back gardens or
adjoining land which Contribute to the character of the area?
h) Is there a variety of species?
i) .Does the area contain specimen trees?
j) Is the type and quality of surface
materials appropriate to the area?
3. Gardens
a) Are the gardens of substantial size in
comparison with the buildings?
b) Are the gardens generally well
maintained?
c) Variety and condition of boundary
treatments
4. Ambience/Character
a) Does the area have a distinctive and
homogenous quality?
b) Does the area give the appearance of being
well maintained, both within the public and private domain?
c) Is there litter/rubbish in the roads?
d) Does adjoining development have a
detrimental impact?
5. THE SURVEY
A survey of Meadowlands and Wade Court Road
was undertaken To give a base score against which other areas could
be judged. The results are set out below:
The Quantitative Survey was undertaken by
desktop purveys in the office and by a
tree count on site undertaken. by the
Council's Technical Assistant (Trees).
Quantitative Analysis:
Density
Meadowlands 5dph = 5 points
Wade Court Road 7dph = 4 points
Building lines
A, Front to Front
Meadowlands 35 5m = 3 points
Wade Court Road 30.7m = 2 points
B, Side to Side
Meadowlands 13.3m = 2 points
Wade Court Road 17m = 2 points
Tree count
Meadowlands 48 per hectare = 9 points
Wade Court Road 50 per hectare = 10 points
Qualitative analysis
Independent surveyors with a background in
design were asked to visit each site and
to score each category on a scale of one (very
poor) to ten (excellent).
Distinctiveness of buildings
Meadowlands = 8 points
Wade Court Road = 9 points
Arcadian character
Meadowlands = 9 points
Wade Court Road = 10 points
Gardens
Meadowlands = 9 points
Wade Court Road = 8 points
Ambient character
Meadowlands = 9 points
Wade Court Road = 9 points
The scores for the quantitative and
qualitative aspects of character have been combined to give an
overall score for each area:
Meadowlands = 54 points
Wade Court Road = 54 points
Following the survey an assessment was made to
determine what was the lowest score that would still indicate that
an area had an Arcadian character comparable with Meadowlands and
Wade Court Road. These scores are set out below against both the
Quantitative and Qualitative categories:
Qualititive analysis
Density = 4 points
Building linesA, Front to Front = 2 points
B, Side to Side = 2 points
Tree count= 9 points
Qualitative analysis
Distinctiveness of Buildings = 8 points
Arcadian Character = 8 points
Gardens = 8 points
Ambience/Character = 8 points
49 points
A score which equals or exceeds 49 points
means that an area accords with the character identified within the
Local Plan : large individually designed houses of traditional
style standing in large mature grounds'.
A score below 49 does not necessarily mean an
area is poor but indicates that its
character does not accord with those qualities
which have led to the inclusion of
Wade Court Road and Meadowlands within Policy
E9.
6. BILLETT AVENUE
The above analysis was applied to Billett
Avenue and the results are set out below:
Qualitative analysis
Density: 7 dph = 4 points
Building lines:
A, Front to Front 36.7m = 3 points
B, Side to Side 6m = 1 point
Tree count:
14 trees per acre = 2 points
Qualitative analysis
Distinctiveness of Buildings = 7 points
Arcadian Character = 7 points
Gardens = 6 points
Ambience/Character = 7 points#
7. CONCLUSION
On the basis of the survey Billett Avenue is
not of the same character as
Meadowlands and Wade Court Road and therefore
it would not be appropriate to
include the area within Policy E9.