The Industrial Heritage Conservation Area character appraisal

The Character Appraisal volumes of the Conservation Area Statement provide supporting information for the IHCA Management Proposals SPD and were adopted by the Council as Supplementary Planning Advice (SPA) on 6th November 2008. They will be used for development control purposes and to help guide planning decisions.

Character appraisal

The aim of a character appraisal is to define what exactly it is that makes up the special interest or 'character' of the study area, in order that this may be preserved or enhanced. The character appraisal will form part of the Conservation Area Statement, and will be used to help interpret, apply and defend the strategy and management proposals contained within the SPD.

Although the character of an area may be very obvious in visual terms, it is about much more than just appearance. History, geography, use and appearance are usually intricately and inextricably linked in the evolution of any settlement, and in the creation of its character.

• The origins of a settlement and what has happened to it in the past are often still evident in its current state. Its history can tell us more than simply the date of its buildings: The changing economic fortunes of an area, important historical events and individual patrons or developers may have played a role in shaping tastes and styles, as well as influencing the extent of expansion.
• Current or former uses often have implications for the shapes, sizes and types of buildings that are created, and their massing and relationships to each other. Uses can also create distinctive sounds or smells, adding 'life' to the built form.
• The origins and evolution of a settlement may frequently be dependent on its setting and location: these may have suggested a particular industrial, defensive or cultural role, for example. Furthermore, the location almost always dictates the types of materials and building traditions that prevail.
• The visual appearance of an area is often the cumulative effect of many influences. The appearance is frequently the aspect that most people relate to in terms of defining what is of special interest and worth preserving or enhancing. The appearance may be made up of locally typical buildings, or structures of great architectural importance.

Volume 1: Summary and Character Overview

Volume 1 contains information about the designation and background to the conservation area review, together with a Character Summary and an introduction to the Character Parts in the IHCA Study Area. This volume includes general analysis of the whole study area, explaining how influences such as local historical events and figures, as well as the physical form of the landscape, have contributed to the development and evolution of the area’s historic built environment. It also looks at typical building materials and styles across the Study Area. It highlights the broad themes of the Study Area’s special architectural and historic interest and its key characteristics. It also summarises the findings of the conservation area review: identifying key issues and pressures that are affecting the Study Area, and setting out proposed conservation area boundary changes.

Volume 1 functions as a ‘broad brush’ Conservation Area Statement in itself, providing the main bulk of the character analysis. It is intended as an overview of the character of the whole Study Area and should be sufficient for many users. However, it should also point you in the right direction to find further, more specific information in other volumes of the Conservation Area Statement.

Find out more about what Volume 1 contains and download chapters and maps from the document

Volume 2: Character Parts

This comprises a series of information sheets, describing the characteristics of the study area’s individual “Character Parts”. Across the Industrial Heritage study area, there are distinct ‘pockets’ which have strongly identifiable differences in character – perhaps due to the density of buildings, the types of materials that predominate and the current or historic uses of the buildings. These are identified as “character parts”: the component sub-areas of the Study Area which, together, make up its character as a whole.

Volume 2 aims to identify the various characteristics and features of interest that unite diverse parts of the conservation area, or which render them quite unique and distinctive pockets. This volume also looks at issues and pressures facing particular character parts, and how these affect their character or appearance. It also identifies appropriate conservation area boundary modifications and ‘neutral areas’ or buildings/sites which cause harm to the Study Area’s character and which might benefit from enhancement. These sheets act as supplementary information, providing a bit more detail about specific sites and where they ‘sit’ within the conservation area in terms of their context, significance, character and appearance.

Find out more about what Volume 2 contains and download the document, the Character Parts maps, and Character Parts sheets.