west oxfordshire design guide

www.westoxon.gov.uk

West OxfordshireDesign Guide

West Oxfordsh i re Des ign Guide A

Acknowledgements

Initial work on the text, drawings and photographs was carried out by Chezil Bird, Sally Stradling and Ian Brocklebank of the Conservation Studio. The work draws on the approaches pioneered in the Essex Design Guide, the Stratford Design Guide and many of the publications of Cotswold District Council. My thanks to these and other authorities and individuals for permission to reproduce material for this guide.

Following the preparation of the initial draft, advice and direction was received from councillors Verena Hunt, Barry Norton, Jonathan Phillips, Charles Cottrell-Dormer and Tony Walker.

I wish to acknowledge, with thanks, contributions made to the work by a large number of colleagues including;

Jon Alsop, Martin Armstrong, Janice Bamsey, Dawn Brodie, Martin Brookes, Laura Buxton, John Chatwin, Miranda Clark, David Clayton, Nick Dalby, Richard Grant, Bea Hannan, Jeff Lowe, Bryan Martin, Ian Morrow, Jayne Norris, Martin Overbury, Mike Robinson, Tina Rowley, Chloe Salisbury, Phil Shaw, Nigel Slade, Paul Slater, Adrian Smith, Kim Smith, Matthew Smith and Jon Westerman.

Particular thanks go to Richard Wheeler for work on the text and many of the photographs, and to Sara Long for the design and layout of the Guide.

Robert Parkinson.

West Oxfordsh i re Des ign GuideB

1 Introduction 1.1

2 Local characteristics 2.1Local design characteristics 2.2Innovation in design 2.2Character of West Oxfordshire 2.3Architectural character areas 2.3Use of materials 2.3 Thames Vale 2.4Limestone Wolds 2.6Ironstone Valleys & Ridges 2.8Northern Valleys & Ridges 2.10

3 Biodiversity & landscape character 3.1Vegetation character areas 3.2Historic landscape types 3.4Biodiversity and new development 3.6

4 Development within existing settlements 4.1

Settlement pattern 4.2Settlement location 4.3Settlement matrix 4.4Settlement gazetteer 4.8

5 Buildings and their setting 5.1Spectrum of development density 5.2Design process and Design & Access Statements 5.4Housing density: general principles 5.6Layout principles 5.8Street profiles 5.9New Rural Development 5.10New Urban Development (Medium Density) 5.12New Urban Development (High Density) 5.14

6 Case studies 6.1Village context 6.2Edge of settlement scheme 6.3Development (Medium Density New Urban) 6.4Development (High Density New Urban) 6.7Re-development 6.9

7 Buildings - House types 7.1Detached house (2 storey) 7.2Terraced house (2 storey) 7.3Terraced house (3 storey) 7.4Terraced cottage (2 storey) 7.5

8 Buildings - Details 8.1Palette of building details 8.2Traditional timber casement windows 8.4Traditional dormer windows 8.6Traditional doors 8.8Fire protection doors in historic buildings 8.9

Contents

9 Sustainable building design 9.1The site and layout 9.2 Location and setting 9.2 Energy saving layout design 9.2 Sustainable landscapes and open space 9.3 Climate change, a landscape checklist 9.3 Biodiversity 9.4 SUDS 9.4 Sustainable energy 9.5 Waste and recycling 9.5The building 9.6 Building aspect 9.6 Passive Solar Design 9.6 Thermal capacity and insulation 9.6 Solar panels 9.7 Convection ventilation 9.7 Reuse or conversion of existing buildings 9.7Building materials 9.8 Timber 9.8 Local materials 9.8 Manufactured materials and pollution 9.8 Reuse of materials 9.9 Water services 9.9 Wind and rain 9.9Help with energy efficiency 9.10

Appendices 1 Policy A1-1

2 Listed Buildings A2-1

3 Scheduled Ancient Monuments A3-1

4 Conservation Areas A4-1

5 Alterations and extensions A5-1

6 Repairs & alterations to traditional buildings A6-1

7 Traditional details A7-1

8 Conversion of agricultural buildings A8-1

9 Street scene and the public realm A9-1

10 Stonework A10-1

11 Natural stone quarries A11-1

12 Dry stone walling A12-1

13 Thatchers A13-1

14 Specialist joinery A14-1

15 Paint and stain finishes on external timber A15-1

16 Art for public places A16-1

17 Bin storage and recycling A17-1

Page Page

West Oxfordsh i re Des ign Guide 1.1

The purpose of this Guide is to describe the qualities and characteristics that make West Oxfordshire special – its landscapes, settlements and buildings – and to describe the ways in which good design can protect and enrich the character of the District. Design is central to a wide range of issues, from the colour of a front door to the layout of a new housing area. Whatever the context, being ‘fit for purpose’ should never be enough. Outstanding design makes places special, is life-affirming, and forms a material legacy by which future generations will know and judge us: for this reason it should be the aim of all those involved in the change or management of West Oxfordshire’s built and natural environment.

The Guide provides advice to supplement policies contained in the West Oxfordshire Local Plan. The overall aim of the Plan is:

“To protect and enhance the natural and built environment in West Oxfordshire in order to pass a worthy legacy on to future generations whilst at the same time securing new development of a good environmental standard which will provide the necessary residential accommodation, jobs, infrastructure and facilities required to meet the social and economic needs of the local community as well as visitors to the area”.

The West Oxfordshire Design Guide has been subject to public consultation and has Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) status, making it a material consideration in the determination of planning applications.

Verena HuntCabinet Member for Planning and West Oxfordshire Design Champion

1 Introduction

Elmfield Offices, Witney.

West Oxfordsh i re Des ign Guide1.2


2 ???


2 Local characteristics

High Street, Burford


Local design characteristics

This Guide is intended to encourage a high standard of design, and to promote new development which respects and fits in with the character of West Oxfordshire. The Guide sets out the characteristics which make West Oxfordshire unique and which can be used to influence new designs that reflect and enhance local character. The towns and villages of West Oxfordshire have a distinctive character that is worthy of special protection. They may contain ancient listed buildings or comparatively recent structures, as well as lanes, squares, greens, gardens or parkland. This Guide is concerned primarily with the impact private buildings make on the streets and open spaces which constitute our villages and towns. It sets out detailed advice about the prevailing settlement types and their historic form of development; including plot sizes, boundary treatments, and the shape of buildings and their relation to the street. The topographical relationships between these settlements and their landscapes are also described and analysed, providing a framework for any future development.

Innovation in design

An appreciation of the existing historic environment is essential when creating new development sympathetic to its surroundings. However, in practice this does not require replication of historic building styles. Many architectural styles have evolved over time and may be interpreted in a contemporary manner. In some situations modern, innovative designs may positively enhance a traditional or neutral setting. In a largely traditional context, it is essential for contemporary proposals to demonstrate exemplary design quality.

The Council is committed to promoting sustainable development, including the preservation of energy and resources and the reduction of pollution. New development should further these aims, considering such factors as building orientation, re-use of materials, insulation, solar shading, water conservation and innovative heating and power generation systems. Design and Access Statements should address these issues and provide an assessment of the environmental impact of the proposed new development (see Chapter 5).

The towns and villages of West Oxfordshire have a distinctive

character that is worthy of special protection. ”

“


NorthernValleys & Ridges

Ironstone Valleys & Ridges

Limestone Wolds

Thames Vale

Burford

Carterton

Bampton

EynshamWitney

CharlburyMilton-under-Wychwood

Chipping Norton

Long Hanborough

Woodstock

© Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. West Oxfordshire District Council LA 100024316 2006

The character of West Oxfordshire

West Oxfordshire is a predominantly rural district. It embraces large areas of unspoilt countryside and a diverse pattern of landscapes, including rolling uplands, river valleys, historic parkland, remnants of ancient forests, low-lying farmland and riverside meadows. It contains within its borders scattered villages and some larger settlements. The architectural and landscape character of West Oxfordshire is chiefly determined by the local oolitic limestone underlying much of the District. However, there are significant variations in traditional architectural forms in different parts of the District.

Architectural character areas

Just as the landscape of West Oxfordshire does not remain consistent throughout the District, so it is with the architecture and building materials. Marked regional variation exists. For this reason, guidance specific to each character area is crucial if this differentiation – and the richness of the District as a whole – is to be honoured.

Four distinct character areas have been identified in West Oxfordshire: the Thames Vale, the Limestone Wolds, the Ironstone Valleys and Ridges, and the Northern Valleys and Ridges. Each area is topographically and geologically distinctive, as well as exhibiting clearly discernible variations in its architecture and materials. The areas are identical to, or are amalgamations of, the 12 landscape character areas identified in the West Oxfordshire Landscape Assessment 1998. They are discussed in detail in the following pages.

The use of materials

Local character is particularly marked in West Oxfordshire, where the local oolitic limestone is the dominant material. It has been cut into smooth ashlar facings for the walls of important buildings, laid as coursed facings for walls or as coursed rubble for lower status houses, cottages and barns. Limestone was burnt in kilns to make quicklime. When slaked with water, it formed the base for lime mortar, lime plaster and a weatherproofing external limewash.

Today a wide range of architectural forms and synthetic materials are available. These, when used alongside traditional forms and natural materials, may appear alien and out of place. Unless special care is used in the design and choice of materials for new buildings, the character of our historic settlements will be progressively eroded and ultimately lost to future generations. Good design, which responds sensitively to its context, should overcome these problems.

Roughly one third of the district forms part of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (see page 3.2 for further information together with a map).


i. Thames Vale

This area lies to the south and east of Witney on the north bank of the Thames. Most of the area is below 85 metres, and changes in ground level are barely perceptible. This area includes the Vales of Bampton and Eynsham, The Lower Windrush Valley and Eastern Thames Fringes, and the Western Thames Fringes Landscape Character Areas.

The flat, predominantly agricultural landscape is made up of floodplain pasture and vale farmland, and overlies heavy clay, river gravels and silts. The character of the landscape is largely determined by the process of enclosure. Large fields of regular shape with a strong structure of hedgerows are crossed by long, straight roads, with the occasional willow-lined ditch. There are significant blocks of oak woodland, and gravel extraction has created large wetland areas in the Lower Windrush Valley.

Distinctive building features include timber framing, and materials relating to the clay that underlies the northern part of the area, such as brick and clay tiles. The vernacular houses and cottages are typically long and low, with steeply pitched roofs.

Walling materials • Oolitic limestone in very narrow beds.• Cornbrash limestone for field and boundary

walling, laid in very narrow beds.• Red ‘Oxford’ brick, sometimes glazed and with

blue headers.• Timber framing.• Lime render on infill panels or rubble

stonework.• Weatherboarding of elm, oak or chestnut; left

natural to bleach silver grey, or stained or painted black.

Roofing materials • Red handmade clay tiles.• Welsh slate.• Stone slate.• Thatch, long straw or combed wheat reed, with a

plain flush wrapover ridge with spar work at the ridges, eaves and verges.



Limestone Wolds

Thames Vale

Burford

Carterton

Bampton

EynshamWitney


Chipping Norton

Long Hanborough

Woodstock



ii. Limestone Wolds

The central area of the District lying between the 85m and 200m contours is formed by the dip slope of the Cotswolds. It is made up of the Enstone Uplands, Eastern Parks and Valleys, Upper and Lower Evenlode Valleys, Wychwood Uplands, Upper Windrush Valley, and the Shilton Downs Character Areas.

The area has a highly distinctive open rolling landform. The northern and western part of this area of the Limestone Wolds is included within the Cotswold AONB, which stretches from Bath to Stratford. The undulating landscape is cut into by the rivers Windrush, Evenlode, Glyme and Swere. These create picturesque winding valleys with contained views. Historic Parkland (including Cornbury, Blenheim, Rousham, Ditchley and Heythrop) and fragments of the ancient Wychwood Forest, form landscape elements of exceptional importance. Fields tend to be large and regular. Dating from enclosure, they are bounded by dry stone walling or hedgerows.

Distinctive building features include the famous, creamy limestone which, together with the extensive use of limestone slates for roofs, creates built environments of strong local character and consistency. Long fronts, narrow gables, steeply pitched roofs and dormer windows are typical.

Walling materials• Oolitic limestone, laid as uncoursed rubble, or

squared and laid in courses, in a variety of bed widths and colours.

• Ashlar limestone dressings.• Cornbrash limestone for field and boundary

walling, laid in very narrow beds.• Red ‘Oxford’ brick arches and chimneys.• Lime render on rubble stonework.

Roofing materials• Stone slate.• Thatch, either long straw or combed wheat reed,

with a plain flush wrapover ridge with spar work at the ridges, eaves and verges.

• Welsh slate.



Limestone Wolds

Thames Vale

Burford

Carterton

Bampton

EynshamWitney


Chipping Norton

Long Hanborough

Woodstock



iii. Ironstone Valleys & Ridges

This small area in the north-east of the District has a diverse character and a complex, hilly landform. The distinctive orange marlstone and red soils result from an underlying geology rich in iron bearing rocks and clays. The landscape features a patchwork of fields, hedgerows and woodland, and trees are unusually abundant.

The settlement pattern is sparse, with the scattered villages and hamlets typically occupying the sides or bottoms of the hidden intimate valleys that cross the area. The main settlements are Great Tew, Sandford St. Martin and The Bartons.

Distinctive building features include the striking orangey-brown lias limestone. This material is used in larger blocks than the neighbouring oolitic limestone. Because it is soft and easy to cut and carve, its details and form tend to be simpler and more massive than those carved from the finer, harder stone. Stone dormers, stone copings and thatch are also more abundant here.

Walling materials• Lias limestone rubble in wide bed sizes. The

stone may have a blue or green appearance when fresh, but oxidises to a deep, warm ginger-brown when exposed to the air, hence the name ‘ironstone’.

• Lias ashlar dressings, label mouldings and chimneys.

• Oolitic field and boundary walling, laid in very narrow beds.

• Red ‘Oxford’ brick used for chimneys, dressings and some outbuildings.

Roofing materials • Stone slate• Welsh slate• Thatch, either long straw or combed wheat reed,




Limestone Wolds

Thames Vale

Burford

Carterton

Bampton

EynshamWitney


Chipping Norton

Long Hanborough

Woodstock



iv. Northern Valleys & Ridges

This small area in the north-west of the District has distinctive open rolling countryside with high ridges overlooking the valleys below. The area has a variety of exposed geology on the valley sides. The local stone includes grey oolitic limestone, and ginger to light brown lias limestone.

Chipping Norton, the principal settlement, occupies a high valley side setting. Most of the other Northern Valley settlements, however, have more sheltered sites, or lie in valley bottoms. Field size varies greatly here, and generally decreases from the open and elevated topography into the folded valleys below.

This topographical and geological diversity is reflected in the building materials and their use. Although oolitic limestone predominates, ironstone also appears for dressings, and sometimes for complete buildings. Stone walling appears in a variety of forms, featuring squared or rubble stonework, sometimes arranged in courses, sometimes not, and in a range of bed widths. Dormers carried up within stone gables flush with the face of the main wall, and Welsh slate on later houses, are notable features of the area.

Walling materials • Oolitic limestone rubble in a variety of bed

widths and sizes.• Ashlar limestone dressings.• Lias limestone dressings.• Oolitic limestone field and boundary walls,

usually in rubble with variety of bed widths. • Red ‘Oxford’ brick chimneys, arches and

dressings.• Lime render on rubble stonework.

Roofing materials • Stone slate.• Welsh slate (particularly for the later houses).• Thatch, either long straw or combed wheat reed,




Limestone Wolds

Thames Vale

Burford

Carterton

Bampton

EynshamWitney


Chipping Norton

Long Hanborough

Woodstock



Traditionally, nature conservation has entailed the isolated protection of designated sites and endangered species. However, recent Government guidelines (PPS9: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation) recognise that these assets are integral to the fabric of the wider natural environment and, specifically, to biodiversity (the variety of life on earth).

In 1994, the Government published the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (B.A.P.) with an overall aim of ensuring that there is no net loss of biodiversity. In response to this plan Oxfordshire produced its own ‘Action for Wildlife’ Local B.A.P. framework. Several Local Habitat Action Plans for Oxfordshire have also now been produced.

Information on Oxfordshire’s Biodiversity and Habitat Action Plans can be found at:www.ukbap.org.uk/lbap.aspx?id=454#5www.oncf.org.uk.biodiversity/biod_framework.htm The management of biodiversity, as well as being important in its own right, has profound implications for the maintenance and enhancement of local character. This forms a core component of the West Oxfordshire Local Plan, with Policy NE3 stating: “Development will not be permitted if it would harm the local landscape character of the District. Proposals should respect and, where possible, enhance the intrinsic character, quality, and distinctive features of the individual landscape types”. Within this context trees, hedgerows and other forms of vegetation often represent significant and distinctive components, noticeably varying across the District and greatly influencing local landscape character.

The three main objectives listed in PPS9 are:

• to promote sustainable development - by ensuring that biological and geological diversity are conserved and enhanced as an integral part of social, environmental and economic development, so that policies and decisions about the development and use of land integrate biodiversity and geological diversity with other considerations;

• to conserve, enhance and restore the diversity of England’s wildlife and geology - by sustaining, and where possible improving, the quality and extent of natural habitat and geological and geomorphological sites; the natural physical processes on which they depend; and the populations of naturally occurring species which they support;

• to contribute to rural renewal and urban renaissance by -

- enhancing biodiversity in green spaces and among developments so that they are used by wildlife and valued by people, recognising that healthy functional ecosystems can contribute to a better quality of life and to people’s sense of well-being, and;

- ensuring that developments take account of the role and value of biodiversity in supporting economic diversification and contributing to a high quality environment.

3 Biodiversity and landscape character


Burford

Carterton

Bampton

EynshamWitney


Chipping Norton

Long Hanborough

Woodstock

River Meadowlands Wolds Clay Vale

Vegetation Character Areas


Vegetation character areas

The management of flora and fauna should aim to reinforce or restore those landscape characteristics which contribute to local distinctiveness and biodiversity. In general, intervention should aim to restore diversity and structure to the landscape; for example, through the planting of trees and hedgerows, and the creation of habitats in order to reinforce the characteristics of a particular landscape type.

In terms of vegetation type, West Oxfordshire can be divided up into three broad character areas – the Limestone Wolds, the Clay Vale, and the River Meadowlands – each featuring a distinctive combination of key and significant species. It should be emphasised that these divisions represent the landscape character of the District expressed in its simplest terms. A more detailed analysis of the landscape, geology and wildlife of the District is contained in the West Oxfordshire Landscape Assessment (copies of which can be viewed at the Council Offices) and the Oxfordshire Wildlife and Landscape Study: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk

The West Oxfordshire Landscape Assessment also includes detailed information on landscape condition - which areas are in poor condition and need enhancing; and which are in good condition and need preserving - together with a ‘Landscape Enhancement Strategy’ map for the whole District. Meanwhile, the Thames Valley Environmental Record Centre (TVERC) website includes a map showing target/ opportunity areas for biodiversity enhancement in the District: www.tverc.org

Roughly one third of the district forms part of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (the largest AONB in Britain, totalling over 2,000 sq km). The primary purpose of AONB designation is the conservation and protection of natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage: aims framed up and given a statutory footing in the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. The Act distinguishes AONBs from the National Parks, where the objectives of outdoor recreation and public understanding and enjoyment are deemed of equal importance. The Cotswolds AONB was designated in 1966, with revisions to its boundary confirmed in 1990.

Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)

Part of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in West Oxfordshire

Burford

Carterton

Bampton

EynshamWitney


Chipping Norton

Long Hanborough

Woodstock


River MeadowlandsKey speciesWillow Salix alba Salix caprea Salix viminalis Salix fragilisAlder Alnus glutinosaPoplar Populus spp.Ash Fraxinus excelsiorHawthorn Crataegus monogyna

Significant speciesOak Quercus robur

WoldsKey speciesBeech Fagus sylvaticaAsh Fraxinus excelsiorField Maple Acer campestreHawthorn Crataegus monogyna

Significant speciesOak Quercus roburSycamore Acer pseudoplatanus

Clay ValeKey speciesOak Quercus roburAsh Fraxinus excelsiorHawthorn Crataegus monogyna

Significant speciesWillow Salix alba Salix caprea Salix viminalis Salix fragilisPoplar Populus spp.Field Maple Acer campestreHazel Corylus avellana


Historic landscape types

Landscape character is founded on indigenous landform and vegetation, but has been largely created by human interventions over many centuries. The survival of evidence of historic land management methods, the ridge and furrow of medieval open fields and the variety of later enclosed field types, has left clear signs of the complex evolved landscape history of the District.The historic imparked woodlands, including fragments of the ancient forest of Wychwood, are especially valuable assets in the District. An understanding of these landscape types is crucial if the biodiversity and local character of the District is to be maintained. The identification and study of these has led to a number of projects whose aim has been the restoration, conservation and enhancement of these assets.

WoodlandAt one time much of West Oxfordshire was covered by the royal forest of Wychwood. By 1086 it covered at least 180 square miles. Since then, however, vast tracts of the forest have been cleared, leaving behind fragmentary copses and woods. Many West Oxfordshire villags, including Finstock, Ramsden and Leafield, originated as clearings in the forest and owe their distinctive straggling form to haphazard growth as the land was gradually cleared. The remnants of Wychwood are highly important, both for their natural and their historical significance. The parishes of Cornbury and Wychwood, together with Swinbrook and Widford, contain sizable areas of ancient woodland.

Historic parklandWest Oxfordshire (in particular the north-eastern portion of the District) is unusually rich in historic parkland. Some landscapes, such as those at Woodstock and Cornbury, were ‘imparked’ (enclosed from ancient woodland) in the Middle Ages, to create hunting grounds for royalty and nobility. A second wave of development in the 17th century saw the creation of the landscapes at Ditchley and Chastleton. However, the majority of the District’s historic parks, including those at Rousham and Heythrop, were laid out in the 18th century. These historic parks are inextricably linked to the rise of the great estates and the establishment of large country houses.

In West Oxfordshire, Blenheim (successor to the medieval Woodstock Park) is pre-eminent and is designated a World Heritage Site. Designed by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown and others, it covers an area of 1,000 ha. Other major figures from landscape history are well-represented in the District, including William Kent at Ditchley and Rousham, and Humphrey Repton at Sarsden and Great Tew. The creation of the great 18th-century designed landscapes, which may possess both picturesque and formal qualities, entails three main forms of human intervention. The first of these is physical landscaping and the creation of formal features such as terraces, parterres and pools, or informal features such as manmade landforms and lakes. The second involves the planting of trees and other vegetation, either in formal avenues or blocks, or in naturalistic clumps. Finally, there is the addition of built elements, in the form of buildings, bridges, monuments, follies, and eye-catchers.


Lowland heathHeaths are areas of open, relatively barren land, often resulting from forest clearance. They are characterised by poor-quality, free-draining soils that are high in acid and low in nutrients. This relatively hostile environment leads to the creation of highly distinctive habitats that support a unique combination of plants and animals.

Certain tree species – such as pine and silver birch – readily establish on heathland. Historically, cutting such trees for firewood, or allowing animals to graze, restricted tree growth and protected low plants, such as heathland grasses, heathers and gorses. The decline in such practices has seen much heathland reverting to woodland. There are several important remnants of lowland heath in West Oxfordshire, including a notable area at North Leigh Common.

Historic field patternsSignificant areas of medieval farmland within the District were cleared from the forest as ‘Assarts’. Much arable manorial land was worked in strips in common fields. Ploughing patterns led to ‘ridges’ where the ploughsoil accumulated between furrows defining the narrow plots – or furlongs – into which open fields were divided. ‘Headlands’ at the end of the strips were where the plough was turned. Manorial landholders also had access to common pasture and woodland. Small and often irregular ‘closes’ around the edges of settlements are also characteristic of this period, and historic field names sometimes relate to the original owner of the land (‘Burtons Crofte’) or its location (‘Towne Close’).

The enclosure of medieval open fields and forest clearance by major landlords had occurred from the mid-17th century. The pace of enclosure quickened from 1750 when Acts of Parliament came into effect. Open fields and common land were systematically enclosed and land ownership consolidated. The final acts of this process were the mid-19th-century clearances and enclosure by the Crown Estate of Wychwood, west of Cornbury Park.

The process of enclosure has left a variety of field patterns, defined by hedgerows and dry stone walls. The enclosure fields are smaller in the valley landscapes and larger on open land and the exposed wolds, and more regular than the medieval assarts and closes.

MeadowlandMeadows form a distinctive low-lying landscape type and fall into two principal categories. There are those areas adjacent to rivers that experience regular winter flooding; and those in which river water is persuaded to flow through an area of land by means of a series of manmade ridges and ditches. Historically, meadowland has been used as pasture for the grazing of cattle; the flood water having the effect of keeping frost out of the ground, thereby allowing the early spring growth of grass. The alluvium deposits left on meadowland by the receding waters, meanwhile, provide highly fertile soils able to support a rich and distinctive array of flora and fauna. Much of the Thames Vale area in the south of the District is characterised by this landscape type.


Biodiversity and new development

The stated aim of the West Oxfordshire Local Plan is:

“To protect and enhance the natural and built environment in West Oxfordshire in order to pass a worthy legacy on to future generations”.

Specifically, it is incumbent upon the District Council to help achieve the targets set in national and regional Biodiversity Action Plans (B.A.P.s). New development, great or small, residential or non-residential, can have profound consequences for local landscape, habitats and wildlife. It is therefore important that such issues are considered prior to the submission of an application. When considering development proposals, the council aims to ensure that there is no net loss of biodiversity. Schemes should:

• Aim to maintain and enhance, restore, or ideally add to the net biodiversity and geological conservation interests;

• Avoid direct loss or damage to priority habitats or species;

• Mitigate/compensate for any unavoidable loss or damage to habitats or species;

• Incorporate beneficial biodiversity and geological features within the design of the development;

• Encourage habitat creation.

For new development, be it a single dwelling or a large scheme, the existing landscape, vegetation and wildlife context must be carefully considered. Established plant and animal communities must be conserved during and after construction, and provision must be made for such assets long into the future. There may be biodiversity enhancements through the creation or restoration of habitats - particularly indigenous habitats - which support rare or protected species. Planting schemes should reflect not only the broad landscape character as set out in the Vegetation Character Areas map, but also the specific local context as described in the West Oxfordshire Landscape Assessment and elsewhere. Further to these

considerations, specific attention must be paid to the following habitats and wildlife:

Trees and hedgerowsAs well as being important natural components in their own right, contributing much to the appearance and character of the District, trees and hedgerows also form vital habitats for wildlife, and can provide important corridors between isolated habitats. Some hedgerows and trees are protected by law, so if your application involves the removal of a part or the whole of a hedge or tree, you should first contact the District Landscape and Forestry Officer. If the application involves planting, careful attention should be paid to the species used. Whilst local, native species will often be the most appropriate choice, non-indigenous ornamental species (for example) may sometimes be an appropriate alternative. Again, the District Landscape and Forestry Officer can provide guidance.

Watercourses and pondsWatercourses - including ditches, streams and rivers - together with ponds, support a wide range of wildlife. Water Voles and amphibians (most notably the Great Crested Newt) are protected by law, so if your application affects a watercourse, pond or surrounding habitat, you should first contact the Species Officer at English Nature or the County Ecologist (see overleaf).

BatsIt is illegal to kill, injure or disturb bats or their roosts, both occupied and unoccupied. As well as occupying natural sites, such as trees and caves, bats roost in roof and wall spaces. For this reason, work in these areas, including the blocking up of bat entrance holes, can disturb them. If you are concerned that your application may affect bats, you should contact the Species Officer at English Nature or the County Ecologist. If your application covers an unoccupied building or may affect a tree or trees with cavities used by bats, it may require a survey by a qualified professional, which should then be made available to the planning authority. English Nature can supply a list of licensed bat surveyors, and DEFRA provides information about licences and legal protection: www.defra.gov.uk


BirdsAll birds and their nests are protected by law. For this reason, no work that can disturb them – including building work, tree felling and hedge clearance – should take place in the breeding season (which generally runs from the beginning of February to the end of August). Certain species, such as swifts and house martins, have adapted their nesting habits to take advantage of manmade structures; in particular older houses, cottages and barns. Swifts, for example, occasionally nest in rubble walls, and their nest sites are thus vulnerable to repointing, which might block up nest holes. By identifying such habitats at an early stage, it becomes possible to offset any damage or loss by, for example, leaving gaps in the pointing to encourage the continued use of the site by swifts.

BadgersBadgers and their setts are protected by law. Badgers have large territories and travel widely to feed. For this reason, even development at some distance from a sett can have implications for badgers. If your application affects a badger sett in any way, please contact the County Ecologist.

N.B. A variety of other plant and animal species are protected. A full list is contained at: www.ukbap.org.uk/lbap.aspx?id=454#5.

For further, detailed guidance, or if you are unsure about the status of a species, please contact the Species Officer at English Nature on 01635 268881 or the County Ecologist on 01865 810469.


The settlements in the District are covered by Local Plan policies which describe the circumstances in which any development will be permitted. Most new development will occur in sustainable locations within the towns and larger villages where a wide range of facilities and services are already available. In the open countryside and the smaller villages, without a range of local services, new development will only be allowed in special circumstances, for example to meet an essential operational need or the conversion of existing traditional buildings.

Where development is permitted, the character and context of the site must be carefully considered before design proposals are developed. The character of the settlement will be determined by a complex series of interactions between it and the landscape in which it is set, including processes of growth or decline through history, patterns of change in the local economy and design or development decisions by landowners and residents.

As a result, the settlements of West Oxfordshire have a wide variety of scale, patterns, spaces and building types. Some villages have a distinctive loose-knit form, allowing for a variety of views – both within the settlement and out over the countryside beyond. Others have an enclosed character with very limited views. Open spaces within settlements, greens, squares, gardens - even wide streets - contribute significantly to the unique form and character of that settlement.

4 Development within existing settlements


Settlement pattern

The towns and villages of West Oxfordshire exhibit four principal settlement patterns:

Nucleated

Nucleated settlements are compact, with less dense development on the periphery of the central core. Historically, the core may have been formed by a church or manor house (as at Stanton Harcourt). The tight-knit form of nucleated settlements makes them particularly vulnerable to loss of character if development takes place beyond the fringes of the settlement.

Poly-Focal

Poly-focal settlements have more than one original core or ‘end’. Historically, these may have developed around several manorial holdings or farmsteads some distance apart, subsequently attracting further development around them. In villages such as Great Rollright and Filkins later infill in the gaps has blurred the distinctions between the once-separate cores. Open land surrounding and penetrating between cores is a vital component of the character of poly-focal settlements.

Linear

Linear settlements have a distinctive ribbon form, and develop along both main roads and the smaller side roads that branch off these routes. Development in linear settlements may only be a single house deep on each side (as at Long Hanborough) thereby allowing significant views into the landscape beyond. Recent development within linear settlements is often in the form of parallel closes, as at Over Norton.

Dispersed

Dispersed settlements are characteristic of West Oxfordshire, with original manors or separate farm groups forming key elements. Around and between these groups accumulated loose patterns of cottages and scattered houses, (as at Combe and Wootton). Open land is also a key component of dispersed settlements. Later infill can give a previously dispersed settlement a less gappy, and more nucleated form (as at Kingham).


Settlement location

The settlements of West Oxfordshire are found in one of four principal location types:

Low-Lying/ Floodplain

The low-lying or floodplain settlements are generally found in the Thames Vale character area. This landscape is open, expansive and flat, and the settlements here lie mainly between the 60 and 75 metre contours. Natural constraints on development include rivers and manmade water courses, and the associated river floodplains (rather than factors relating to landform, such as steep gradients).

Enclosed/Valley

The enclosed or valley settlements occupy the mainly open, rolling landscape of the Limestone Wolds, together with the Ironstone Valleys and Ridges and the Nothern Valleys and Ridges. All are visually contained by their topography. This containment takes one of three forms: river valley, as at Wootton; dry valley, as at Fulbrook; or bowl-shaped, as at Tackley. The settlements lie across contours on enclosed hillsides, but do not tend to spill over hill tops.

Hill Terrace/Spur

The hill terrace/ spur settlements are generally located on open hillsides. This location type is not visually enclosed; rather the settlements tend to occupy open, flat hill terraces, and are contained within contours. Growth can be linear, along a hillside as it is at Long Hanborough and Minster Lovell (Charterville); or more nucleated, on a hill spur, as at Churchill and Combe.

Open Wolds

The open wolds settlements all occupy the Limestone Wolds character area, in landscape that is open, expansive and gently undulating. The settlements here are neither visually enclosed nor contained within contours; rather they range loosely over the landform. The open wolds settlements vary greatly in elevation, with parts of Brize Norton lying below 80 metres; and parts of Enstone lying above 150 metres.


Settlement Conservation Area Nucleated Poly-Focal Linear Dispersed

THAMES VALEAlvescot Aston Bampton Barnard GateBlack BourtonBroadwellCassington Church Hanborough ClanfieldCoteDucklington Eynsham Filkins & Broughton Poggs FreelandHardwick Kencot Kelmscott Langford LewLittle FaringdonNorthmoor Radcot South LeighStandlakeStanton Harcourt YelfordLIMESTONE WOLDSAscott-Under-WychwoodAsthall Asthal LeighBladon Brize NortonBurford CartertonChadlingtonCharlbury ChilsonChurchill Church EnstoneCleveleyCombe CrawleyCurbridgeDeanDelly EndEast EndEnstoneFawler Field Assarts

Settlement pattern

Conservation Area Conservation Area Character Appraisals available at 1/9/06’


Low Lying/ Floodplain Enclosed/ Valley Hill Terrace/

Spur Open Wolds Settlement

THAMES VALEAlvescot

AstonBampton

Barnard Gate*Black Bourton

BroadwellCassington

Church HanboroughClanfield

CoteDucklington

EynshamFilkins & Broughton Poggs

Freeland*Hardwick

KencotKelmscottLangford

Lew*Little Faringdon

NorthmoorRadcot

South Leigh*Standlake

Stanton HarcourtYelford

LIMESTONE WOLDSAscott-Under-Wychwood

AsthallAsthall Leigh

Bladon*Brize Norton

BurfordCarterton

ChadlingtonCharlbury

ChilsonChurchill

Church EnstoneCleveleyCombeCrawley

Curbridge*Dean

Delly EndEast EndEnstone

FawlerField Assarts

Settlement location

* Settlement located in the distinctive Clay Vale belt


Settlement Conservation Area Nucleated Poly-Focal Linear Dispersed

FifieldFinstock FordwellsFullbrookGlymptonHailey HeythropHolwellIdbury KiddingtonKingham Leafield Long Hanborough LynehamMilton-Under-WychwoodMinster Lovell (Charterville)Minster Lovell New YattNorth LeighRamsden RoushamPoffley EndShilton Shipton-Under-Wychwood Spelsbury Stonesfield Swinbrook Tackley TastonTaynton WestwellWitney Woodstock Wootton IRONSTONE VALLEYSGreat Tew LedwellLittle TewMiddle Barton Sandford St. Martin Swerford Steeple Barton Westcott Barton WortonNORTHERN VALLEYSChastleton Chipping Norton Cornwell Great Rollright Over Norton

Settlement pattern

Conservation Area Conservation Area Character Appraisals available at 1/9/06’


Low Lying/ Floodplain Enclosed/ Valley Hill Terrace/

Spur Open Wolds Settlement

FifieldFinstock

FordwellsFullbrookGlympton

HaileyHeythrop

HolwellIdbury

KiddingtonKinghamLeafield

Long HanboroughLyneham

Milton-Under-WychwoodMinster Lovell (Charterville)

Minster LovellNew Yatt

North LeighRamsdenRousham

Poffley EndShilton

Shipton-Under-WychwoodSpelsbury

StonesfieldSwinbrook

TackleyTaston

TayntonWestwell

WitneyWoodstock

WoottonIRONSTONE VALLEYS

Great TewLedwell

Little TewMiddle Barton

Sandford St. MartinSwerford

Steeple BartonWestcott Barton

WortonNORTHERN VALLEYS

ChastletonChipping Norton

CornwellGreat RollrightOver Norton

Settlement location


Thames Vale

Alvescot Village located in the south-west of the District, close to the southern fringes of the Limestone Wolds. Settlement is low-lying, and has evolved haphazardly to give an informal and dispersed form. The village comprises a number of farmsteads linked by modest infill.

Aston Village located in the south of the District, on flattish water meadows north of the river Thames. Aston has a relatively compact form with some later growth to the east. The detached hamlets of Cote, Shifford and Chimney lie off to the east.

Bampton Large village located in the south of the District, on a flattish and low-lying terrace. Bampton comprises a sizable loose-knit historic settlement, with a block of later estate development to the north-east. Growth to the south of the village is constrained by the Shill Brook.

Barnard GateSmall hamlet located in the west of the District in the transitional zone between the Limestone Wolds to the north and the Thames Vale to the south. The

Settlement gazetteer

The following gazetteer aims to give a short ‘pen portrait’ for each of the settlements in West Oxfordshire. Each entry describes the relative size of the settlement, its location (both within the District and its landscape setting) its pattern of growth, and whether the settlement has Conservation Area Status.

Alvescot

Conservation Area


Ducklington Village located in the south of the District, just south of Witney, on a terrace above the floodplain of the river Windrush. The historic settlement is linear, but infill has since accounted for the area between this portion and the A415, which runs past to the south-west.

Eynsham Large village located in the south-east of the District, on the flat river plain of the Thames and its tributary the Chil Brook. The reasonably compact historic core has witnessed some infill and extensive modern development between it and the A40 to the north.

Filkins and Broughton Poggs Village located in the south-west of the District, on the border with the Limestone Wolds. Filkins occupies a terrace over 85m, and has been unified by linear infill with nearby Broughton Poggs to form a straggling settlement that runs parallel to, and east of, the A361.

FreelandVillage located in the east of the District, and lying above the 100m contour. Constraints upon growth include significant tracts of wood and marshland to the west and south. The western border represents a strongly defined edge that follows the route of an early lane.

settlement has a fragmented form and consists of a number of farms. It is bisected by the Chil Brook.

Black BourtonSmall village located in the south-west of the District, on flat, low-lying land immediately south of Carterton. Scattered farms, including Mill Farm off to the east, give the village a loose-knit form. The Shill Brook runs by on an east-west axis.

BroadwellVillage located in the south-west of the District, on low-lying land. Broadwell merges seamlessly into neighbouring Kencot. From the cluster of buildings at the north of the village it evolves a linear form along the road to Langford to the south.

Cassington Village located in the south-east of the District, bordered by the rivers Evenlode and Thames. The settlement is compact, and growth is constrained both by the disused gravel pits to the north, and the A40 which passes by to the south.

Church Hanborough Small village located in the south-east of the District, close to the border with the Limestone Wolds. Church Hanborough has a compact, linear form, with houses and cottages set informally along the road that winds through the village.

ClanfieldVillage located in the south-west of the District, on low-lying land north of the river Thames. Clanfield has a distinctive form, with a compact core to the north, a ‘tail’ of linear growth tapering away to the south, and new development branching off west along Mill Lane.

CoteHamlet located in the extreme south of the District, in an area of flat, expansive farmland criss-crossed by drainage channels. Cote has a fragmented, linear form, and is strung out along the road that runs past Aston to the west, down to Shifford on the Thames to the south.

Thames Vale

Ducklington

Conservation Area


Hardwick Village located in the south of the District, midway between Witney and Stanton Harcourt on the B4449. Hardwick has a compact, linear form, with Cokethorpe Park and School, together with the church, forming outliers to the west.

Kencot Village located in the south-west of the District. Although essentially linear in form, Kencot comprises three distinct groupings: the first around the junction with the B4477 to the north, the second including the Manor and farm further south, and the third around Manor Farm, where the village merges into Broadwell.

Kelmscott Small village located in the extreme south-west of the District, on flat and low-lying land north of the Thames. Kelmscott has a highly attractive dispersed form, with farms, cottages and the eponymous manor house scattered along meandering lanes, and punctuated by significant areas of open land.

Langford Large village located in the south-west of the District, close to the Gloucestershire border. Langford occupies a low-lying and open setting. Although essentially poly-focal the settlement is relatively compact, with a separate and distinct early core to the south.

LewSmall village located in the south-west of the District, in the transitional zone between the Limestone Wolds to the north and the Thames Vale to the south. Lew has a fragmented form and comprises a handful of farms and houses together with a church.

Little FaringdonSmall village located in the extreme south-west of the District, just north of Lechlade on Thames. Little Faringdon is of linear form, but with notable dispersed elements in the forms of a farm and a mill on the river Leach to the south-west.

Northmoor Village located in the extreme south-east of the District, due south of Stanton Harcourt and just north of the Thames. Northmoor has a reasonably compact core, but has seen some linear growth (i.e. along Chapel Lane) and has a clutch of dispersed elements in the forms of outlying farmsteads.

Radcot Small hamlet located in the extreme south of the District, on the Thames, south of Clanfield and east of Kelmscott. Radcot has a dispersed form and comprises a handful of houses, a hotel and farm, together with the ancient bridge over the Thames.

South LeighVillage located in the transitional zone between the Limestone Wolds and the Thames Vale. South Leigh has a disparate form, with Church End to the north, farms and the manor off to the south-east and linear growth in between. The village is bisected by the Limb Brook.

StandlakeVillage located in the south of the District, in a low-lying and open setting, between expansive gravel pits to the north and south. Standlake has a distinctive attenuated U-form, with linear infill linking previously dispersed nuclei. The Windrush flows by to the east.

Stanton Harcourt / Sutton Village located in the south-east of the District, in a low-lying setting, north-east of a WWII airfield and extensive disused gravel pits. Settlement is poly-focal, with a significant historic core at Stanton Harcourt, and a second, linear core at Sutton to the north.

YelfordHamlet located in the south of the District, in a relatively flat landscape (but for Rickless Hill to the north) south of Ducklington. Yelford has a compact, nucleated form and comprises a handful of houses, a pair of farms and a church.

Conservation Area

Thames Vale


Ascott-Under- WychwoodVillage located in the west of the District, in an enclosed setting along the 95m contour following the line of the river Evenlode. This and a railway line constrain growth to the north of the village. Ascott comprises two former hamlets, divided by London Lane.

Asthall Village located in the west of the District, in an enclosed valley setting on the south bank of the Windrush. But for Asthall Farm to the east, the settlement has a compact, nucleated form. The Roman road, Akeman Street, runs passed to the south.

Asthal LeighSmall village located in the west of the District, mainly along the 122m contour. Asthal Leigh has a dispersed form with some linear qualities, with scattered houses and farms lining the roads that meet at a junction on which the church stands.

Bladon Village located in the extreme east of the District, close to the border with the Thames Vale. Bladon has a distinctive linear form, with houses following the course of the Witney to Woodstock road. The settlement is constrained by Blenheim Park to the north.

Brize NortonVillage located in the south of the District, in an open and exposed setting. Brize Norton has a loose-knit form, with a number of dispersed farms, some of which have been linked by later infill. RAF Brize Norton covers a large area to the south-west of the village.

Burford Town located in the west of the District. Burford’s main axis runs up the valley side away from the Windrush, and is intersected by a secondary axis that follows a hill terrace to give a cruciform plan. The High Street, which is lined by early houses, is especially distinctive.

CartertonTown located in the south-west of the District, in a flattish and exposed setting, north of RAF Brize Norton. Carterton forms a sizable and dense conurbation on a C20 grid plan. During the late C20 the settlement extended greatly to the north and east.

ChadlingtonVillage located in the north of the District, in an open and elevated landscape. Chadlington forms a dispersed and loose-knit settlement at the convergence of numerous minor roads. Later infill has done much to unify the previously dispersed parts of the village.

Charlbury Large village located in the centre of the District. Charlbury forms a relatively compact valley-side settlement, lying mainly between the 91m and 122m contours. Development is constrained by the river Evenlode and the railway line to the south-west.

ChilsonHamlet located in the centre of the District, below the 122m contour, and north of Wychwood Forest. Chilson is of compact, nucleated form and is connected by lanes to the nearby settlements of Shorthampton and Pudlicote.

Limestone Wolds

Conservation Area

Bladon


Church EnstoneSmall village located in the north of the District, just below the 152m contour, and overlooking the river Glyme to the south. To the west is a spur of Heythrop Park, and to the east a disused airfield. Church Enstone has a distinctive, compact form, and lies just to the north of Enstone.

Churchill Village located in the north-west of the District, on a hill spur, mainly between the 155m and 165m contours. Topographical containment has led to a compact hillside settlement, with historic parkland to the south-east also constraining growth.

CleveleyHamlet located in the north of the District, in an enclosed valley below the 122m contour, and just east of Enstone. Although disjointed, Cleveley has a distinctive form that follows, in broken linear fashion, the course of the river Glynne.

Combe Village located in the east of the District, on a hill terrace above the 115m contour, overlooking the river Evenlode. Combe is situated among patches of woodland (once belonging to Wychwood Forest) and scattered farms; and lies just to the west of Blenheim Park.

CrawleyVillage located in the centre of the District, just to the north of Witney. Crawley has a nucleated form, with the settlement concentrated at the star-shaped meeting of five roads. Growth to the south is constrained by the river Windrush.

CurbridgeVillage located in the south of the District, on the border with the Thames Vale, and just to the south-west of Witney. Curbridge is a small settlement showing linear growth along two sides of a triangle formed by minor roads. A railway divides Curbridge from Witney.

Dean Small hamlet located in the centre of the District, in an open setting north of Charlbury. Dean has a disjointed form, comprising a few houses and farms, together with a mill which lies on the Coldron Brook to the east.

Delly EndVillage located in the centre of the District, due north of Witney. Delly End forms one of the ‘ends’ of Hailey (the other being Poffley End) and is a nucleated settlement articulated about a distinctive and sizable, triangular village green.

East EndHamlet located in the east of the District, in an essentially open setting that falls away sharply to the east. East End has a predominantly linear form, constrained to the north both by the river Evenlode and by an elbow of ancient woodland.

EnstoneVillage located in the north of the District, in the Glyme valley. Enstone and Neat Enstone form a conjoined, loose-knit settlement; Cleveley and Gagingwell lie off to the east (Cleveley in the valley bottom, and Gagingwell at the head of a small valley).

Fawler Hamlet located in the centre of the District, south-east of Charlbury and on the north bank of the river Evenlode. Fawler has a fragmented, linear form, following the course of the road from Charlbury round to Stonesfield to the east.

Field AssartsSmall hamlet located in the centre of the District, in an open setting due south of Leafield. Field Assarts derives its name from its one-time situation within Wychwood Forest. It comprises a handful of buildings set along the roadside.

Limestone Wolds

Conservation Area


FifieldVillage located in the extreme west of the District, west of Milton-Under-Wychwood. Fifield is a valley-side settlement ranged between the 140m and 170m contours. It has a relatively compact form, with housing lying alongside two parallel streets that run down to The Green.

Finstock Village located in the centre of the District. Finstock is topographically varied. Linear infill along the triangle formed by the High Street, the Charlbury to Witney road, and School Road has partially consolidated the original dispersed clusters of housing.

FordwellsHamlet located in the centre of the District, in an open wolds setting south of Leafield and just to the west of Field Assarts. Fordwells has a dispersed, linear form, with houses and cottages strung out loosely along the roadside.

Fulbrook Village located in the west of the District, in a folded and enclosed valley setting north of the river Windrush. Fulbrook is dispersed in form, and has a notable detached element in the form of Manor Farm, which occupies an exposed, hillside setting to the west.

GlymptonVillage located in the east of the District, between Kiddington and Wootton. Glympton occupies an enclosed valley setting and is of poly-focal form, with the park and church forming one grouping to the west, and a clutch of houses off to the east.

Hailey Village located in the centre of the District, in an area of gently undulating topography. Hailey has a poly-focal form, with Delly End and Poffley End forming distinctive detached elements, and Middletown in between forming the core of later settlement.

HeythropSmall village located in the north of the District, in an open setting to the east of Chipping Norton. Heythrop is of poly-focal form with scattered farmsteads. The hamlet of Dunthrop lies to the north, while the great swathe of Heythrop Park stretches off to the south-east.

HolwellSmall village located in the extreme west of the District, in a hillside setting mainly above the 130m contour and to the south of Burford. Holwell is a compact, nucleated settlement that has grown up at the junction of a number of lanes.

Idbury Small village located in the extreme west of the District, north of Fifield and north-west of Milton-under-Wychwood. Idbury has a compact, nucleated form and occupies a hill terrace, with settlement contained within the 165m and 185m contours.

KiddingtonVillage located in the east of the District, in an enclosed valley setting to the north-west of Wootton. Kiddington has a dispersed form, comprising a core centred on the church and Kiddington Hall, and a number of outlying farms. The site of the medieval village of Asterleigh lies to the south-west.

Conservation Area

Finstock

Limestone Wolds


Kingham Village located in the north-west of the District, in an open setting above the 115m contour. Today’s relatively unified form belies its original poly-focal form, centring on Church St., West End, and The Green. An oval of roads has attracted generally loose-knit infill.

Leafield Village located in the centre of the District, in an open setting south of Wychwood Forest. Leafield has a pronounced linear form resulting from the consolidation of a number of previously dispersed ‘ends’, including Lower End, Church Farm, and Chimney End.

Hanborough (Long Hanborough ) Large village located in the east of the District, in an open setting, mainly along the 100m contour. The eastern and western arms have a pronounced linear form. The area south of the Witney road has absorbed most of the new growth. Church Hanborough lies to the south.

LynehamHamlet located in the west of the District, due north of Shipton-under-Wychwood, on a hill terrace between the 105m and 110m contours. Lyneham has a linear form, with housing lying along the High Street and, parallel with this, Priory Road.

Milton-Under-WychwoodLarge village located in the west of the District, in an open setting between the 105m and 115m contours. Dense C20 housing and linear infill has given Milton its present core, and consolidated its original dispersed form. A detached hamlet survives at Upper Milton.

Minster Lovell Small village located in a valley side setting to the north of the river Windrush. Minster Lovell has a significant historic core, from which linear growth during the 17th and 18th centuries saw the settlement grow in an informal fashion westwards towards the bridge over the Windrush.

Minster Lovell (Charterville)Village located in the centre of the District, on an elevated ridge above the 115m contour. Charterville comprises a C19 planned utopian settlement of dispersed linear form. To the north of this, adjacent to the B4047, is a sizable block of C20 development.

New YattHamlet located in the east of the District, in an open setting above the 122m contour, between Hailey and North Leigh. New Yatt has a linear form, with housing strung out along New Yatt Lane. To the east lie dispersed elements in the forms of New Yatt Farm and Glenfield Farm.

North LeighVillage located in the east of the District, in a fairly open setting. Dense linear infill strongly binds together the previously dispersed parts, but southward growth is constrained by Eynsham Park. Detached hamlets remain at Wilcote (compact) and East End (linear).

Ramsden Village located in the centre of the District, in a shallow bowl setting between the 122m and 152m contours, south of Finstock. Ramsden has a pronounced linear form, with houses and cottages standing along both the winding main street and Roman Akeman Street which crosses it.

RoushamSmall village located in the extreme east of the District, on a hill terrace between the 75m and 80m contours, north of Tackley. Rousham has a dispersed form, with a loose handful of houses fronting the road close to Rousham House on the eastern edge of the adjacent historic park.

Poffley EndVillage located in the centre of the District, in an open setting due north of Witney. Poffley End is one of Hailey’s two ‘ends’ (the other being Delly End). It has a distinctive linear form, with houses and cottages strung out along Poffley End Lane.

Limestone Wolds


Shilton Village located in the south-west of the District, north-west of Carterton. Shilton occupies an enclosed valley setting, with a linear arm following the course of the Shill Brook and a compact, nucleated core with two churches to the south-west.

Shipton-Under-Wychwood Village located in the west of the District, in a sloping, north facing valley-side setting, overlooking the river Evenlode. Former dispersed hamlets now largely consolidated by linear infill and C20 estate development.

Spelsbury Village located in the north of the District, in an open setting to the north of Charlbury. Spelsbury has a reasonably compact, nucleated form (with the manor house, Glebe Farm and the church at its core). The small settlements of Taston and Dean lie to the north-east and north-west respectively.

Stonesfield Village located in the east of the District, on an exposed hill terrace just below the 122m contour, overlooking the steep lower slopes of the Evenlode valley to the south-west. Stonesfield is large and unusually compact, with very few dispersed components.

Swinbrook Village located in the west of the District to the east of Burford. Swinbrook has two distinct parts, with the village core situated in the Windrush valley, and a straggling linear component following the spring line up an enclosed valley to the north. The lost village of Widford lies off to the west.

Tackley Village located in the extreme east of the District in a relatively enclosed setting below the 85m contour. Tackley retains a distinctive loose-knit form, with C20 estate development at Nethercott. Constraints on growth include parkland and the railway to the west.

Taston Small hamlet located in the north of the District, in an open setting between the 122m and 152m contours, north of Charlbury. Taston has a fragmented form, and comprises a loosely grouped collection of farms, together with a handful of houses and cottages.

Taynton Village located in the extreme west of the District, in a shallowly enclosed setting north-west of Burford. Taynton is of linear form, with houses and cottages lining the lanes that wind through the settlement. Four large farms and a number of areas of open land form significant components within the village.

WestwellVillage located in the extreme west of the District, in an enclosed valley setting south-west of Burford. Westwell has a fairly compact, nucleated form (with the manor and church forming the historic core), but has a number of outlying farms off to the east and west.

Witney Large town located in the centre of the District in a low-lying site on the border with the Thames Vale. Elongated historic core, surrounded by large swathes of mainly C20 estate development. The river Windrush bisects the town, and the A40 constrains growth to the south.

Woodstock Town located in the extreme east of the District. Growth is constrained by Blenheim Park to the west, and the steep, wooded valley of the river Glyme to the north. Woodstock has a sizable historic core, a linear ‘tail’ to the north, and C20 estate development to the east.

Wootton Village located in the north-east of the District, in a valley-side setting north of the river Glyme. Wootton has a relatively compact core, with sporadic later development and several significant dispersed elements scattered throughout the surrounding landscape.

Limestone Wolds


Great Tew Small village located in the extreme north-east of the District, on an elevated, sloping site between the 183m and 122m contours. Great Tew is a planned, estate village adjoining historic parkland, essentially created in the 19th century. It has a straggling, linear form, with a number of outlying farms.

LedwellHamlet located in the extreme north-east of the District, on a hill terrace between the 155m and 165m contours, due north of Sandford St. Martin. Ledwell has a compact, nucleated form and is unusual for not adjoining a through-road.

Little TewVillage located in the extreme north of the District, tucked away in an enclosed, shallow bowl-shaped setting, to the west of Great Tew. Little Tew has a distinctive, loose-knit form, with houses and cottages scattered along the lanes the wind through the settlement.

Middle Barton Village located in the north-east of the District. Middle Barton lies partly in the parish of Steeple Barton, and is of loose-knit form with large blocks of C20 estate development to the north. Steeple Barton forms a separate and dispersed settlement to the east.

Sandford St. Martin*Village located in the extreme north-east of the District, in an enclosed valley setting due south of Ledwell. Sandford St. Martin is essentially of linear form, with the church and vicarage at its core, a number of farms to the north and south, and the manor and adjoining parkland to the west.

Swerford*Village located at the northern tip of the District, in an enclosed setting in the valley of the river Swere. Swerford has a pronounced poly-focal form, with the nucleated Church End to the west and East End, with its linear growth up Chapel Hill, to the east.

Steeple Barton Village located in the extreme north-east of the District, in an enclosed valley setting south-east of Middle Barton. Steeple Barton has an especially fragmented form, with Barton Abbey and a number of farms, houses and cottages scattered throughout patchy woodland.

Westcott Barton Small village located west of Middle Barton in the neighbouring parish of Westcott Barton, beside the river Dorn, between the 115m and 125m contours. Westcott Barton comprises a loose-knit settlement, strung out between Middle Barton and the Manor House at its western end.

WortonVillage located in the extreme north-east of the District, on a hill spur: between the 125m and 130m contours in the case of Over Worton, and in a shallow valley setting in the case of Nether Worton. The settlements form a poly-focal village, the latter historically a colony of the former.


Middle Barton


Chastleton Small village located in the north-western spur of the District, in a hillside setting between the 150m and 175m contours. Chastleton comprises a handful of houses and cottages scattered along the roadside, together with Chastleton House and the adjoining church and parkland.

Chipping Norton Town located in the north-west of the District, in an unusually elevated valley-side setting mainly between the 183m and 213m contours. Linear, historic core with large volumes of C20 estate development (mainly along the 185m contour, but with some undue spillage over the hill top).

Cornwell Small village located in the extreme north-west of the District, on a hill terrace between the 150m and 160m contours west of Chipping Norton. Cornwell has a loose-knit form, comprising the manor house and a handful of farmsteads.

Great Rollright Large village located in the extreme north of the District, on a hill terrace between the 205m and 220m contours, with steep slopes to the east, south and west. Great Rollright’s original poly-focal form has been eroded by later infill. Little Rollright lies off to the west.

Over Norton Village located in the north-west of the District, on a hill terrace, mainly below the 213m contour. Over Norton is compact and of linear form, with a modest historic component, a small amount of later growth to the west, and a few outlying farmsteads to the north-east.

Northern Valleys & Ridges

Over Norton


The Suburban System:The Unresolved Space

Here, the buildings are not contained within a clear landscape setting, yet are too loosely grouped, or are of insuffi cient height, to defi ne and enclose space effectively. This ‘highway led’ approach has resulted in layouts with overly wide roads of arbitrary confi guration and large areas of hard standing, which together form development that is wasteful of space and often lacking in identity.

The Rural System:Landscape Containing Buildings

Here, the wider landscape provides the setting for the buildings: for example a house in parkland or a group of farm buildings in an agricultural setting. The buildings do not defi ne space, but appear as objects in the landscape.

The Urban System:Buildings Enclosing Space

In towns and villages, buildings enclose space to create a visually pleasing environment with a strong and distinctive ‘sense of place’. Well designed enclosed spaces create the perception of safe and secure environments. The buildings themselves defi ne public space: for example a street, alley, square or courtyard.

5 Buildings and their setting

Buildings and landscape form two of the key elements of the physical environment. They can be organised in one of three general patterns. Two of these are traditional and familiar; the other is the result of twentieth-century processes, and has led in some cases to the creation of unsatisfactory visual environments.

secure environments. The buildings themselves defi ne public space: for secure environments. The buildings themselves defi ne public space: for secure environments. The buildings themselves defi ne public space: for secure environments. The buildings themselves defi ne public space: for


Low Density Development:

Low Density development occurs at the edges of existing settlements or where settlements adjoin parkland or open space. Buildings may be grouped or free-standing; however, the landscape setting remains dominant. New development following these principles may be appropriate for the transitional zones between a settlement and the open countryside beyond.

Isolated Rural Development: Isolated cottages or farm buildings are established features in the landscape. They are located for reasons related to land holdings or agricultural activity. Opportunities for new development of this type will be rare. Consequently, when they do occur they should receive an especially high degree of design attention to ensure that they are entirely appropriate to their setting.

The Open Countryside:

The apparently natural landscape is actually the result of years of intervention by the local population. It consists of an intricate pattern of woods, fields and pasture, cut through by rivers and tracks. Boundaries and enclosures are formed by the manipulation of vegetation to form hedges, or from the extraction and use of available materials such as stone.

New Rural (see pages 5.6 - 5.7)

Development density

Development density can be thought of as a spectrum, ranging from the uninhabited rural landscape at one end to the built up town centre at the other, with intervening densities ranged between. In West Oxfordshire, six distinct levels of density can be identified.


Suburbia:

Here, the buildings overwhelm the landscape context, but do so too loosely to enclose space properly. Although this type of development exists in the District, further development of this kind is not desirable.

High Density Development:

The centres of the larger settlements in the District are generally formed by three and four storey buildings, grouped into informal blocks and bounded by the streets and urban spaces of the town. These central areas are characterised by mixed usage and have a distinctive urban atmosphere.

Medium Density Development:

This is the characteristic form of the centres of most villages and small towns in the District. Here, space is enclosed by mainly two storey blocks, which form a distinctive pattern of streets, lanes and irregular greens and squares.

New Urban (see pages 5.8 - 5.11)


Design process and Design & Access Statements

Design and Access Statements must accompany all applications for Listed Building Consent (other than internal works to domestic properties) and all planning applications in: Conservation Areas, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, The Cotswolds AONB and The Blenheim World Heritage Site.

Statements should not just describe the completed scheme, but show the ways in which the design has evolved through the processes described below, leading to the final proposals. The Statement must demonstrate how people of all ages and mobility will be able to use the buildings and places that are proposed. The Statement must show how the buildings and spaces will be arranged on the site, what they will look like, and how they will relate to their surroundings. It should be written in plain English avoiding jargon, and be succinct and well-illustrated. In addition, applicants for Listed Building Consent must be able to justify their proposals. They will need to show why works which would affect the character of the listed building are desirable or necessary (PPG15). Full information to allow the assessment of the likely impact on the listed building and its setting must be provided.

Sources of guidanceThe general requirements for DASs are set out in paragraphs 56-110 of DCLG Circular 01/2006. This can be found at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/pub/715/Circular0106DCLGGuidanceonChangestotheDevelopmentControlSystem_id1500715.pdf (The Circular recommends that applicants follow an assessment-involvement-evaluation-design process. This closely mirrors the design process described below).

The CABE advice Design and Access Statements: How to write, read and use them can be found at: http://www.cabe.org.uk/AssetLibrary/8073.pdf Development proposals are generally based on a wish to change or adapt the environment. Proposals can range in scale from a small extension for an existing house to a major expansion of a town. These pages set out the principles which should be followed in preparing a design for a wide variety of situations. All schemes, even the most modest, should have a design brief which sets out the objectives of the proposals, explains the function of the new development, examines the cost implications, and identifies all of the potential sites and opportunities.

The ASSESSMENT of the site requires an accurate dimensional and levels survey of the land and buildings which are the subject of the proposals. It should also include information on the setting, the landscape context, any surrounding historic patterns of development, and local building styles and materials.

The assessment will identify constraints or limitations to development, such as archaeology, ecological protections, drainage or flooding issues, access, safety or traffic matters which have been identified. The extent of the surrounding area to be surveyed and the detail with which this is done will depend on the sensitivity and scale of the development. The physical, social and economic characteristics of the site and surroundings, the existing planning policies along with how people in the locality will be affected must be considered.

Issues relating to crime reduction can also be addressed by consulting with a police architectural liaison officer.


surroundings. DESIGN is a skilled process, and there is no substitute for the services of an architect or other appropriately qualified designer. Officers of the Planning Service will be pleased to offer advice or comment on proposals at this stage.

The final design drawings can be prepared when any problems identified at the sketch design stage have been resolved. The drawings typically include a location plan at 1:2500 scale, with a block plan at 1:200 or 1:500. Survey plans of the land or buildings affected and layout plans and elevations of the proposals should also be provided at 1:100. Applicants for planning permission should also demonstrate how they have taken account of the requirement for good design in their proposals, and a Design and Access Statement may be required to accompany your application.

Government guidance now encourages applicants to carry out professional consultations and COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT at the earliest possible stage. Keep a record of the groups and people you have discussed the scheme with, and note the ways in which these discussions have directed or informed the design decisions.

Once the site’s context has been assessed, the local community and the right professionals have been consulted, identifying options for development should be a fairly simple task. EVALUATION of the information collected can now take place and any conflicting issues can be resolved. You should record what decisions have been taken and why. The evaluation will consider issues such as the suitability of the site to fulfil the brief, and any inherent benefits, constraints or hazards. Since this Guide recommends that new development should share some of the characteristics of the area in which it is located, design approaches based on the site context should be identified.

Initial sketch designs should now be prepared exploring ways in which the requirements of the brief can be achieved in relation to the inherent opportunities or constraints of the site and its

Design process - a checklistAnalysis • the suitability of the site to fulfil the brief;

• inherent benefits, constraints or hazards;

• context and character of the site;

• sketch designs exploring ways in which the requirements of the brief can be achieved;

• final design drawings after problems identified at the sketch design stage have been resolved;

• Design Statements describing this process.


Net site density includes only those areas that will be developed for housing and directly associated uses.This includes:i access roads within the site;ii private garden space;iii car parking areas;iv incidental open space and landscaping;v children’s play areas.

It excludes:i major distributor roads;ii primary schools;iii open spaces serving a wider area;iv significant landscape buffer strips.

Source: PPG3 (OPDM)

Plot Ratios: the total area of the building - floor area x number of storeys/ area of the site

Here, the volume of an individual unit, together with its footprint in relation to its building plot, is described.

In West Oxfordshire the following values represent the recommended maximum height and plot ratios for the three principal density types:

Maximum Height

Maximum Plot Ratio

New Rural 2 Storeys 40%

New Urban (Medium)

2 Storeys 40%

New Urban (High) 3½ Storeys 50%

Habitable Rooms per hectare: the number of rooms that people actually live in

Here, a two bedroom house with one double and one single bedroom, a living room, kitchen and bathroom, counts as having 3 habitable rooms, as small kitchens and bathrooms are not included in the measurement. By using this, it becomes possible to assess in detail the effect of the scheme on the demand for local services (e.g. education, health, open space etc).

Housing density: general principles

Measuring density

There are a number of methods for measuring density:

Dwellings per hectare is the most commonly-used measurement of development density. However, it is an unreliable indicator of the likely form of a new scheme; of the size of individual units or of the scheme’s impact upon local services. For example, the three schemes illustrated below share the same density dwellings per hectare measurement, but they differ radically in their appearance and character:

Source: Andrew Wright Associates

Consequently, the density measurement of dwellings per hectare should not be taken in isolation as a guide to the form or quality of a residential development. Furthermore, it should not be used as a tool for regulating urban design.

By incorporating further measures of development character - such as plot ratio and habitable room measurements - the form of the proposed scheme, the size of individual units and the scheme’s impact upon local services can be more usefully assessed.


Through the use of a range of measurements of urban character, together with careful design, it becomes possible to ensure that the development is responsive to specific urban characteristics:

Density and local character

Development density alone (dwellings per hectare) is a blunt and essentially limiting tool for the creation of distinctive areas of local character. A range of additional strategies, besides density, should be used in order to differentiate one area from another, and thus to establish and enrich local character. These strategies might include:

• carefully responding to specific contexts within, or adjacent to, the development area (i.e. existing development, landscape, vegetation etc.);

• creating a variety of building layouts within the scheme (differentiation of the arrangement of built forms);

• using specific building types to enhance local distinctiveness (differentiation of the built forms themselves; of the architecture and building materials);

• distinctive non-residential provision;

• differentiation of surface treatments and of road/ footway layouts;

• differentiation of parking provision; • differentiation of hard and soft landscaping, and

boundary treatments.

A one acre scheme with ten five bedroom detached houses

A one acre scheme with ten two bedroom detached houses

A one acre scheme with ten two bedroom terraced houses

Source: Stratford - on - Avon District Design Guide


Layout principles

Many mid-twentieth century layouts feature cul-de-sacs surrounded by perimeter roads.

These tend not to create a sense of place and have no relationship with their surroundings.

Any new layout should be designed around a pattern of connected streets and public spaces that can be easily understood, so that people know where they are. The heart of a street network should focus on busy pedestrian places which have an identifiable and accessible location, defined by a concentration of facilities (e.g. shops, offices, small-scale workspaces, civic functions, schools, clinics, squares or parks) and by increasing building heights, providing greater enclosure.

A Rectangular arrangements based on grids create a classic street and block pattern. See New Urban Medium and High Density Character types p. 5.12 - 5.15.

B Concentric grids promote access to local centres or public transport routes. See New Urban Medium and High Density Character types p. 5.12 - 5.15.

C Irregular layouts give an organic, less formal character. See New Urban Medium Density Character types p. 5.12 - 5.13.

http://www.manualforstreets.org.uk

A

B

C


Street profiles

The character of streets and open spaces should be designed in three dimensions and with as much care as the buildings. Three dimensional presentation enables street furniture, lighting, utility equipment and landscaping to be clearly expressed.

A Plan of junction (critical dimensions)B View of junction (critical dimensions)C Three-dimensional presentation

Language can have a significant bearing on how designers approach the layout of development areas. Treating a road as a ‘High Street’ rather than a ‘Local Distributer Road’ leads to its clear differentiation from other roads within the layout.

Road layouts in residential areas often suffer from being too car-biased. In this illustration pedestrian desire lines take precedence over vehicle turning geometry. (Here the kerb corners are formed using ‘quarter cheese’ kerbstones).

In layouts with a more open character, some deflection of pedestrian routes may be permissible where, for example, a strong urban landscape character is proposed. In this illustration the road has been designed as an avenue or boulevard.

Images courtesy of Colin Davis

A

B

C

Traditional highways-based terminology

Street and place character terminology

Primary distributor Main street

District distributor Avenue, boulevard

Local distributor High street

Access road Street (also squares etc.)

Cul-de-sac Mews, courtyard etc.


NEW RURAL

The essence of the New Rural approach is that the buildings are contained within the landscape. They do not, either through their scale or layout, overwhelm their landscape context. The success of such schemes depends on the careful integration of the development into its setting, so that the built and natural elements of the design together form a single, coherent design composition. This approach can be applied in a variety of contexts, from a single infill plot, to specific parts of large development areas. With infill plots the context for the building or buildings may already be well established. In such situations it is essential that the new design follows the existing spatial pattern.

Where the context is undistinguished or ambiguous, the opportunity may exist to create from new a distinctive New Rural character. The approach is particularly well suited to the fringes of larger developments, where it can provide a sensitive interface with the landscape beyond.

LayoutIn larger development areas and existing villages the layout is loosely structured, with buildings grouped informally or laid out in an irregular pattern behind verges, gardens or areas of landscape. Occasional buildings front directly onto the road. For smaller schemes or infill sites, the layout should accord with that already existing.

Building typesThe buildings may take a variety of plan forms, designs and styles, generally within the limitations of the evolved vernacular tradition. They are predominantly free-standing and of two storeys.


Pedestrian and vehicle routesThe routes through New Rural schemes contribute to their distinctive character, and generally take the form of lanes of varying width with an informal alignment. This informality is not arbitrary, but depends upon topography, desire lines and the intensity of use. Routes are usually surfaced in materials that contribute to their informality, or that match those already existing. Smaller developments are served by shared use surfaces (i.e. with no footpath) and narrowed carriageways with passing places. Road layouts in larger development areas should constrain traffic speeds, and provide good links both within the site and into adjoining areas.

LandscapeSince the essence of the New Rural approach is ‘buildings in a landscape’ the contribution of the landscape design to the overall scheme must be as great, if not greater than, the design of the buildings if this aspiration is to be met. With smaller sites and infill plots, efforts should generally be made to retain existing features, such as trees and hedges. The West Oxfordshire Landscape Assessment contains details of the natural characteristics of the area, and the notes found in Chapter 3 of this Guide (‘Biodiversity and Landscape Character’) provide information on recommended plant species.

Landscape design is a key factor in the reinforcement of local character. In New Rural schemes, local tree and plant species should predominate. They play an important role by adding variety, affording privacy and containment, and providing a link between one house and the next. Although informal rural principles prevail, there may be opportunities for more formal planting arrangements, such as avenues.

Boundary treatmentsThe boundary treatments in New Rural areas follow local patterns. Verges with hedges, or dry stone walls fronting gardens, form the main boundary treatments for development of this type within the District. In the case of infill sites, the careful design of boundary treatments is essential if the scheme is not to look out of place.


NEW URBAN;1. Medium Density:

The success of Medium Density schemes depends on the effective enclosure of space by the built forms. In the case of new development areas, the aim is to create a distinctive and easily understood environment with a traditional urban feel. This will generally be achieved with densities of between 35 and 55 dwellings per hectare (14 to 22 per acre). Design cues, particularly in the case of smaller sites within an existing village or town, may be taken from the character and appearance of the area in which the development is located.

LayoutIn larger development areas, the built forms should generally be arranged to provide a coherent and clearly defined pattern of streets, lanes, squares, courtyards and open space. Frontages should generally overlook the street, but may vary in their depth back from shared surfaces (though they should be no closer than a minimum of 500mm in order to avoid interference by porches, opening windows etc.) Parking may be in the form of garages or car ports to the sides of properties, courtyards located within the core of blocks, or by on-street provision. Courtyards, where used, are enclosed, providing direct and easy supervision from the surrounding houses, and may be accessed via narrow gaps in the street frontage.

Building typesDetached, semi-detached and terraced forms predominate. Occasionally, three storey buildings can provide visual emphasis and serve as landmarks. Variation in building types, materials, scale, and architectural style, may be used to create visual interest and contrast. Given the increased proximity of buildings in Medium Density schemes, careful attention must also be given to the position, type and size of windows, and to internal room arrangements in order to ensure privacy. Back to back distances must provide adequate privacy between habitable rooms.


Pedestrian and vehicle routesRoutes through Medium Density developments should have a high degree of visual legibility, and provide a permeable network linking the scheme both to local amenities and to surrounding areas. The pattern of streets provides direct, safe and attractive routes for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. Variations in direction and alignment of streets create an evolving and varied townscape, whilst promoting safety by slowing drivers. The main streets are bounded by footways and have a recognisable character that is well defined by the clear building lines. Side streets and lanes provide additional permeability. They should have a subtly different character to the main streets and may feature shared surfaces. Road layouts should cater for all users, not just motor vehicles. Pathways should be carefully designed to avoid ‘dead spaces’, unrestricted public access to the rear of properties and other opportunities for criminal activity.

LandscapeWell-designed open spaces should be obviously useful and visually appealing. Grassed park-type spaces provide areas of soft landscaping that add variety, character and amenity to new development. Expected open space provision in development areas will be based upon an assessment of existing provision. Play areas are an important amenity and should also be well designed, visually appealing and easily accessible.Trees and vegetation can have a significant role in defining and enclosing space in Medium Density schemes and can have a marked effect on their character. Trees and planting should be used both as formal elements to line squares or streets, and informally in green spaces or back gardens. They can be used to ‘soften’ the streetscape and to reduce the visual impact of parked cars.

Boundary treatmentsFront boundaries are enclosed by elements from an urban palette, including railings and walls. Gaps between buildings are kept to a minimum and are generally close by walling. Where gaps do occur (e.g. for access to a courtyard) the entrance is designed as an integral part of the streetscape.


NEW URBAN;2. High Density:

High Density layouts are appropriate for the centres of larger new developments, or for the extension of existing centres. Schemes of this kind serve as the physical and social centre of the surrounding area. The design should create a highly attractive, marketable and prestigious environment which will encourage high levels of social activity. High Density areas should contain both a high concentration of non-residential provision, such as shops, pubs, schools, nurseries, community buildings and public transport links, together with the highest residential densities – typically, in the range of 40 - 75 dwellings per hectare (16 - 30 per acre).

LayoutIn High Density areas the blocks may be significantly taller and larger than those of Medium Density areas, and may be of mixed use. They should feature a high concentration of entrances that open directly onto the street. The High Density and mixed use qualities give rise to issues of privacy, amenity, access and parking; all of which must be carefully addressed and resolved during the design process.

The blocks in High Density areas are arranged to provide a clear streetscape with a strong ‘sense of place’. Building frontages are generally directly related to shared surfaces, or footways. Servicing, parking and rear access to properties is provided by enclosed courtyards accessed through designed openings in the street frontages. The mainly residential use of upper floors of the buildings promotes good visual supervision of the streets, squares and courtyards below.

Building typesThe buildings should generally be 2½ - 3½ storeys (with significant variation in roof type to provide visual interest). Taller buildings can be prominently sited as landmarks. A wide variation in buildings types, materials, and architectural styles may be used to create visual interest and contrast.


Pedestrian and vehicle routesThe pattern of routes and spaces should be legible, permeable and provide feelings of safety and well-being. The pattern should draw people together in a friendly and attractive environment. There must be space for public events, markets, art and performances. Streets should generally radiate out from the centre with a clear priority given to pedestrians in the central area. Roads that form direct routes into the core should be distinct from the minor routes skirting the centre. The form of the development should be dictated by urban design criteria and then ‘plumbed in’ for traffic circulation. Provision for rear and courtyard servicing should be carefully designed; particularly for retail and community uses. The distinction between public and private spaces must be clear and well defined. Pedestrians and cyclists must be able to move freely through all parts of the layout, with readily accessible parking available to different types of users at different times of the day. Pathways should be carefully designed to avoid ‘dead spaces’, unrestricted public access to the rear of properties and other opportunities for criminal activity.

LandscapeTo complement the character of the area, the landscape treatment should have a strongly formal urban quality. For the pedestrian realm, a landscape palette of the highest quality, incorporating a carefully considered blend of landscaping elements (both hard and soft) together with a coordinated approach to street surfaces and furniture, lamps, seats, bins, paving and signs is of profound importance. Street trees should form a major element to enhance public areas and to provide softening effects and focal points.

Boundary treatmentsFront boundaries are enclosed by complementary elements from the chosen urban palette, including railings and walls. Gaps between buildings are kept to a minimum and are generally closed by walling. Where gaps do occur (e.g. for access to a courtyard) the entrance is designed as an integral part of the streetscape and is kept narrow.

West Oxfordsh i re Des ign Guide 6.1West Oxfordsh i re Des ign Guide 6.1

6 Case studies


The Chequers, Cassington

A new build in a sensitive village context (within a Conservation Area), comprising a series of traditional vernacular cottages, a pub, house and village hall in a curved terrace.

1 The terrace has been carefully aligned with the winding village street. Where the terrace curves to the east it frames the view and draws attention to the medieval parish church.

2 The terrace evokes the character of a traditional village street, entirely in keeping with the adjoining 17th- and 18th-century fabric of Cassington. Fine detailing and consistent use of natural local materials contribute to the integration achieved by the scheme.

3 The cottages have attractive gabled projections to the rear, and all parking for the scheme is hidden behind the properties (access via the entranceway next to the pub: View Point 1).

Case study - New Rural 1

View Point 1

View Point 2

View Point 3

1

2

3

Paul Blake Design


Case study - New Rural 2

Ticknell Piece, Charlbury

A New Rural scheme comprising a loose but semi-formal arrangement of detached and semi-detached properties adjoining open countryside on the edge of Charlbury.

1 The new houses enclose a grassed open space - akin to a village green - and look out over a play area to the open countryside beyond. A timber post and rail fence marks the boundary with the open countryside, and a number of gates provide access to the network of footpaths that criss-cross the adjoining landscape.

2 Rather than forming a strong and continuous edge (see New Urban case study 2) here the houses merge softly into, and are contained by, the landscape. The retention of mature existing planting has reduced the scheme’s impact on the wider landscape, and softened the visual transition between the two.

View Point 1

View Point 2

1

Martin Norton Architects


Case study - New Urban (Medium Density) 1

View Point 1

View Point 2 View Point 3

Stocks Mews, Carterton

Part of a New Urban (Medium Density) residential area in the south-western part of the development area. The ‘street and block’ design approach has been used, where small changes in geometry create what appear to be complete frontages, but allow access between groups for gardens and access to parking areas. The side road illustrated has a ‘quiet’ spatial character, and leads onto an area of landscape, just visible from the entrance to the street.

1 A very small change in the road geometry is greatly magnified when seen in perspective. As one passes down the road subtle changes of angle create varied views of the street and reveal more of the landscape beyond.

2 The sloping landform of the site has been exploited here to give additional interest and character to the streetscape. The positioning of the houses in relation to the road – fronting directly onto the pavement, or set slightly back behind metal railings – brings intimacy to this part of the development area.

3 Garages and stretches of wall ensure that the street frontage remains continuous.

1

2

3

David Wilson Homes


Stocks Walk, Carterton

The outer edge of a New Urban (Medium Density) residential area facing outwards towards an area of open landscape, with an earlier part of the town beyond.

1 An informal curved lane marks the boundary between the development area and the green area. The layout of the new houses and their garages follows the line of the road. Again, small changes in road geometry are greatly magnified in perspective.

Carport roofs are used to link groups of houses and help unify the edge of the development. These add to the informality of the scheme edge, by variously punctuating the frontage and softening the interface between the residential and landscape domains.

2 Variety, both in terms of materials and site level, has been exploited to give this part of the scheme considerable visual interest.


View Point 1

1

2

View Point 2

David Wilson Homes



Magnolia Way, Carterton

Part of a Medium Density residential area. Although apparently similar to Medium Density Case Study 2, here the street opens out into an intimate informal space of complex geometry. The surface treatment, making the lane less like a road and more like a driveway, adds to the informality of the scheme.

1 The ‘entrance’ to the street, with an attractive vista terminated by a pair of three storey houses.

The buildings are of different heights with taller elements as ‘eye-catchers’ at key points.

2 Looking back up the street from a pinch point further down, the characterful informal space becomes visible.

3 From the bottom end of the street the main space is well enclosed by housing.

View Point 1


1

2

3Westbury Homes


Harvest Way, Witney

Part of a New Urban (High Density) residential area close to the core of the development. Here a series of three storey blocks fronts directly onto the street. A variety of building materials and architectural details adds interest to the streetscape.

1 A straight and classic street frontage with narrow gaps between the blocks for access to parking kept to a minimum, in order to give the appearance of a continuous terrace. The terrace overlooks the boulevard-like main road, with its deep grass verge and pavements, and beyond that, an area of medium density housing.

2 The blocks link to enclose a large courtyard space for car parking, allowing residents easy access into the housing.

Case study - New Urban (High Density) 1

View Point 2

1

2

View Point 1

Tetlow King Architect


1

2

3

Case study - New Urban (High Density) 2

Oakmead, Witney

Part of a New Urban (High Density) residential area close to the core of the development. Here the ‘street and block’ approach has been used to create a distinctive urban environment, clearly differentiated from the adjoining Medium Density areas.

1 Despite the enclosed nature of the development, and the close proximity of a series of three storey blocks, the area is highly permeable and legible.

2 On the outer edge of the scheme, the blocks overlook a formal, gravelled courtyard with ornamental trees, giving a clearly identifiable edge to this part of the development area.

3 The individual blocks often have a formal, geometrical relationship with one another, with paired three storey, three bay houses forming ‘gateways’ into the neighbouring Medium Density areas.

Oldfield King Design


View Point 1


Case study - Redevelopment (High Density) 1

White Hart Hotel, Chipping Norton

The redevelopment of a highly prominent, listed hotel (including the complex of buildings to the rear of the property) in the heart of Chipping Norton. The buildings comprise a medieval Burgage plot of considerable historical and architectural interest. The scheme, within the Conservation Area, required a detailed understanding of the historical context, and a series of carefully-judged interventions in order to re-assert something of the area’s original character and meaning.

1 Fundamental to the coherence of the scheme was the opening up of the hotel archway. This was blocked up in the 20th century and originally gave access to the stabling and galleried range to the rear.

2 The contrast between the monumental, open hotel frontage, and the narrow intimacy of the plot extending behind the hotel, could not be more pronounced. Surface treatments play a key role here: this was originally an enclosed courtyard space, rather than a through-street.

View Point 2

21

A. Salter, Architect

View Point 1

West Oxfordsh i re Des ign Guide 7.1West Oxfordsh i re Des ign Guide 7.1

7 Buildings - House types


Reed Close; Madley Park

• detached two storey design suitable for New Rural or Medium Density New Urban schemes.

• wide frontage, narrow plan; can be of L-plan for corner sites (see plan).

• simple, symmetrical façade; can be aligned with road or footway in New Urban schemes, or informally sited, within garden setting, in New Rural schemes.

• variety of appearance possible through variation of materials:

Walls: natural stone, artificial stone, render, brick;

Roof: artificial stone slate, blue slate, plain tile

• variation in architectural detailing: canopy design, window details, lintels or arches, door detail, eaves and guttering, verge, ridge, chimney.

• simple detailing based on local tradition: stone quoins, lintels and sills, brick chimneys.

Front elevation

Ground floor

First floor


Water Lane; Madley Park

• two storey design suitable for Medium Density New Urban schemes.

• narrow frontage, deep plan.

• simple façade, aligned with roadway.

• design can be linked to form a short terrace, or ‘handed’ to give symmetrical pairing of two units.


Walls: natural stone, artifi cial stone, render, brick;

Roof: artifi cial stone slate, blue slate, plain tile.

• through position relative to street (fronting directly onto footway, or set back behind metal railings).

• simple detailing: stone quoins, lintels and sills, unpretentious hoods over front doors, brick chimneys.

Front elevation

Ground fl oor

First fl oor


Harvest Way; Madley Park

• three storey design suitable for High Density New Urban schemes.

• narrow frontage, deep plan.

• simple façade, aligned with roadway.

• design can be linked to form longer terraces or blocks, or ‘handed’ to give symmetrical pairing of two units.


Walls: natural stone, artifi cial stone, render, brick;

Roof: artifi cial stone slate, blue slate, plain tile.

• through position relative to street (fronting directly onto footway, or set back behind metal railings).

• in two-and-a-half storey variant, with lower eaves and half dormers, retaining same internal confi guration.

• simple detailing based on local tradition: stone quoins, lintels and sills, unpretentious hoods over front doors, brick chimneys.

Front elevation

Ground fl oor

Second fl oor

First fl oor


Chequers site; Cassington

• two storey design suitable for village setting.

• narrow frontage, deep plan; two-bed cottages organised in curved terrace.

• simple façade, giving continuous ‘edge’ strongly

aligned with roadway through village.

• terrace set slightly back from footway behind low stone wall.

• scheme responds with great sensitivity to its Conservation Area context, relying for its success upon careful and consistent use of materials and detailing, which draw heavily on local vernacular tradition: real stone walls, artifi cial stone slate roofs, brick chimneys, timber doors and windows.

• apparently minor details contribute greatly to the overall success and ‘quality feel’ of the scheme: cast iron guttering and brackets, chamfered timber lintels.

Front elevation

Ground plan

Ground fl oor

West Oxfordsh i re Des ign Guide 8.1West Oxfordsh i re Des ign Guide

8 Building details

8.1


Traditional casement windows

Traditional windows have frames which are flush with the opening casements. Fixed and opening elements should be balanced and symmetrical. The photograph below shows one fixed and one opening casement. Frames should be recessed in the wall openings with a well detailed lintel and cill. The diagram of the single glazed form is based on traditional local types. The form may be copied using sealed double glazing units with a wider glazing bar. Trickle ventilation may be provided by the use of casement fasteners with dual settings (A). Locking versions are also available. Variations may include a fixed central mullion (B), or a rebated meeting stile for escape windows (C).

Traditional casement window: Single glazing


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Traditional casement window: Double glazing

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Traditional dormer windows

Dormer windows are an important feature of the traditional buildings of the District. They form typical examples of local building craft, and give a distinctive appearance and character to roofscapes, as well as being an attractive and practical way of bringing light into attic spaces. There are two principal dormer types: gabled and hipped. These can occupy one of three locations on the roof: i) At the eaves aligned to the external wall face; ii) At the eaves aligned to the internal wall face, or; iii) Packed up off one of the purlins.

Hipped dormer windowSource: Cotswold District Council 1999


Gabled dormer windowSource: Cotswold District Council 1999


Traditional doors

Traditional doors are part of the character of historic buildings, and should be conserved and repaired wherever possible. Historic doors frequently retain traditional door furniture and ironmongery (this too should be carefully conserved).

Door styles changed over time and provide valuable evidence about the age and evolution of a building. If a door is beyond repair or an unsuitable door is to be replaced, it is worth considering having an accurate historic form reproduced to match the date and style of the building.

A framed and boarded door with butt-jointed boards nailed to back of

frame

A planked door with ledges only - no

bracing or framing.

A Queen Anne door with three panels; this one also has

bolection mouldings.

Mid-Georgian with central bead to create

the impression of larger, double-size

door.

Typical mid-Georgian oak door with raised and fielded panels.

A later Georgian door.


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Doors: Fire protection doors in historic buildings


9 Sustainable building design

Although the earth’s climate is in a state of continuous natural change, most scientists agree that the speed and intensity of this change is largely due to human activity, and in particular the heavy use of coal, oil and natural gas. There are two main problems with the use of fossil fuels. Firstly, by-products of the burning of these fuels, such as carbon dioxide, concentrate in the atmosphere and lead to global warming. Secondly, fossil fuels represent a fast diminishing natural resource.

The solution to both of these problems is to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels; both by being more energy efficient, and by finding alternative and renewable sources of energy. Although climate change is a global problem, there is a widespread recognition that action taken at the local level has important consequences for global well-being.

Sustainable building design will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enable adaptation to climate change. It is an important step towards Sustainable Development - now a statutory duty for local authorities, enshrined as ‘the core principle underpinning planning’ (PPS1). Recent revisions to UK Building Regulations Part L (energy efficiency) require a 20% improvement in current energy standards in buildings: this has profound implications for design.

Sustainable building design principles should be considered at the beginning of the design process, as some features - such as Passive Solar Design - cannot be retro-fitted. This chapter sets out sustainable building design considerations for the following elements of the design process; site and layout, buildings and building materials.

A sustainable building is one that:

• minimises the use of scarce resources such as certain building materials, fossil fuels and water;

• is economic to run over its whole life cycle and fits well with the needs of the local community;

• is energy and carbon efficient, designed to minimise energy consumption, with effective insulation, heating and cooling systems and appliances;

• values and sustains or improves existing site character, topography, vegetation, watercourses and built features;

• minimises the need for unsustainable transport and encourages travel by cycle or on foot;

• minimises the production and costs of waste disposal, and which looks to re-use on-site materials such as waste soil;

• minimises flooding and pollution;

• is designed to make recycling and composting easy for its occupants.

Madley Park, Witney


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Traditional buildings in the District were generally located in sheltered rather than exposed locations and were thus easier to heat. They were close to primary resources such as water, with easy access to the work of the occupants.

Development in a sustainable location both benefits from and supports existing local services and infrastructure, and is thus less reliant on fossil fuels than is development remote from local services.

The Local Plan embodies the principles of sustainable development by locating most new development in the largest settlements in the District, where the need for travel to local services and infrastructure is minimised. Within development areas, layout design should be as cycle- and pedestrian-friendly as possible, to further encourage reduced reliance on travel by car.

A sustainable development approach is one which values and sustains or improves the character of the site. Existing features, such as topography, vegetation, watercourses and built structure should be retained wherever possible. Inert materials which arise from the development should, in the first instance, be retained and re-used on the site, not disposed of elsewhere.

Energy saving layout design

The siting and orientation of buildings relative to the existing landscape (together with the treatment of that landscape) can save up to 30% in cooling and heating costs. The amount of direct sun heating up surfaces can be reduced, and reflected light prevented from carrying heat into the building from the ground or other surfaces. It can also reduce wind velocity and slow air leakage from the house.

To maximise solar gain, the majority of housing within a layout would need to face within at least 45 degrees of south, and preferably within 30 degrees. Overshadowing by neighbouring buildings and trees should reduce the loss of useful total solar gain by no more than 5% (through the spacing and location of dwellings rather than the loss of existing trees). Maximising solar gain at the layout design stage also maximises the potential for solar power generation (which may be added to the scheme at a later date). In general it is both easiest and most cost-effective to incorporate sustainable energy strategies - such as Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and Geothermal Energy - at the design layout stage.

During summer months, shade created by trees, together with the effect of grass and shrubs, will reduce air temperatures adjoining the house, and provide evaporative cooling. As people may spend more time outside, natural shade becomes more important. Deciduous trees on the south side of a property can be used to admit the winter sun; evergreen plantings on the north side can slow winter winds. Planted channels can funnel cooling summer breezes into a property.

Careful evaluation of existing vegetation will identify those species that can contribute to an energy conserving landscape. Established plants should be retained wherever possible as they will require less effort to maintain, and will generally be larger and better established than new plantings.

See below for detailed information on Passive Solar Design (PSD).


Sustainable landscapes and open space

Increasing average temperatures will lead to a greater demand for outdoor spaces (both public and private) and existing spaces will be used more intensively with lifestyle changes. Although predicting such changes is difficult, the experience of those living in warmer climates can give us some clues.

As outdoor spaces are used more, there will be a need for more hard wearing natural surfaces. Landscaping that mimics Mediterranean marquis or lowland heath land for example can be hard wearing and appropriate to an urban environment. Alternatives to traditional lawns may be needed for hotter, drier summers. Gravelled or paved areas can be used as an alternative to lawn (as long as a high proportion of permeable surfaces - to avoid aggravating soil erosion and run-off - can be provided). However, it should be remembered that lawns are highly valuable in biodiversity terms.

Changes in temperature and water balance can have significant implications for soil, and require the careful planning of green spaces. For example, increased water storage can reduce flooding and subsidence. Other strategies, such as the increased vegetation required for Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDS) must not be at the expense of soil condition (by for example allowing subsidence).

Adapting to climate change, a landscape checklist:

• Provide deciduous vegetation to give summer shade, taking care that the foundations of nearby buildings are sufficient to prevent movement;

• Introduce soil management strategies to protect against flooding and subsidence;

• Water in water features should be recycled or re-used, for example for watering vegetation rather than putting into drains;

• Solar energy can be used to power pumps to re-circulate water in water features;

• Provide wormeries for compostable waste (although this is only applicable at the domestic scale). Large scale composters could be considered for business/industrial operations;

• Incorporate an appropriate range of public and private outdoor spaces in developments, with appropriate shade, vegetation and water features;

• Ensure the design of surfaces takes account of increased use, permeability and the potential for causing dust and soil erosion;

• Consider gravelled or paved areas rather than lawns (so long as a high proportion of permeable surface can be provided);

• Ensure the selection of vegetation takes account of future climate change;

• Provide rainwater collection/ grey-water recycling for gardens and landscaped areas.


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Many local plant and animal communities enjoy statutory protection and those found on or adjacent to the site must be conserved at all stages of construction. Planning Conditions, Statute, and Construction Codes and Standards must be adhered to at all times, and damage to trees and contamination or pollution from oil or chemicals must not take place. There is a need not only to conserve biodiversity, but to seek net gains in biodiversity as a result of new development (see chapter 3).

Surface water and Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDS)

SUDS (sustainable drainage systems) mimic natural drainage patterns and can ease surface water run-off (so encouraging the recharge of groundwater) and can help to avoid soil erosion. SUDS represent a drainage strategy that should be considered on all sites. SUDS include rainwater harvesting, green roofs and water butts; filter strips and swales (vegetated landscape features with smooth surfaces and a gentle downhill gradient to drain water evenly off impermeable surfaces).

SUDS can also provide significant amenity and wildlife enhancements, as well as pollutant trapping and degradation processes (this secondary use must not compromise the system’s primary role as a drainage system). Soakaways and permeable and porous pavements avoid aggravating run-off and allow water to drain directly into the ground (though the primary purpose is the conveyance of water away from buildings). In practice, all pavements, driveways, footpaths, car parking areas and access roads could have permeable surfaces.

The Environment Agency SUDS webpage, which details the design implications of SUDS for a site layout, can be found at: www.environment-agency.gov.uk


Waste and recycling

The Council operates a waste collection service that includes the provision of bins for general waste, and containers both for glass and for paper/ card/ plastic and tin. Collection is from the kerbside, but also from communal bin stores or other specified collection points. Waste and recycling provision has profound implications for site layout, and must be considered at an early stage in the design process.

Wormeries for compostable waste can be provided (although this is only applicable at the domestic scale). Large scale composters could be considered for business/ industrial operations. Rainwater collection/ grey water recycling systems can be used for watering gardens and landscaped areas. Detailed guidance on waste and recycling provision, bins and bin stores, can be found in Appendix 17.

Combined Heat and Power (CHP)With CHP one of the by-products of power generation - namely heat - is recycled for a variety of purposes, including community heating and space heating. Because it uses what is typically waste heat in order to heat buildings it can increase fuel efficiency to 70-90% (compared to the 30-50% with conventional generation). CHP is especially suited to larger community heating schemes. Further information: www.chpa.co.uk

Sustainable energy

In the UK five sustainable technologies in particular offer viable alternative means of energy production: Solar (see p 9.7), Wind, Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP), Biomass and Combined Heat and Power (CHP see Waste & Recycling). The scale and density of a development can have a huge impact on the viability of sustainable energy schemes. (For example, CHP schemes are far more viable at higher densities, while biomass systems can be better suited to rural locations). Renewable energy measures should not be taken at the expense of landscape character or the quality of the built environment.

Wind energyThe UK has 40% of Europe’s total wind energy, but this is largely untapped and only 0.5% of our electricity requirements are currently generated by wind power. Wind-flow must first be assessed to gauge viability. For planning permission, visual impact (across West Oxfordshire generally, but in the Cotswolds AONB specifically) will form a key environmental consideration. Further information: www.bwea.com and http://www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk/micro/wind/

Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP)Heat pumps transfer heat from the ground into a building (via buried pipework) to provide space heating and, in some cases, to pre-heat domestic hot water. For every unit of electricity used to pump the heat, 3-4 units of heat are produced. Air source and water source heat pumps are also available. Further information: http://www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk/micro/ground/

Biomass energyBiomass is organic matter of recent origin. The CO2 released when energy is generated from it is balanced by that absorbed during the fuel’s production. The process is thus carbon-neutral. Biomass is also called ‘bio energy’ or ‘bio fuels’. Bio fuels are produced either directly from plants or indirectly from industrial, commercial, domestic or agricultural products. Further information: http://www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk/micro/biomass/ and www.tvbioenergy.co.uk


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Building form, room arrangements and the location of doors and windows in relation to the path of the sun and prevailing winds can have a significant impact on the resources needed for heat and light. For example, a building with its living rooms on the warmer south, south-east or south-west sides could exploit opportunities for large window areas on these walls to maximise natural lighting. By contrast, room functions on the cold and shady north side could take advantage of these conditions for cool storage, services, or to draw in cool air. Window sizes can be smaller on the cold side to reduce heat loss.

The layout of new development should balance the benefits of minimising heat loss in winter with the risk of excessive solar gain during the summer. The site layout should take advantage of landform and landscape for shelter to minimise heat losses in winter and provide adequate shade in summer. For example, deciduous trees help minimise heat loss but also provide shading in summer but lower sun angles permit solar gains in winter.

Thermal capacity and insulation

Thermal Mass refers to materials, such as masonry and water, which can store heat energy and be used to prevent rapid temperature fluctuations.Traditional local stone buildings have thick walls of substantial mass and high thermal capacity: they heat up and cool down slowly, insulating the residents from rapid thermal variations.Modern buildings, by contrast, have thin walls and low thermal capacity. To address this, Buildings Regulations require high levels of thermal insulation.

The structure should have the optimum Thermal Mass for a comfortable internal environment with the least use of energy. For high occupancy uses (e.g. houses and hospitals) this usually means high thermal mass. Many types of insulation are made using processes which produce toxic waste and gasses, or are manufactured in other parts of the world, leading to heavy energy use in transportation. It is worth considering local natural insulation, such as wool batts, which are produced from the by-products of textile production.

Passive Solar Design

Passive Solar Design (PSD) makes use of the sun’s energy for heating and cooling living spaces. Further information on PSD can be found at: http://www.greenbuilder.com/sourcebook/PassiveSol.html.

In the case of Passive Solar Heating, the goal is to capture the sun’s heat within the building’s elements and release that heat during periods when the sun is not shining. The principal features of Passive Solar Heating are south facing windows and Thermal Mass.

The building envelope should be designed to benefit from passive heat in winter, but reduce heat gain in the summer. Summer heat gains can be reduced by lighter or more thermally reflective surfaces, especially roofs. Passive Solar Cooling makes use of natural ventilation, and typically employs such elements as openable ventilation windows, wing walls and thermal chimneys.

Openable windows can aid natural ventilation when located in the path of prevailing summer breezes. Wing walls are vertical exterior wall partitions placed perpendicular to adjoining windows, which enhance ventilation through windows. Thermal chimneys create or reinforce the effect of hot air rising, in order to draw air out of buildings and induce air movement for cooling purposes.


Re-use or conversion of existing buildings

The re-use or conversion of existing buildings takes advantage of the high levels of embodied energy in their fabric. This would be lost in demolition and redevelopment; processes which themselves would use even more energy.

It was thought until recently that the embodied energy content of a building was small compared to the energy used in operating the building over its life. Most effort was therefore put into reducing operating energy by improving the energy efficiency of the building envelope. Research has shown, however, that this is not always the case. Embodied energy can be the equivalent of many years of operational energy. Consequently, buildings should be designed for long life and adaptability, using durable, low maintenance and easily separable materials. Avoiding an overly large house will also save materials.

Detailed information on the re-use or conversion of existing agricultural buildings can be found in Appendix 8.

Solar panels

Despite the UK’s cool climate, solar energy still represents a highly viable means of sustainable energy production. The sun’s energy can be harnessed in two main ways: by using photovoltaic (PV) panels, which utilise light to produce electricity; or by using solar powered heating panels, which directly heat water. Solar technology is well-established, with a wide range of products on the market. Panels can be linked in almost inexhaustible configurations, and for optimum performance should be located on south-facing, unshaded roof aspects.

Further information: www.est.org.uk/solar/index_solar.html

Convection ventilation

Natural processes can be exploited to provide free ventilation. Since hot air rises, cool fresh air may be drawn into a building at low level on the shady side. When heated by solar gain from south facing windows air will be drawn upwards and vented naturally at high level, helping to draw in more fresh air at low level. Atria, conservatories and porches can be used to enable natural ventilation and the conservation of heat.

Higher temperatures may lead to pressure for mechanical ventilation and cooling to be added to buildings in the future, even if not installed initially. Developers should consider using alternative methods to traditional air conditioning so that comfortable temperatures can be maintained while minimising additional greenhouse gas emissions. Larger floor-to-ceiling heights will generally help in allowing later addition of any cooling mechanisms. Higher ceilings trap hot air above the heads of people using the room, making the room feel cooler.


Timber

The UK is currently the largest importer of illegal tropical timber in Europe, with approximately 60% of all UK tropical timber imports coming from illicit logging operations in some of the world’s most important rainforests.

Due to an increase in the design of ‘green’ buildings, and the promotion of timber as a renewable resource, the use of timber within the construction industry is likely to grow. As a result of this increase in demand there is also an increased likelihood of illegal logging, poor forest management and deforestation.

Timber used in construction should be drawn from sustainable sources. The CIOB (Chartered Institute of Building) ‘Procuring Legal and Sustainable Timber’ guide explains the procedures that need to be adopted by construction organisations to achieve these environmental objectives: www.constructionbooksdirect.com.

Manufactured materials and pollution

Many modern building materials and products are manufactured using very high energy inputs and processes which produce toxic waste and gasses.

PVC is excluded from the EU’s and WWF-UK’s purchasing policies because it contains phthalates and releases highly toxic chemicals when incinerated. PVC is not a sustainable material and will degrade with exposure to ultraviolet light.

As a general rule, the sustainable designer should avoid materials which emit formaldehyde, organic solvents, VOCs and chloroflourocarbons, which contribute to the recent ‘sick’ buildings phenomenon.

Most finishes and adhesives contain VOCs which ‘outgas’ and adversely affect indoor air quality. Lower VOC and non-VOC products are available.

Low biocide paints avoid the fungicides and mildewcides typically added to latex paints to extend their shelf life. These additives are potentially harmful to indoor air quality. Natural plant/mineral-based finishes and adhesives are available from several companies (such products can cost more and can spoil if not used quickly). Some very energy-intensive finishes, such as paints, often have high wastage levels.

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The use of locally-produced sustainable materials reduces energy use in transport, and promotes local enterprise and employment. By contrast, many cheap products are manufactured in other parts of the world, and because of large energy inputs in transport, cannot be seen as sustainable (information on local procurement can be found at:. www.futurefoundations.co.uk/charter/08_neighbourhoods.php).

Embodied energy is a method of factoring in all the hidden energy costs of producing a material. This gives a truer cost of the building material. Some general estimates of embodied energy for various materials (the higher the number the higher the environmental ‘cost’):

Material Embodied EnergyTimber 1Brick 2Glass 3Steel 8Plastic 30Aluminium 80


Re-use of materials

Efforts should always be made, where possible, to re-use and refurbish rather than demolish or replace. The re-use or recycling of manufactured building materials, such as brick, timber or slate, is highly sustainable because it reduces the strain on natural resources and eliminates the need for new energy investment.

Materials that are local, and that have a high recycled content and low embodied energy should be favoured, and preference given to materials manufactured using renewable energy sources. Standard sizes should be specified; the use of energy-intensive materials as fillers should be avoided; off-cuts, construction waste and materials arising from demolition should be re-used or recycled.

Redundant structure should be avoided, and efficient building envelope design and fittings used in order to minimise materials use. Materials that can be re-used or recycled easily at the end of their lives using existing recycling systems should be favoured.

Wind and rain

Climate change is likely to result in stronger winds and heavier rain, so roof and local drainage systems must be designed to cope with the increase. Loose items, such as roof tiles, may need to withstand higher winds, while rain may be driven harder against walls and roofs. The design of openings and the choice of materials must allow for this.

The risk of flash-flooding will also increase, while at the same time Building Regulations now require level thresholds for disabled access. Both of these factors increase the risk of ingress of water at ground level.

The size of guttering and down pipes could be increased. The use of secret and parapet gutters and internal down-pipes should be reduced. Water could be thrown clear of buildings using spouts and gargoyles, and storm drains on the ground. In areas of low flood risk, the size of upstands could be increased.

Water services

The supply of water is likely to become more restricted because of climate change, while the demand is likely to increase. Initiatives such as ‘Water Cycle Management for New Development’ (www.wand.uk.net) should be considered as part of project design, implementation and management.

The use of water from the mains should be minimised. New homes should be built to the highest practicable BREEAM Ecohomes standards with regard to reducing internal water use. Further information can be found at: www.breeam.org/

Strategies to minimise water use include water efficient toilets (and waterless urinals), taps, showers, dishwashers and washing machines, as well as the installation of water re-use systems. Water saving can also be promoted by installing water meters.

Rainwater should be harvested for irrigation, garden watering (in butts), car washing or toilet flushing. Such systems reduce household water demand, ease pressure on the mains water supply, and can reduce the risk of flooding by storing rainwater and buffering run-off.

Targets for water consumption:Housing - 30 cubic metres per person per year;

Offices - 1.05 cubic metres per person per year.


Help with energy efficiency

West Oxfordshire District Council is committed to encouraging and supporting reductions in both energy use and the emission of greenhouse gases. Through Thames Valley Energy Centre, West Oxfordshire residents can access free, independent and expert advice on saving energy in the home or small business. TVEC can be contacted on 0800 512012 for advice on currently available energy efficiency discount schemes and grants. Further information can be found on the Council’s website: www.westoxon.gov.uk. Other resources providing information on a range of sustainability issues:

Thames Valley Energy Centre:www.tvec.org.ukWide range of sustainable energy advice and services.

The Energy Saving Trust:www.est.org.ukHelpline: 0845 7277200Practical and money-saving advice, much of it in easily downloadable documents.

Environment Agency:www.environment-agency.gov.ukUp-to-date information on the latest government guidelines.

Carbon Trust:www.thecarbontrust.co.ukResearch and development into energy efficient buildings.

DTI (Department of Trade and Industry): www.dti.gov.uklenergylwhitepaperlindex.shtmlEnergy white paper.

Defra (Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs):www.defra.gov.uk/environment/energy/index.htmDefra environmental protection pages.

Low Carbon Network:www.lowcarbon.co.ukProgressive, detailed advice and information on sustainable building.

Waste and Resources Action Programme:www.wrap.org.ukNational scheme developing markets in recycled products.

Centre for Alternative Technology:www.cat.org.ukWide-ranging information resource for alternative technologies.

Association for Energy Conscious Building:www.aecb.netFounded to increase awareness within the construction industry of the need to respect, protect, preserve and enhance the environment.

Construction Resources:www.constructionresources.comInformation on construction materials and procurement.

Natural Building Technologies:www.natural-building.co.ukFounded to bring ecological building materials and systems into the mainstream construction industry in the UK.

Architect’s Journal:www.ajplus.co.uk/sustainabilityComprehensive list of practices involved in sustainable building.

DTI Low Carbon Buildings Programme:www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk Direct link to the Government’s grant programme for renewable and low carbon technologies.

Green Street:www.greenstreet.org.uk Provides a wealth of information for sustainable solutions in housing.

West Oxfordsh i re Des ign Guide

Appendix 11 - Thatchers


Appendices


Appendix 1 - Policy

Policy BE2 General Development Standards

The Local Plan Policies for which the West Oxfordshire Design Guide provides detailed supplementary advice are BE2 and BE3. However, other Local Plan Policies are also referred to in the Guide. Copies of the West Oxfordshire Local Plan 2011 (adopted June 2006) can be viewed at: www.westoxon.gov.uk

New development should respect and, where possible, improve the character and quality of its surroundings and provide a safe, pleasant, convenient and interesting environment. Proposals for new buildings and land uses should clearly demonstrate how they will relate satisfactorily to the site and its surroundings, incorporating a landscape scheme and incidental open space as appropriate.

A landscape scheme accompanying detailed proposals for development should show, as appropriate, hard and soft landscaping, existing and proposed underground services, a phasing programme for implementation and subsequent maintenance arrangements.

Proposals will only be permitted if all the following criteria are met:

Quality of development and impact upon the area:a) the proposal is well-designed and respects the

existing scale, pattern and character of the surrounding area;

b) new buildings or extensions to existing buildings are designed to respect or enhance the form, siting, scale, massing and external materials and colours of adjoining buildings, with local building traditions reflected as appropriate;

c) the proposal creates or retains a satisfactory environment for people living in or visiting the area, including people with disabilities;

d) existing features of importance in the local environment are protected and/or enhanced

e) the landscape surrounding and providing a setting for existing towns and villages is not adversely affected;

f) in the open countryside, any appropriate development will be easily assimilated into the landscape and wherever possible, be sited close to an existing group of buildings.

Crime:g) good design has been used to help reduce the

opportunities for crime.

Energy and Resources:h) Regard has been given to:

i) principles of energy resource and conservation;ii) provision for sorting and storage facilities to

facilitate recycling of waste.

Policy BE3 Provision for Movement and Parking

Development should make provision for the safe movement of people and vehicles, whilst minimising impact upon the environment. Within built-up areas priority should be given to pedestrians, cyclists and public transport.

Proposals will only be permitted if all the following criteria are met:

a) safe and convenient circulation of pedestrians and cyclists, both within the development and externally to nearby facilities, with provision to meet the needs of people with impaired mobility as appropriate;

b) safe movement of all vehicular traffic both within the site and on the surrounding highway network;

c) provision for the increased use of public transport as appropriate to the scale of development;

d) provision for the parking of vehicles, including bicycles and motorcycles, in accordance with the standards set out in Appendix 2 of the West Oxfordshire Local Plan 2011.

Development which would have a significant impact on the highway network will not be permitted without the prior submission of a Transport Assessment.

A1-1

West Oxfordsh i re Des ign Guide A2-1

Appendix 2 - Listed Buildings

Listed Building Consent

Listed Building Consent is required for any work that will affect the character or appearance of a Listed Building or structure, either externally of internally, regardless of that building’s grade. Demolition, extensions, and internal or external alterations all require Listed Building Consent. The administration of Listed Building Consent is the responsibility of the District Council, and applications for Listed Building Consent should be made on forms available from the Planning Service.

Unauthorised external or internal work carried out to a Listed Building is a criminal offence that may lead to prosecution or enforcement action, and ultimately an unlimited fine or up to twelve months imprisonment (or both). There is no time limit for this action, and liability for illegal works may pass to the new owners of a Listed Building.

Anyone wishing to redevelop a site on which a Listed Building stands will need both Listed Building Consent for the demolition and planning permission for the new building. Planning permission alone is not sufficient to authorise demolition. Similarly, anyone wishing to alter a Listed Building in a way that would affect its character, and whose proposed alteration amounts to development for which specific planning permission is required (as distinct from a general permission given by the General Development Order), will also need to apply for Listed Building Consent.

Applications for Listed Building Consent should be accompanied by survey drawings recording the existing form of the building. The survey drawings should adhere to Architectural Drawing Conventions set out in ‘Recording Historic Buildings’ RCHME 1991 ISBN 1 873592 04 3. Proposed alterations to Listed Buildings for which consent is sought should be clearly shown on proposals drawings which make a clear graphic distinction between existing retained building fabric, demolitions and new work. Applicants for Listed Building Consent must be able to justify their proposals. They will need to show why works which would affect the character of the listed building are desirable or necessary (PPG15). Full information to allow the assessment of the likely impact on the listed building and its setting must be provided.

Proposals for new listings can be made to:

English HeritageEastgate Court195-205 High StreetGuildford GU1 3EH

Tel: 01483 252000Email: General enquiries: [email protected] For listing enquiries: [email protected] Visit: www.english-heritage.org.uk

Listed Buildings

The listing of buildings of special architectural or historic interest is the responsibility of English Heritage.

Listing gives statutory protection to buildings deemed to be of special value because their age, rarity, architectural merit or method of construction. It protects these buildings from unauthorised alteration or demolition.

There are roughly 500,000 listed buildings in England. The older a building is the more likely it is to be listed. All substantially complete buildings built before 1700 are listed, as are most of those built between 1700 and 1840. After 1840 the criteria become tighter with time, so that post-1945 buildings need to be of exceptional importance to merit inclusion.

Listed Buildings comprise a small but immensely important part of the building stock of West Oxfordshire. They serve as examples of local building types from the 12th century to the present. Included are buildings of the evolved vernacular tradition, together with those influenced by national or international styles, including Gothic, Jacobean, Classical, Georgian, Victorian and 20th-century design.

Listed Buildings provide examples of technology and innovation in construction. A unifing theme in West Oxfordshire is the use of local materials; including most notably limestone and ironstone, longstraw thatch and stonesfield slates, lime mortars, renders and limewashes. Despite historic imports of brick, tile and slate, local materials predominate.

West Oxfordsh i re Des ign GuideA2-2

There are approximately 3,200 Listed Buildings in West Oxfordshire. A copy of the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest is available for inspection at Planning Reception. Listed Buildings fall into one of three categories:

Grade I (2% of Listed Buildings nationally)

These buildings are of exceptional national importance. There are 43 in West Oxfordshire, including Blenheim Palace (which also forms part of a World Heritage Site), Cornbury Park, Chastleton (pictured right), Kelmscott Manor and many of the district’s ancient parish churches.

Grade II* (4% of Listed Buildings nationally)

Buildings of outstanding interest. There are 211 in West Oxfordshire, including many of the best examples of the local variety of Cotswold architecture; for example, Strong’s House in Taynton, and Wychwood Lodge in Ramsden. The agricultural and industrial heritage of the District is also well represented by Church Enstone Tithe Barn, the Blanket Hall in Witney and Bliss Tweed Mill in Chipping Norton.

Grade II (94% of Listed Buildings nationally)

Buildings of special interest. There are 2934 in West Oxfordshire. These form key elements of the historic character of the settlements and landscape of West Oxfordshire, and range from grand houses to simple cottages, farm buildings to factories, telephone boxes to milestones.


Scheduled Ancient Monuments are nationally important archaeological sites protected by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is responsible for the Act, and is advised by English Heritage. Scheduled sites include standing structures such as crosses, barns, bridges and dovecotes.

In West Oxfordshire there are 142 Scheduled Ancient Monuments, including well known sites, such as the Rollright Stones and Minster Lovell Hall, as well as comparatively recent monuments, such as a 19th-century pottery factory near Leafield.

Scheduled Monument Consent (SMC)

Scheduled Monument Consent is required before works can be carried out which might involve any of the following: demolishing, destroying, damaging, removing, repairing, altering, adding to, flooding, or covering over the monument. If the land is being used for agriculture, consent is also required for the following: ploughing at a greater depth, sub soiling, drainage, planting and uprooting of trees, or other works below previous plough depth. Scheduled Monument Consent is also required for any archaeological excavation.

Applying for Scheduled Monument Consent

The application form can be downloaded from the website of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, or requested by phone or post:

Visit: www.culture.gov.uk/historic_environment/ Scheduled_Ancient_Monuments.htm

Department for Culture, Media and SportHistoric Environment Designation Branch2-4 Cockspur StreetLondon SW1Y 5DH

Tel: 0207 211 2362 (Mrs. U. Patel) 0207 211 2352 (Miss. A. Middleton) 0207 211 2355 (for guidance notes)

Appendix 3 - Scheduled Ancient Monuments

Before submitting an application involving major works, you are advised to discuss your proposals with English Heritage and the County Archaeologist. Commercial applicants should seek professional archaeological advice:

County Archaeologist Oxfordshire County Archaeological Services Central LibraryWestgateOxford OX1 1DJ

Tel: 01865 810115 or 01865 810825Email: [email protected] English HeritageSouth East RegionEastgate Court195-205 High StreetGuildford GU1 3EH

Tel: 01483 252000Email: [email protected]

Two copies of the following should be submitted; The completed application forms, a certificate of ownership, a site plan identifying the monument, plans showing the extent and nature of the proposed work, and a written description of the proposed work, including materials, work method and depth of the work.

In most cases an Inspector of Ancient Monuments will visit the site. Where the proposal involves the demolition or significant alteration of the monument, the appropriate bodies will be notified. In some cases the Secretary of State may deem it necessary to advertise the application, and may call a public enquiry.

A list of the Scheduled Ancient Monuments is contained in the West Oxfordshire Local Plan 2011 and can be viewed at: www.westoxon.gov.uk


How Scheduled Monument Consent affects other types of permission

Applicants for Scheduled Monument Consent must investigate if planning permission is also required. However, if a structure is both Scheduled and Listed, Scheduled Monument Consent takes precedence, and Listed Building Consent is not required.

Scheduled Monument Consent is not required:

1. If the site of a Scheduled Monument is farmed and the work involved has remained unchanged for the last five years;

2. For works URGENTLY necessary in the interests of health or safety, subject to notice to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport;

3. In cases of special urgency requiring immediate action. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport MUST be informed as soon as the works have been carried out.

Breaches of Ancient Monuments legislation: the penalties

It is an offence to begin work of any description before Scheduled Monument Consent has been formally granted. The penalty for carrying out prohibited work is punishable by fines of up to £5,000. It is now an offence for anyone to use a metal detector on a monument without premission. A further, more serious offence is to remove, without permission, an object found by a metal detector on a Scheduled Monument.


Conservation Areas are places of special architectural or historic interest, which have a particular character or appearance worthy of preservation or enhancement. Groups of buildings (both listed and unlisted), walls, trees and hedges, open spaces, views, and the historic settlement patterns all combine to create an individual sense of place. It is this character, rather than the individual buildings, that Conservation Area status seeks to protect. The first Conservation Areas in the District were identified in the late 1960s. Since then, there has been a rolling programme of designations. There are currently 49 Conservation Areas in West Oxfordshire. Conservation Areas are designated under the provisions of Section 69 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.

Effects of Conservation Area designation

The designation of a Conservation Area does not imply that no further development or change will take place. However, where new building is to be allowed, it ensures that it is fully in sympathy with the character of the area; either by making a positive contribution to the area’s character or appearance, or by leaving the character or appearance of the area unharmed. In Conservation Areas, the preservation and enhancement of the area is a consideration in all planning decisions.

Planning applications made for development should show how the proposals will preserve and enhance the character of the area, and should demonstrate that the proposals are sympathetic to their surroundings. Special attention should be given to design, scale and use of materials, so that the existing character of the area is not damaged.

The historic settlements of West Oxfordshire owe much of their charm to the consistent use of local materials (most notably oolitic limestone) and the unfolding pattern of historic building styles. Buildings appear to have grown together organically, creating a visual context into which new development must be sensitively inserted if it is not to damage the appearance of the existing settlements.

Appendix 4 - Conservation Areas

Today, a wide range of architectural forms and synthetic materials are available. These, when juxtaposed with traditional forms and natural materials, are often inappropriate. Unless special care is taken in both the design and the choice of materials for new buildings the character of our historic settlements will be progressively eroded and ultimately lost to future generations.

Listing and Conservation Areas

Listed Building Consent is required for any alteration that affects the character or appearance of a Listed Building. Demolition, extensions or internal or external alterations, all require consent regardless of the grade of the building (i.e. grade I, grade II* or grade II). It should also be remembered that within Conservation Areas many other buildings and structures, though not listed in their own right, can nevertheless combine to form an environment of charm and historic character.


Development Control advice

The demolition of most unlisted buildings in a Conservation Area is controlled, and ‘Conservation Area Consent’ is usually required for work of this kind. Some ‘permitted development’ rights are restricted within Conservation Areas. These rights allow certain types of development to take place without planning permission (for details, please contact West Oxfordshire District Council).

The West Oxfordshire Local Plan contains policies for development in Conservation Areas. Within Conservation Areas the existing buildings, land uses, historic settlement patterns and open spaces should remain largely undisturbed. Where development is acceptable, the following advice is offered in relation to Policies BE5, BE5A & BE6.

Extensions to existing houses and the conversion of appropriate structurally sound buildings, which are worthy of retention or make a positive contribution to the local scene, will also be allowed in some circumstances.

New buildings and extensions should be well designed in themselves, and in sympathy with the character of the area. They should respect the form, siting and scale of the surrounding buildings. New development should incorporate, where appropriate, existing features of importance, such as trees, hedgerows, ponds, stone walls, paths and tracks.

Views into and out of the Conservation Area, as well as views within the settlement itself, should be carefully assessed. New development should be designed to ensure that these are not harmed.

The conversion of redundant historic buildings should respect the original character of the building and its setting. Historic or architectural features of merit should be protected or retained. Large extensions, or an accumulation of extensions, can easily obscure the simple form of traditional buildings and should be avoided. Some buildings with a particular visual or historic character may be harmed by new development, however well designed. In these cases development may not be allowed.

Trees

Owners of trees in the Conservation Area must give six weeks notice to the District Council before lopping, topping or felling. This applies to trees with trunks more than 75mm in diameter, but not to fruit trees or saplings.

Trees and hedgerows which make a contribution to a Conservation Area should not normally be removed unless dead or dangerous. Where removal is necessary, suitable replacements should be planted, as discussed with the Planning Department.

Conservation Area Character Appraisals

Conservation Area Character Appraisals are concise, illustrated documents designed to describe the main features of a given Conservation Area which contribute to its special interest and quality. The documents are intended to provide information for local residents, planners and developers, and to provide an internal resource for the District Council.

Each document has sections describing the location and setting of the Conservation Area; the historical development, settlement pattern, architectural character, boundary treatments, landscape and views; and includes a catalogue of the listed buildings together with a map of the area.

The final document is intended to complement the approved policies in the West Oxfordshire Local Plan. It is also intended to help with planning applications. There is a rolling programme of Character Appraisals.

Completed Conservation Area Character Appraisals can be seen on the Councils website at: http://www.westoxon.gov.uk/planning/conservarea.cfm


Conservation Area Designation

Alvescot 1988

Asthall 1993

Aston 1999

Bampton 1976

Bartons 1993

Bladon 1990

Burford 1970

Cassington 1992

Charlbury 1974

Chastleton 1995

Chipping Norton 1970

Church Hanborough 1990

Churchill 1999

Combe 1989

Cornwell 1994

Ducklington 1988

Eynsham 1975

Fawler 1991

Filkins 1986

Finstock 1991

Great Rollright 1990

Great Tew 1978

Hailey 1992

Hardwick 1989

Idbury 1991

Conservation Area Designation

Kelmscott 1995

Kencot 1994

Kingham 1986

Langford 1993

Leafield 1990

Long Hanborough (Millwood End) 2004

Minster Lovell 1990

Northmoor 1992

Over Norton 1992

Radcot 1995

Ramsden 1991

Sandford St. Martin 1991

Shilton 1985

Shipton-Under-Wychwood 1989

Spelsbury, Taston & Dean 1991

Stanton Harcourt & Sutton 1989

Stonesfield 1988

Swerford 1988

Swinbrook 1990

Tackley 1994

Taynton 1970

Witney & Cogges 1970

Woodstock 1975

Wootton 1976

Conservation Areas in West Oxfordshire

A list of the Conservation Areas in West Oxfordshire, ranging in size from the small settlements of Asthall and Radcot, up to the sizeable towns of Burford and Witney. Since the late 1960s a rolling programme of designations has so far seen 49 villages and towns in the District afforded Conservation Area status.


The following advice should to be used as a guide to the type of design approach likely to receive favourable consideration when submitting applications for planning permission. Although orientated towards older, traditional house types, the advice applies equally to all types of domestic property, irrespective of age or size.

Most houses need altering or enlarging from time to time to meet the evolving needs of successive owners.However, many existing buildings in the District have a scale and character worthy of retention.

The following pages are intended to acquaint applicants with design standards which the District Council will seek to attain in respect of alterations and additions to any type of dwelling.

The District Council recognises that most houses have the potential to provide the increase in space, standards and amenities required by modern living. What matters is the way in which this is done.

Apart from general planning and highway considerations, it is expected that in all cases the basic size of the existing property will be respected and that alterations and extensions will take into account the scale and character of the original house.

Buildings which are allowed to fill their private garden area can provide sub-standard living conditions, and such extensions are unlikely to be permitted. Similarly, extensions which lead to a loss of daylight to neighbouring dwellings should be avoided. This point will always be taken into consideration when dealing with such applications.

Appendix 5 - Alterations and extensions


Applications for Planning Permission

It is helpful if, in all cases relating to the alteration of an existing property, the drawings submitted to the Planning Department are in accordance with the Guidance Notes. The drawings should incorporate the following information:

• Plans and elevations of the existing property. Where the proposal relates to a semi-detached or terraced dwelling the submitted plans should include elevations of the neighbouring properties;

• Plans and all elevations of the property as proposed, together with sections where appropriate;

• Full details of materials, both existing and proposed;

• Location plan to 1:2500 or 1:1250 scale, taken from Ordnance Survey Sheet;

• The appropriate statutory fee.

It is strongly advised that in all cases expert advice should be obtained before submitting an application.

More detailed written guidance is available from the Planning Department.

Gaps and spaces

Gaps between buildings and spaces around buildings are important: some should be retained, and others filled in.

The effect of a building group can be severely damaged by poor extensions, or by extensions which are too large or are not in harmony with the adjoining properties.

Garages

These can be obtrusive in a rural setting, and if added to small cottages can destroy their scale and alter their character.

It is better to disguise garages if possible, by turning them 90° and siting them away from the property, or by building car ports instead to lighten the effect.


Plan form and roof

Taking an existing plan form. . .

Span

The SPAN is an important dimension.

If the house is extended under a pitched roof ofsimilar span and pitch to the original, it is usually a visually successful addition.

Not like these...

Consider where appropriate either carrying the roof down to enclose the extension:

Or building a linked extension:

Character

The character of any house depends on a number of elements such as:• Size and shape of the plan;• Roof pitch;• Window openings;• Materials;• Surroundings and background.

assymetrical and irregular;small square windows;rough rubble stone work.

symmetrical and composed;elegant vertical windows;smooth faced stone work.

Older properties oftenhave interesting backswhich add to andcompliment the character.Retain these if you can.

These are poor extensions, the ‘completeness’ of the property has been lost, the elements of the original building have not been recognised in the extensions.


Windows

Older cottages usually have small windows with large amounts of wall round them. Too great an increase in the size of the openings can destroy the character. . .

Especially if the new windows don’t match each other,the door openings are blocked up and the chimney stacks are removed.

In other words, if the windows are like this:

Either match them exactly when adding on or, to increase the light in the rooms, add new windows.

Of the same size or in scale,

But not wider and deeper and with heavy lintels.

To really make them look right, set windows in stone walls a minimum of 100mm behind the outer face of the wall.

Dormers

Dormer windows should always be small and related to the scale of the building and pitch of the roof:

Rather than be of significantly different proportions or pitch:

Porches

Porches, too, should relate to the scale and proportion of the original building; roof coverings should match those of the main roof if possible.

existing this not this


Materials

The materials used to build an extension are important. Try to match the colour, tone, size and texture of the original material, whether it is stone, brick or rendering.

When matching roofing materials, always match the details of the original roof construction as well.

Existing building:Simple verges – no barge boards;Simple eaves – no overhang;Extension to match.

Conversion of agricultural buildings

Where planning permission has been given for the conversion of an agricultural building, detailed proposals which seem to extensively alter the basic character, or which amount to a re-building, will not be acceptable (see also Appendix 8).

The character of a barn is derived from its original use as a working agricultural building.

Try to retain the original form and alter it as little as possible externally. . .

Rather than cluttering the building with additions and elaborate alterations.

RoofAvoid raising the roof, altering the pitch or installing windows in the roof. Dormers will almost always be inappropriate.

WallsRetain existing openings, particularly any arches or lintels. Avoid creating new windows or doors. Where openings need to be blocked up, use a contrasting material or inset from the wall by 25mm. In the case of large barn doors, dark glass or boarding may be appropriate. Minimise external pipework. Avoid modern materials (e.g. plastic front doors) or overly ornate details.

Large extensions will not normally be acceptable. Try to use the form of any other buildings in the group. This is especially important for the provision of garaging.


Permitted development

This is development strictly limited in extent, which does not require planning permission (although consent may be required under Building Regulations).

This is complicated matter. In cases of doubt please consult the Planning Department for advice, including for confirmation of whether or not planning permission is required for the development proposed.

Two settlements in West Oxfordshire - Great Tew and Taynton - are subject to the extra protection afforded by an Article 4 Direction, which entails the open-ended removal of specified permitted development rights. Article 4 Directions also cover a range of lesser sites and parcels of land in the District.

Listed buildings

Alterations to buildings listed as of Architectural or Historic Interest will probably require Listed Building Consent even if they fall within the terms of ‘Permitted Development’ for normal planning control.

Design and Access Statements

Design and Access Statements must accompany all applications for Listed Building Consent and all planning applications in: Conservation Areas, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, The Cotswolds AONB and The Blenheim World Heritage Site.

Statements should not just describe the completed scheme, but show the ways in which the design has evolved. The Statement must demonstrate how people of all ages and mobility will be able to use the buildings and places that are proposed. The Statement must show how the buildings and spaces will be arranged on the site, what they will look like, and how they will relate to their surroundings. It should be written in plain English avoiding jargon, and be succinct and well-illustrated.

In addition, applicants for Listed Building Consent must be able to justify their proposals. They will need to show why works which would affect the character of the listed building are desirable or necessary (PPG15).

Full information to allow the assessment of the likely impact on the listed building and its setting must be provided.

Sources of guidance

The general requirements for DASs are set out in paragraphs 56-110 of DCLG Circular 01/2006. This can be found at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/pub/715/Circular0106DCLGGuidanceonChangestotheDevelopmentControlSystem_id1500715.pdf (The Circular recommends that applicants follow an assessment-involvement-evaluation-design process).

The CABE advice Design and Access Statements: How to write, read and use them can be found at: http://www.cabe.org.uk/AssetLibrary/8073.pdf


Traditional but often unlisted buildings are vital components of the character of Conservation Areas. Seemingly small but inappropriate alterations to these buildings can easily damage the appearance of the wider area.

The repair of traditional windows and doors is often a better and cheaper alternative to wholesale replacement. Draughty and ill-fitting windows and doors often only need stripping of old paint layers. For reducing noise and draughts, secondary glazing and draught proofing are very effective alternatives to sealed unit double glazing. Traditional window designs are fundamental to the character of local buildings. When replacement windows are installed these should match the original designs. Modern top hung night vents and large sheets of fixed glazing are rarely appropriate. Timber windows and doors are generally appropriate. Modern substitutes such as PVCu and aluminium do not look the same, and generally have poor environmental consequences. Modern Georgian style doors with integral fanlights have no historical basis and should be avoided.

Paint is the traditional finish for external joinery. European hardwoods such as oak and elm were usually left unfinished to weather naturally. Timber stains and varnishes are modern introductions, and need to be chosen with care to avoid inappropriate colours.

The repointing of stone walling and brickwork should always be undertaken with great care, as the visual character of a building or boundary wall can be destroyed by ill-advised work. Hard cement-rich mortars and raised ribbon pointing should be avoided. Bagged mortar joints are the traditional finish in the District. Roughcast render on stone buildings is a traditional finish, and should be retained where existing. Removal of stucco or render finishes can expose poor quality porous stone to unacceptable weathering. External finishes of this kind were often an essential part of the original architectural concept, and they should be retained or restored wherever possible.

Stone or brick walling should not be painted as this can lead to damage of the walling materials, as well as resulting in dramatic visual alteration.

Boundary treatments, such as stone walls or native hedging, which are characteristic of the area, should be retained. Coniferous hedging and timber panel fencing often appear incongruous and out of place in traditional settings.

Damp in traditional buildings

Traditional building techniques involve the use of materials that are porous and which allow moisture in solid wall construction to ‘breathe’ (i.e. to evaporate naturally from the external stonework or render). Local limestone laid in lime mortar, with lime plaster internally and perhaps lime render and limewash externally, allows the structure to breathe and is flexible enough to accommodate structural movement.

However, many traditional buildings have been unwisely repaired or ‘improved’ using hard and impermeable modern materials which trap moisture, making natural evaporation impossible. The results are often severe dampness and condensation. Where proprietary ‘damp proofing’ installers are called in, the problem is frequently misdiagnosed. This occurs because of the use of electrical resistance meters designed for timber rather than masonry. Surface meter readings on walls can be misleading as salts deposited on an inner surface will carry electric current even if the wall itself is relatively dry. Invariably recommendations are for even more impermeable materials, which at best may mask the problem. The most accurate test of moisture content in masonry is the laboratory oven-balance method described in the Building Research Laboratory Digest 245.

Appendix 6 - Repairs and alterations to traditional buildings


Chemical damp course injections, tanking and even dry lining are common prescriptions wherever the basic characteristics of a traditional building are misunderstood. In the worst case, sealing the external and internal surfaces leads to a dramatic rise in the moisture levels within in the structure. The removal of internal plaster to a height of 1-1.5m and the application of a waterproofing plaster system masks the effects of injection systems. In thick irregularly filled stone walls it is generally impossible to form a completely waterproof layer. Where the layer is incomplete, moisture will be forced up under increased pressure. In time this can lead to a ‘tide mark’ as the moisture is driven ever higher, causing structural damage to any timber fixings, joists or window seats.

Simple ways to avoid dampness in traditional buildings:

• Ventilate and heat the building properly. Ensure that the roof is in good condition. Check that gutters and downpipes do not leak. Many problems are caused not by ‘rising’ but ‘descending’ damp.

• Ensure that downpipes discharge to drains or soakaways some distance from the building. If they empty direct to the ground, the water will track back into the building. (A)

• Ensure that the external ground levels are as low as possible and well drained. Consider the use of a ‘French drain’. http://www.ihbc.org.uk/Technical%20Papers/French%20Drains.htm

• Prevent the saturation of external walls by flush pointing using a lime based mix. This will also promote the evaporation of any moisture within the wall. Cement-rich mortar should not be used as this will trap moisture and may lead to frost damage. (B)

• Where modern gypsum plasters have failed in damp conditions they can be replaced with lime plaster which will reduce condensation problems. Pozzolan additives for lime plasters help them set in damp conditions. Hard cement renders can be replaced with lime renders. Lime renders should not be sealed with an impervious paint. Limewashes would be used to resist penetrating rain and can be mixed with oils, tallow or other ingredients to reduce water penetration. Silicate masonry paints may also be suitable. (C)

A

B

C


This house has a simple rectangular plan with a narrow gable. The walls are of artificial stone in a colour and texture to match the local limestone. It is laid in courses of different heights, and the mortar colour matches the masonry.

The roof is covered with artificial blue slates, and the gable has a flush red brick chimney. The recessed door and window openings form a simple regular pattern. The double glazed windows are balanced and symmetrical in each opening. They have a single horizontal glazing bar.

Modern buildings with traditional details

The traditional stone buildings of West Oxfordshire can be used as a source of design ideas for new buildings. Traditional character is defined by a number of features, including the size and shape of the plan, the roof pitch, the window openings and the materials. Illustrated on this page are some new houses that have been designed with modern materials, but which have a well defined local character.

Appendix 7 - Traditional details

Simple individual house types can be combined to form terraces and groups. Variety can be achieved by, for example, expressing differences in natural levels, and any variation in the width of individual houses will result in differences in ridge height. In this example a lowered eaves line and half dormers together add interest to the terrace.

Recently completed new houses in a traditional village setting. These feature artificial stone slates, vertical sliding and side hung casement windows, as well as decorative porches.

Front garden areas are defined by traditional dry stone walls; elsewhere the buildings themselves mark the edge of the road or pavement. In this example parking is provided to the rear of the houses.

David Wilson Homes

A.Corfield, Architect

A.Corfield, Architect


Appendix 8 - Conversion of agricultural buildings

Traditional agricultural buildings contribute to the beauty of the West Oxfordshire landscape. The best possible use for these building is the one for which they were originally designed. However, when they become redundant, appropriate new uses should be found to secure their conservation and active use. This may or may not involve conversion or change of use. Where the Council does permit conversion the primary purpose is to secure the retention of the building and its contribution to the character of the surrounding area. Whilst Policies generally encourage the re-use of existing buildings, the conversion to residential use generally involves such dramatic alterations that the original character of the building is damaged.

The process of conversion should begin with a thorough understanding of the architectural character of the building. The varying functions of agricultural buildings led to different shapes, sizes and details, all of which must be recognised and protected in any conversion.

Barns were built for the storage and processing of grain. They are generally rectangular in plan with central cart openings on each side. Walls do not generally have other openings (except perhaps for ventilation slots). Roofs are solid. (See A)

Granaries were built for the storage of bagged and processed grain, are smaller than barns and are set upon vermin proof bases (staddle stones) above ground level. (See B)

Cartsheds and stables have openings that directly correspond with their original functions. Sometimes these activities took place in different parts of the same building resulting in a more complex form. (See C)

A

B

C


Conversion principles

Walls:

• Existing openings should be retained;

• Where openings need to be blocked up, a contrasting material should be used, or the infill inset from the wall by 25mm;

• The creation of new windows and doors should be avoided;

• External pipework should be minimised.

Roofs:

• Unbroken roof slopes should be retained;

• No alterations should be made to the pitch of the roof;

• The insertion of windows (both rooflights and dormers) should be avoided;

• Where rooflights are used, they should be flush-fitted with internal gutters and non-reflective glass, and should not be on outward-facing pitched roofs;

• The form or ‘silhouette’ of the building should remain substantially unaltered;

• Chimneys are residential features, and should be avoided.

Materials:

• Existing materials should be retained and re-used;

• Artificial slates and tiles, reconstituted stone, concrete, aluminium and plastic should not be used;

• Original features and details, such as buttresses, lintels, owl windows and datestones should all be retained.


Interiors:

• The open nature of most barn interiors, together with any visible roof structures, should be retained;

• Internal divisions should be limited, and the cutting of internal frames and joints avoided.

Curtilages:

• The open nature of farmyard or courtyard groupings should always be respected;

• The relationship between the building and the surrounding landscape should be retained;

• Residential features – such as car parks, lighting, gardens, sheds, patios, washing lines etc. – will have a detrimental affect on the agricultural character of the building’s setting and ideally should be avoided, or their impact minimised;

• Boundary features can reinforce rural character, and can take the form of stone walling or timber post and rail fencing.

Residential conversions:

• Residential conversions are generally the most difficult to undertake successfully because of the need to provide upper floors, doors and windows that were not features of the original design;

• Further problems include the loss of elevation unity and building integrity when farm buildings are subdivided;

• There is a general presumption against residential conversions in small villages and in the open countryside.


Commercial uses:

• Commercial uses are often more appropriate than residential uses, as small workshops, offices or studios (i.e. B1 uses) can be created with minimal interventions to the building or its surroundings;

• However, issues relating to parking, noise, fumes and traffic will first have to be carefully addressed.

Recreation and tourism

• Recreation and tourism can also represent appropriate uses for traditional farm buildings. The open and expansive interiors of barns give them the potential for community uses such as halls, meeting rooms and community centres (again, this can be achieved with only minor amendments to structure and setting);

• Some traditional farm buildings can be developed as attractions in their own right (incorporating, for example, farm shops, cafés, workshops, exhibitions on farming life etc);

• Some farm buildings may also have the potential to provide overnight accommodation (as e.g. holiday lets or camping barns).


2 ???


Appendix 9 - Street scene and the public realm

The finest streetscapes and public realms generally have the minimum amount of street furniture and surface markings. That which is essential is sited to reinforce an underlying sense of visual order. Improvements to streetscapes and the public realm should enhance local distinctiveness and reinforce those qualities which make an area special. The most modest schemes are usually the most successful in reinforcing a sense of place and making streets attractive for people. In order to achieve high quality streetscapes and public realms:

• Use a townscape analysis to identify the visual, spatial and historic qualities that make an area special;

• Observe and respect local detail in surfaces and street furniture;

• Limit formal design to formal spaces. Informal or vernacular spaces should follow their functional tradition;

• Provide for regular management and maintenance.

Street management

No single authority or agency has control over – or responsibility for – the presentation and management of the street. The impact of roads and traffic on the historic environment can be minimised if works are coordinated.Street audits, carried out jointly by highways and urban design/ conservation staff, will identify surviving historical materials and details. Investing in quality will provide enduring value for money. If resources are limited, doing less of a high standard is better than compromising by doing more of a lesser quality. However, all investment must be protected with adequate provision for maintenance.


Ground surfaces

Paving forms the foreground of almost every street scene. Quality in the design and construction of footways and street surfaces is vital to the character of an area. It provides the context within which the buildings are seen.

• Relate ground surfaces to the local context;

• Keep paving simple and avoid discordant colours;

• Maintain and restore historic paving and detail such as kerbs.

York stone paving slabs and setts used as part of a streetscape enhancement at Woodstock.

The paving slabs are laid using a traditional bonded pattern found historically throughout the District(as here in Witney).

Stone kerbs are flush with adjacent road surfaces which feature stone setts. Concrete block paviours hadbonded yellow lines applied before laying.

York Stone flag footway with a flush adjoining area paved with bonded Staffordshire blue paviours.


Traditional vehicle crossover surfaced with an irregular grid of stone setts; and a modern interpretation using concrete block paviours.

Grass verge with a simple stone kerb and gutter. A traditional cast drain cover is set within the asphaltroad surface.

Traditional side road with simple full width tarmac surface shared by vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians: an uncluttered streetscape with minimal road markings.

Simple pedestrian/ cycle route with informal alignment and landscaped edges: the surface is bituminous with embedded aggregate.

New paved surfaces using second-hand and new Staffordshire blue paviours.


Other traditional surfaces:

Pebbles embedded in lime mortar base; and pitched limestone paving.

New surface treatments: footway and flush road surfaces using coursed and bonded concrete paviours and aggregate embedded bituminous road; paving bordered by wood chip and planting.

Traffic management

Traffic calming measures should be fitted with sensitivity into the street-scene, as though they werepart of the original design of the area. Adopt a minimalist approach. Physical measures should involve minimal visual interference with the established street-scene.


Street scene and the public realm

The streets and roads of West Oxfordshire are increasingly cluttered with a proliferation of traffic signs, bins, bollards, guard rails and street furniture.This results in streetscapes that are both unsightly and lack character. Coordinated action is needed to reverse this decline.

Retaining historic features keeps the streets’ individuality and helps create a sense of place. It cancontribute to regeneration: well-designed, well-orderedand well-maintained streets are an expression of a confident and caring community.

Rural environment dominated by intrusive signage which is too high and projects over hedgeline;unnecessary multiple footway. Footway appearance dominated by rumble strips and painted surfaces.


Street furniture

Retain historic street furniture which reinforces local character, but identify and remove superfluous or redundant items.

Minimise signage, and locate signs on existing lamp posts or buildings, or at the back edge of the pavement; use a single dark colour for all items.

Reduce guard rails to a minimum and use designs that relate to the townscape, such as traditional post and rail fencing.

Avoid standardised lighting and choose the design and light source most appropriate for the area.

Wherever possible, eliminate the need for bollards through good design; where unavoidable use designs and materials appropriate to function and context.


Boundary treatments

Boundary treatments should be carefully chosen to reinforce local character. Metal railings were a common feature during the 19th century and can be appropriate to modern urban settings.

Traditional parkland fencing is well-suited to the edge of farm- or open land.

Traditional walling types can be adapted to modern urban settings. Note parkland-style tree guard.

Other types of boundary feature, including hedging, willow hurdles and slatted fencing, are especiallywell suited to the rural context.

A10-1

Appendix 10 - Stonework

In West Oxfordshire, the grey or buff-coloured oolitic limestone is the predominant walling material. This material was traditionally laid dry for field boundaries, or with lime mortar or loam for buildings. The stones were fitted together as closely as possible, so that very little mortar showed.

Walls were laid to give a face on both sides, the irregular ‘tails’ of the stones pointing into the middle. Any voids remaining would be packed tightly with bonded stone fragments. This method of laying gives a much greater thickness than a modern wall.

Limestone is a sedimentary rock formed from seabed deposits in the Jurassic period. The stone should be laid with the sedimentary layers parallel to the ground. If laid the other way, with its sedimentary layers parallel with the wall face, frost action will peel off the surface, and progressively weaken the wall.

Before laying, the stones should be sorted into piles of random lengths but the same course height: 3” (75mm) or 5” (175mm) are typical course heights. The larger stones were generally reserved for the base or corners (for use as quoins), and door or window edges (for use as jambs). The stones were generally laid level in regular courses, or, if the stones are very irregular, ‘brought to course’. Two or more thin courses would often be masked by a larger quoin or jamb stone. A skilful blending of different course heights creates a pleasing and harmonious visual pattern.

The mortar between the courses - the ‘bed’ - or between stones in the same course - the ‘perp’ or ‘perpend’ - should be as thin as possible. On average it should not be thicker than half an inch (10-12mm) in depth. Any projections on the stones which may enlarge the joint should be trimmed with a walling hammer or bolster (chisel). Stones should be selected to be compatible in shape with their neighbours. Courses should be laid level on top. Any variation in shape will then be taken up in the top of the bed joint below.

The mortar must be slightly set before it is finished. This can be done with a trowel, brush or corner of a butterfly walltie. Care should be taken to avoid smearing mortar on the stone faces. The joint should be finished with a flush or concave surface, slightly

recessed from the arris (corner) of the stones above and below. Projecting or ribbon pointing should not be used, since this will trap moisture in the wall.

The wall should have a unified and integrated appearance, with neither the individual stones nor the mortar pattern drawing attention to itself.

Mortar

The preparation and use of mortar is of particular importance. The mortar colour and texture must relate to the chosen stone. Dense, cement rich mortars are not appropriate for limestone. When dry, the mortar should be of the same colour, but slightly lighter than the stone.

The ingredients for mortar are:

Aggregate - crushed stone or coarse sand with a full range of particle sizes up to a maximum of 1mm. Fine, soft or loamy builder’s sands are not suitable. However, ‘concreting’ sand may be appropriate.

Lime - Lime putty is preferable, but if powdered lime is used this should be mixed with water to a creamy consistency and left overnight to mature.

Cement - Ordinary Portland cement or white masonry cement.

Recommended mortar mix:

1 part cement to 3 parts lime to 12 parts aggregate. Proportions to be by volume not weight. Accuracy in mixing is vital to avoid variations in colour.

For new buildings it is likely that only the outer skin of external walls will be constructed of stone. Newly quarried stone is available which will allow the construction of stone skins of between 100-150mm. The stone selected should be appropriate in relation to its colour, texture and range of available sizes. This should generally match the adjacent stone of the locality. See Appendix 9 for a list of local quarries.

A10-2

Artificial stone

The purpose of using artificial stone is to replicate the character and appearance of local natural stone. It is essential, therefore, to create as natural an appearance as possible using the artificial material.

Artificial stone is available in 100mm thicknesses, to allow the formation of an outer skin. Ideally, artificial stone should be available in a large range of course heights and stone lengths. If only a small range of sizes is available, the finished wall will have a repetitive and mechanical appearance. Artificial stone should be laid with stones of varying lengths in the same course height. The courses themselves should vary in a harmonious random pattern. The use of square stones (or ‘jumpers’) as random features should be avoided. Larger stones can be used at corners and to define window or door openings.

The stones should be laid with a 10mm average bed joint and a 10mm average vertical joint ‘perp’. This practice follows the advice for natural stone. The joint profile should be slightly recessed, matching that of natural stone. The mortar should be similar in colour to, or slightly lighter than, the artificial stone. Difficulties frequently arise when using grey Portland cement or very dark sand. A pale buff to neutral colour is generally appropriate for artificial stone, but the exact shade will depend on the choice of artificial stone.

On some sites in West Oxfordshire, Euromix CPI mortar (reference M3WLY24) has been found to be appropriate for use with lighter artificial stone.

Possible artificial stone types

Forticrete - Standard Split Face, Bathstone.Bradstone - Weathered Cotswold or Southwold shades.Rebastone - Split and Rustic walling, Oolite or Cotswold.

Sample panels

To demonstrate the natural or artificial stone type, laying pattern, mortar colour and finish for a given building project, a sample panel using the material should be constructed, approximately 1.000m by 1.000m in size. The sample panel must be separate from the development, but in a position on the site where it can remain until practical completion, as it will serve as the standard against which all other stonework will be assessed.

When complete, the sample panel should be protected from frost and rain, and the mortar allowed to dry out before an inspection is requested. Until the sample panel has been approved in writing, no external stonework should be carried out, even below the damp proof course.


Appendix 11 - Natural stone quarries

ARC Southern LimitedGuiting Power, Temple Guiting, Winchcombe, Cheltenham, Glos. GL54 3SBTel: 01451 416161

Produces the classic rich orange ‘Guiting’ stone, but also a paler cream/white walling stone.

Rough-dressed building and walling stone.Dressed building stone and architectural elements.

Cotswold Stone QuarriesBrockhill Quarry, Naunton, Cheltenham, Glos. GL54 3BATel: 01451 850775

Produces a stone that is creamy yellow in colour, suitable for use over much of the mid-Cotswolds.

Brockhill grey stone - suitable for areas of surrounding weathered stone.

Rough-dressed building and walling stone.Dressed building stone and architectural elements.Stone roofing slates.

The Downs Stone Company LimitedR A Catling, Lower Buildings, Lyneham Road, Sarsden, Chipping Norton, Oxon OX7 6PNTel. 01608 658357

Produces a warm, honey-coloured, mid-Cotswold stone.


Farmington QuarryNorthleach, Cheltenham, Glos. GL54 3NZTel: 01451 860280

Generally this stone is somewhat paler in colour than Cotswold Hill, so is used over the mid and south Cotswolds where local producers of the Painswick and Minchinhampton stones no longer exist.

Rough-dressed building and walling stone.Dressed building stone and architectural elements.Stone roofing slates.

Smiths Limestone LimitedEnslow, Kidlington, Oxford. OX5 3AYTel: 01869 83281

Produces the richer ‘ironstone’ of the north Cotswolds. Has lighter-coloured beds which are worth investigation for use in the more southerly Cotswolds.


Palmerstone Quarries LimitedSoundborough Quarry, Andoversford, Cheltenham, Glos. GL54 5SD Tel: 01242 820135

Stone roofing slates and walling stone.

No recommendation is made or should be implied from inclusion on this list.


Stanleys QuarryNorwich Estate, Upton Wold, Moreton-in-Marsh, Glos. GL56 9TRTel: 01386 841236

Similar to Fish Hill Quarry, although the browner stone is not as rich in colour. Lighter-coloured beds are also available.


The Tetbury Stone Company LimitedVaizey’s Quarry, Chavenage Lane, Tetbury, Glos. GL8 8JT Tel: 01666 503455

Supplies creamy south Cotswold stone.


Grange Hill QuarryNaunton, Cheltenham, Glos. GL54 3AY Tel: 01451 850864

Walling and building stone; paving and flagstone.Natural limestone tiles; cut flooring Landscape stone.

The Natural Stone MarketMoss Acre, Foxcote, Andoversford, Cheltenham, Glos. GL54 4LPTel: 01242 820837 Fax: 01242 821225 E-mail: [email protected]

Walling stone; building stone; paving; cut flooring.Landscape stone; stone slates.

Hornton QuarryEdgehill, WarwicksTel: 01295 670238

Ginger Lias building and walling stone.

Great Tew QuarryEstate Office , Gt Tew. Oxon OX7 4AHTel: 01608 683636

Ginger Lias building and walling stone.


Walls should correspond with the characteristic style of adjacent walls, or walls within the area. When rebuilding an old wall, every effort should be made to use the existing stone; conserving lichens and mosses as far as is practicable. New stone should be sourced from local quarries and match in its size, colour and thickness the local style.

Appendix 12 - Dry stone walling

This wall features a coursed pattern with a random coping. Walling of this type generally features the larger stones towards the lower half of the wall.

This wall has a random pattern because of the irregular stone shapes with a curved mortar coping.

Drawings by the Cotswold branch of the Dry Stone Walling Association with Mastercraftsmen of the Cotswolds and Dry Stone Walling Association.

A retaining wall with a modern concrete foundation and concrete blocks used below ground.

A traditional dry stone retaining wall with a random coping.

A taller wall, where for example privacy is required or as a stock proof boundary. This illustration features a flagstone coping.


Ray AdamsThe Corner House, Churchill, Chipping Norton, Oxon OX7 6NJ F K Barber1 New House, Kelmscott, Nr Lechlade, Glos. GL7 3HFTel: (01367) 253226

G H Bennett & Son84 Brize Norton Road, Minster Lovell, Oxon OX8 5SGTel & Fax: (01993) 775618

Blackwell & Blackwell2 Warren Farm Cottages, Middle Aston, Oxon OX6 3QFTel: (01869) 347147

Nick Blackwell147 North Home Road, Cirencester, Glos, GL7 1DY Tel: (01285) 657610

Trevor Blackwell1 The Approach, Aldsworth, Cheltenham, GL54 3QXTel. & Fax: (01451)844357 or Mobile 0441145958

W & G Borrow1 Pinnocks Piece, Kencot, Nr. Lechlade, Glos. GL7 3QUTel: (01367) 860039 or (01242) 241016

A W FletcherMount Pleasant, New Yatt Road, North Leigh, WitneyOxon Tel: (01993) 881979

I A & I J Godfreyc/o Burycroft Farm, Crawley Road, Witney, OxonTel: (01993) 771559

G S WaltherPear Tree Cottage, Hornton, Banbury, Oxon OX15 6BTTel: (01295) 670627 or Mobile 0976 315701


Dry stone walling contractors


Appendix 13 - Thatchers


The traditional thatch for the area is LONGSTRAW. The local style has a wrapover ridge and hazel spars and liggers forming a decorative pattern on the ridge, eaves and verge. The appearance of the historic longstraw style can also be achieved using combed wheat reed (actually straw).

David Barton2 Field Barn Cottages, Woodleys, Woodstock, Oxon OX20 1HUTel: 01993 812548

Andrew BowmanHedgefields Farm, Buckland Road, Bampton, OxonTel: 01993 850116

County Thatchers Limited31 Marlborough Crescent, Long Hanborough, Oxon OX9 8JPTel: 01993 883194

B & S Fowler54 Westland Road, Farringdon, Oxon Tel: 01367 242185

Russell & BuckinghamN A Russell, 37 Hanborough Close, Eynsham, Oxon OX8 1NR Tel: 01865 883818

D A Buckingham19, Scampton Close, Bicester, Oxon OX6 7FFTel: 01869 244550

Parkinson BlackwellPorch House, 26-27 The Green, Great Tew, Chipping Norton, OX7 4DBTel: 01608 683730 / 01608 683071Web: www.masterthatcher.com


Appendix 14 - Specialist joinery

Kevin HoodWaywardens, West Street, Kingham, Chipping Norton, Oxon. OX7 6YQTel: Kingham (01608) 71550

B & H Joinery (Witney) LimitedUnit 2a, Crawley Mill Industrial Estate, Witney, Oxon. OX29 9TJTel: Witney (01993) 708206

Richard Roberts27 Bridge Street, Witney, OxonTel: Witney (01993) 774931

T F Smith Joinery Works150 Newland, Witney, OxonTel: Witney (01993) 702194

Oxford Sash Window CompanyEynsham Park Estate Yard, Cuckoo Lane, North Leigh, Oxford. OX29 6PWTel: (01993) 883536 Fax: (01993) 883027 Mobile: 07831 226396

Ventrolla Limited11 Hornbeam Square South, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG2 8NBTel: (01423) 859323 Fax: (01423) 859321 Freephone: 0800 378 278



Appendix 15 - Paint and stain finishes on external timber

Traditional finishes

In West Oxfordshire, traditional finishes for external timber fall into three general categories:

1. Paint Finishes - on softwood and hardwood doors, windows and door frames from the 18th century and later.

2. Pitch and Tar Finishes - weatherproofing with a dull black appearance, mainly on frames and boarded surfaces of agricultural buildings.

3. Natural ‘bleached’ surfaces - Weathered patina of grey or silver on oak, elm and chestnut.

Compatible modern finishes

Where finishes for modern work are required to match existing work in, for example, Conservation Areas; or where alterations to existing traditional buildings are to take place the following approaches are recommended:

Paintwork - white/ off-white or other pale colour. ‘Burford Green’ (BS 12 B 17 or similar). There are specific guidelines for Great Tew and informal guidelines for Burford. For front doors and shopfronts, dark primary colours are recommended.

Dark Finishes - (to match the ‘pitch/ tar’ tradition), ‘Ebony’ stains such as those by Dulux, Jotun or Sigma.

Light Finishes - (to match ‘bleached’ timber tradition), ‘Light Grey’ (Ref. 625 by Jotun), or a light wash of black external stain diluted with white spirit, to give a pale grey colour.

The above recommendations are not exhaustive and suitable alternatives exist. However, there is NO traditional precedent for the use of modern red/ brown stains widely available in DIY superstores. Their appearance is quite unlike anything known in the traditional palette. These materials are not suitable for use on traditional buildings or in Conservation Areas unless part of an approved design approach.

Paint colours for traditional contexts

Joinery, gutters and downpipes08 C 35 Buff08 C 37 Fawn12 B 17 Willow, ‘Burford Green’ DoorsGreens:14 C 40 Conifer, ‘Trust Green’14 C 39 Hollybush16 D 45 Scarab, Peacock12 C 39 Orchard10 B 17 Mistletoe12 B 17 Willow, ‘Burford Green’12 B 21 Moorland12 B 25 Chive12 B 29 Juniper

Reds:04 D 45 Monarch02 C 39 Plum02 C 40 Loganberry

Blue:20 C 40 Midnight, Oxford

Blues, blacks, browns, greys, buffs and ‘broken’ whites can all be used with confidence, in particular: 08 B 15 Magnolia08 B 17 Sandstone08 B 21 Antelope08 B 25 Beaver10 B 17 Mistletoe10 B 21 Lizard10 B 25 Turtle10 B 29 Ironstone16 C 37 Caspian WindowsWhites - ‘broken’ or ‘creamy’ whites, ‘lime white’ or ‘old white.’ (Brilliant white is not recommended).08 B 15 Magnolia08 C 31 Ecru10 B 15 Ivory10 C 31 Champagne12 B 15 Almond12 B 17 Willow, ‘Burford Green’10 B 17 Mistletoe


Recommended shopfront colours

The following colours have been, or could be, used with success in this context. (All numbers refer to British Standard 4800)

Greens: 14 C 40 Conifer, ‘Trust Green’14 C 39 Hollybush16 C 45 Scarab12 C 39 Orchard10 B 17 Mistletoe12 B 17 Willow, ‘Burford Green’12 B 21 Moorland12 B 25 Chive12 B 29 Juniper

Reds:04 D 45 Monarch02 C 39 Plum02 C 40 Loganberry20 C 40 Midnight (limited situations)

Blues, Blacks, Browns, Greys, Buffs and ‘broken’ Whites: all can be used with confidence, in particular: 08 B 15 Magnolia08 B 17 Sandstone08 B 21 Antelope08 B 25 Beaver10 B 17 Mistletoe10 B 21 Lizard10 B 25 Turtle10 B 29 Ironstone

Paint colours in Great Tew

In order to preserve the picturesque appearance of this historic estate village, the paint colours used on all buildings in the Great Tew Conservation Area are subject to Planning Control. However, Planning Permission is NOT required for the use of the following colours:

Joinery, doors, gutters and downpipes: ‘Buff ’ or ‘Fawn’, British Standard colours 08 C 35, 08 C 37. ‘Bamboo’, ‘Butterscotch’, ‘Madras’.

Windows: ‘broken’ or ‘creamy’ whites, British Standard colours 08 B 15, 10 B 15, 10 B 31. ‘Magnolia’, ‘Gardenia’, ‘Buttermilk’, ‘Lime White’, ‘Old White’. (Brilliant white should not be used.)

Ironwork, gates and fences: ‘Invisible Green’, British Standard colours 12 B 29, 14 C 40, ‘Holly’, ‘Conifer’, ‘Juniper’, ‘Trust Green’.

Reference: General Development Order 1077 (as Amended), Article 4 Direction 19.6.87


Appendix 16 - Art for public places

Recently, West Oxfordshire District Council consolidated its approach to developing Public Art, by introducing a new policy (TLC7) in the adopted West Oxfordshire Local Plan 2011.

Public Art is usually created by visual artists and craftspeople for a specifi c site, working in collaboration with other professionals such as architects, landscape designers, planners, developers and arts offi cers. The artists, where appropriate, should work in consultation with the people who will be affected by the site and the installation.

Public Art is intended to be freely and physically accessible to the public. It may be owned by the community, though it can be located in private places and serve a community of interest. It can be permanent or temporary.

How does the public art policy work?

In line with adopted Local Plan Policy, the Council will normally seek a one percent contribution (or agreed cost equivalent) from the total development value of a proposal for an agreed art provision (as based on the ‘percent for art’ concept).

The Policy applies to public and private sector developments, (usually those which are large scale and include publicly accessible buildings and spaces).

Early consultation with the Council is recommended prior to an application being submitted.

In particular, this policy shall apply to the following forms of development:

i. residential;• new builds of ten units or more;• signifi cant conversions or refurbishment of

existing buildings;ii. signifi cant retail, commercial or leisure proposals,

where the gross fl oor area is 1000m2 or more;iii. signifi cant development proposals by utility

operators and local authorities.

Commissioning public art

Artists can positively infl uence building design, paving and landscaping features and explore issues of place, identity and community. Commissioned art work can include:

• Earthworks and landscaping, both hard and soft (e.g. paving, bridges, feature planting);

• Street furniture – for example, seating or play areas;• Specialist treatment of some aspects of a building:

mosaics, tapestries, murals, lighting, timberwork, etc;• Decorative stone carving;• Metal and glasswork;• Provision of space for artistic use;• Sculpture.


What can the money be spent on?

• Commissioning of artists or craftspeople to participate in the overall design of the development or features within the development;

• Commissioning of art works;

• Purchase of materials or existing artworks for public display;

• Consultation with the local community and relevant organisations;

• School and Community Education programmes;

• Dedication of space for the public exhibition of works of art;

• Transportation, installation and maintenance of the art work.

How does public art benefit the community?

• It enhances the built environment;

• It adds an individual and distinct character to the development;

• Quality surroundings contribute to local identity and community pride;

• Involvement of artists and the community can calm fears of environmental disturbance and help to convey the best intentions of the developer;

• It creates work for local artists, safeguarding skills;

• It assists in attracting investment to the area and stimulates the local economy;

• It continues the long tradition in Britain of high quality design features;

• Permanent public art is long lasting and forms part of our heritage.


Appendix 17 - Bin storage and recycling

Bin provision

The introduction of ‘wheelie–bins’ and recycling boxes has led to problems with the storage of these containers. Often, they are left on footways and public areas because convenient and accessible storage is not available within the property.

Consideration must be given not only to the provision of bin stores, but also to whether or not householders are likely to feel adequately encouraged to make consistent use of these areas.

Bin storage

Flexible bin storage areas must be included in the design of all new and converted buildings.

For new houses, ventilated provision must be made within the building enclosure, garden or yard. A ventilated built or fenced enclosure must be provided for communal bin storage in the case of flats or multiple occupation residential properties and all new commercial or institutional properties. These must be easily accessible from the property they serve, and allow the easy return of the bins after emptying. Collection points must be no further than 20 metres from the Refuse Vehicle access point.

The design of bin stores must take into account the likely future increase in the number of bins per household, as there is further separation of waste materials.


Household waste:

West Oxfordshire households are generally provided with one 140 litre bin and two 55 litre recycling boxes.

A 140 litre wheelie bin is 480mm wide, 555mm deep and 1070 mm high. The maximum load is 70kg. Enclosures must allow easy access for users to fill the bins and for collection crews to remove them.

They should have level non-slip surfaces for wheeling out the bin for emptying. The enclosures should be well ventilated and easy to wash out. The enclosure walls and surfaces should be designed to complement the surroundings.

Bin sizes / maximum loads

Refuse Recycling

Vol. (litres) 140 660 1100 55 360

Height (mm) 1070 1170 1470 345 1070

Width (mm) 480 1360 1360 570 620

Depth (mm) 555 770 1080 440 860

Load (kg) 70 270 450 25 130

Kerbside collection:

The size, weight and turning dimensions of refuse collection vehicles may vary over time because of operational considerations.

Access roads to bin stores must meet the minimum width requirements as set out in the current Oxfordshire Highway Design Guide; there must be adequate turning areas for collection vehicles, and any surface likely to be crossed by refuse vehicles must be able to take that vehicle’s weight.

Vehicle Weight (tonnes)

8-wheeler refuse 32

6-wheeler refuse 26

kerbside recycling 18

co-mingled recycling 26

top loader 18


Communal bins:

Communal bins have capacities of 660 litres and 1100 litres (the preference being for the larger size, again to help collection speed). The number and size of bins should be based on 140 litres of general waste per household. If access on to the development by the appropriate refuse collection vehicle is not possible then large communal bins may not prove feasible.

Recycling:

As a general rule in West Oxfordshire, each household is provided with two 55 litre recycling boxes: one for glass and one for paper, cardboard, plastic and tin. Where a development contains flats it is not practical to provide boxes, but rather communal bins within a central store (one 360 litre bin for up to ten flats for glass and one for every three flats for paper/cardboard/plastic and tins, should be provided). Access to the recycling storage would be the same as that outlined under the storage guidance for refuse containers. More comprehensive provision for recycling can be found at one of the District’s waste and recycling centres.

west oxfordshire design guide

Documents

new development

layout design

design process

new rural development

essex design guide

stratford design guide

local design characteristics

passive solar design