Great Easton Conservation Area Appraisal
10.0 Management Plan
10.1 Local planning authorities have a duty placed upon them under Section 71 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 to draw up and publish proposals for the preservation and enhancement of conservation areas. Conservation area appraisals help to identify threats to the character of the conservation area and opportunities for enhancement. Potential threats to the character and appearance of the conservation area arise from the loss of traditional features of value. Such threats can range from the loss of historic fabric to unsympathetic public realm and the impact of highway works.
10.2 The character and appearance of both the conservation area and of individual buildings and structures are at risk from the loss of historic fabric and traditional features. Regular ongoing maintenance limits deterioration to buildings of any age or materials. Efforts should be made to repair or replace historic fabric with appropriate materials. Generally, UPVC is not an appropriate replacement for historic timber windows and doors. It is difficult to achieve the necessary standards in design and the use of UPVC can lead to environmental problems due to reduced breathability in materials. More information of materials for historic building repairs can be found on the Historic England website https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/technical-advice/buildings/building-materials-for-historic-buildings/
10.3 The treatment of the public realm impacts on the character and appearance of a conservation area. The loss of features of value or the introduction of unsympathetic street furniture poses a threat to the character and appearance of a conservation area. Great Easton conservation area generally has an uncluttered public realm with features such as the finger posts and the K6 telephone kiosk making a positive contribution to the conservation area. These features should be maintained and retained wherever possible. Applications for development should ensure that any alterations to the public realm preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the conservation area.
10.4 The character and appearance of a conservation area can also be threatened by unsympathetic highway works and by traffic and car parking. Site visits to Great Easton during the spring to autumn of 2023 indicated that the demand for on-street parking is high at times. However, drivers appeared to park responsibly and there was no evidence of damage caused to verges, greens or paths from inconsiderate parking and both the farm traffic and the local bus service was able to move through the village relatively unhindered.
10.5 The roads within the Great Easton conservation area are often lined with hedgerows greens and verges, many planted with spring bulbs. Works to highways and footways risk the loss of historic traditional materials such as kerbstones, setts and paviours or the introduction of modern surfacing and boundary treatments and signage, all of which pose a threat to the character and appearance of the conservation area. Loss of such historic fabric should be discouraged. The Highways Authority should, as far as possible, seek to ensure that works to highways and footways makes good any historic surfaces and that completed work does not detract from the character and appearance of the conservation area.
10.6 Any proposals for new development should consider the impact of alterations to highways and footways. With the existing high demand for on-street parking careful consideration should be given to the effect of increased traffic and parking provision on the character and appearance of the Great Easton conservation area.
10.7 As a result of the historical development of the settlement there is a mix of building styles and materials, although chimneys feature strongly throughout the conservation area. Ironstone and limestone have been used for much of the village in the honey-coloured buildings which are distinctive to the character of the conservation area. This is complemented by use of mellow local red brick. Thatch and slate are the predominant roof materials with some pink corrugated pantiles (introduced in the nineteenth century), traditionally used on subsidiary out buildings. Where used on new buildings they can be quite conspicuous and take considerable time to weather and age. The varied walls of Great Easton add much to the village character and are of mud, stone or red brick. They have a great variety of copings including stone, pantiles, rounded terra cotta and blue saddle copings. Proposals for development should reflect the use of consistent materials in the area. Given the high level of skill deployed in the seventeenth century rebuilding in Great Easton, development which uses high-quality materials and high-level craft in their application will help to enhance the character and appearance of the conservation area.