Proposals which have an adverse impact on valued landscapes, skylines or important views will not be supported. Explanation 4.16 We should protect the open and nature of the land surrounding built up areas of the parish to ensure the separate identity of our settlement and retain its distinctive features, skylines and important views. 4.17 Valued landscapes into and out of the village are identified on Figure 3. 4.18 In order to support the implementation of the policies in this Plan, a Character Assessment has been prepared for the village of Wootton Wawen. The Village Character Assessment can be found at Appendix 2 of this Plan. Figure 3 - Character and Valued Landscapes Policy ENV7 - Preservation of Designated Heritage Assets Development affects designated heritage assets will be strictly controlled. Proposals cause substantial harm to the special historical or architectural fabric and interest of listed buildings, the Wootton Wawen Conservation Area or Scheduled Ancient Monuments, and their settings, will not be supported. less than substantial harm occurs, public benefits must be demonstrated which clearly outweigh such harm. Proposals, including changes of use, enable the appropriate and sensitive restoration of listed buildings, will generally be supported. Explanation 4.19 All heritage assets are afforded statutory protection and national policy it clear that the Government places great weight on the preservation of heritage assets. 4.20 Our village contains 18 listed buildings mainly within the designated Conservation Area, together with an important architectural fabric. We need to ensure that these buildings and structures are protected and enhanced and that they are not compromised by new developments. 4.21 There are three Scheduled Ancient Monuments in the Neighbourhood Area: 1. Earthworks west of St Peter’s Church (SAM 175) 2. Ponds south-west of Wootton Bridge (SAM 176) 3. Aqueduct over A3400 (SAM 132)
The railway bridge towards the western end of Mayswood Road provides a clear boundary to its built-up section. Mayswood Garage, with extensive workshops, occupies a site next to the bridge (above). An electricity substation is located next to the garage. The properties along Mayswood Road illustrate the significant development of the village in the 1960/70’s. On the western side they are mostly detached (below) and semi-detached red brick houses and bungalows with very large back gardens that reach down to the railway line. The only side road off Maywood Road is on the western side near the junction with the A3400.This small road gives access to a cul-de-sac called The Square (below) with houses built in the 1930’s as council rental properties but now all privately owned. An allotment plot was initially provided for each property adjacent to the farmland to the southwest. Footpaths run between the properties on either side of the road to access across the railway to the open countryside to the west (below), and through to the A3400 to the east. There are some older properties on the western side of the road (below) that are easily identifiable as they abut the road. The newer properties are set back from the road with grass verges and many mature trees and hedges that add to the pleasant green aspect. A private road (above right) with a development of three large detached properties was branched off the Square in the late1970’s These houses back onto the A3400 behind tall walls and overlook farmland to their front. Before the 1920’s the only properties on the eastern side of Mayswood Road have been the tiny cottages at the junction with the Birmingham Road and a large Victorian property (which is actually beyond the railway bridge towards Ullenhall). Then in the 1930’s a row of small farm-workers cottages were built. Over the last 20 years virtually all of these have been extended and modernised. The rest of the eastern side of the road has been developed with some individual detached redbrick properties and two groups of 1970’s bungalows (below) Many of these properties on the eastern side benefit from views over farmland to the rear. The access to this farmland is between bungalows numbers 20 and 21. (NB. Only the newer bungalows and developed farm-workers cottages have numerical addresses in Mayswood Road). AREA 4 - THE PENNYFORD LANE AREA