Policy H5 - Buildings of Negative Quality

Justification:

Buildings of negative quality are identified within the Hoe Conservation Area Management Action Plan. These buildings tend to reduce the cohesion and disrupt the structure of the built environment and detract from the qualities of the Conservation Area. It would, however, be sensible to supplement this list with additional buildings exhibiting the same negative characteristics outside its boundary because the Hoe Conservation Area does not cover all of the Hoe Neighbourhood Area.

A list of buildings of negative quality has been established by Hoe Neighbourhood Forum referencing the Conservation Area Appraisals, Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan policies and Plymouth Hoe Design Guide recommendations (Appendix 4).

The Plymouth Hoe Design Guide complements the Hoe Conservation Area Management Action Plan and Barbican Conservation Area Management Action Plan by assessing the quality of the built environment in the two areas within the Hoe Neighbourhood Area but outside the conservation areas. Assessment was completed using the guidance in Historic England's Neighbourhood Planning and the Historic Environment (HE2014) and Understanding Place: Historic Area Assessments (HE2017). Reference was made to the Oxford Character Assessment Toolkit when designing survey methodology, together with the data presented in Plymouth City Council's Conservation Area Management Plans for the Hoe and Barbican Conservation Areas. Pro formas were designed using tick boxes (with room for extra comments) to facilitate the gathering of the maximum amount of data in the minimum time. To complement the quality of the built environment sections of the Conservation Area Management Plans, information was gathered on the following attributes of buildings within the two areas of study: height, use, age, features, materials, condition, and overall effect on street. In addition to tick boxes under each heading, the pro formas included fields for 'Opportunities for Improvement' and 'General Comments'.

The buildings of negative quality identified within the Hoe Conservation Area Management Action Plan and the Plymouth Hoe Design Guide are listed in Appendix 4 and consolidated in the map below. Given the high value of the adjacent heritage assets, it is important that future development seeks improvements in building quality and does not relate to buildings of negative quality as precedent in respect of size, scale, massing, or materials.

This policy adds value to the Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local plan by assessing the quality of the built environment in the two areas within the Hoe Neighbourhood Area but outside the conservation areas. As noted in the Hoe Conservation Area Management Plan this policy means that if and when proposals come forward through the normal development cycle for the development or redevelopment of these sites, the proposed development or redevelopment must seek to ensure that it makes a positive contribution to the special interest of the Hoe Conservation Area or Barbican Conservation Area as is specifically required by section 72 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 and the Hoe Neighbourhood Plan.

Figure 10: Buildings of Negative Quality in the Hoe Neighbourhood Area

Intent:

Policy H5 recommends that when buildings of negative quality are redeveloped they are replaced with high-quality buildings making a positive design contribution to the Hoe Neighbourhood Area.

Key Evidence Sources:

• The Hoe Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan
• Barbican Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan
• Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan Policies DEV10, DEV20 and DEV21
• Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan Heritage Impact Assessment
• Plymouth Hoe Design Guide
• Appendix 2: Hoe Neighbourhood Area Local Heritage List
• Appendix 4: Hoe Neighbourhood Area Buildings of Negative Quality List
• Historic England’s Neighbourhood Planning and the Historic Environment (HE2014)

• Historic England’s Understanding Place: Historic Area Assessments (HE2017)