KET3 Conservation Area Design
Leading on from KET2, in discussing future renewal and development of the Town Centre the KNP could consider how the Conservation Area (where it overlaps with the defined Town Centre) is performing and how its future protection and enhancement fits with the vision.
This policy idea seeks to focus on the quality of design within the Kettering Conservation Area, noting that most of the locations in KET1 fall within this area, to ensure that new builds and redevelopments recognises and responds to local character. Design guidance will seek to protect and enhance the historic built heritage environment reflecting the distinctive design of the area.
The Kettering Conservation Area Appraisal illustrates the significance of the area. “The nineteenth century development of the town centre – with several buildings by interesting and nationally important, locally based architects, is complemented by suburbs of the same date including several high quality residential areas with leafy roads and villas, as well as significant areas of terraced housing to a much higher density but of no lesser interest. These areas, with their surviving industrial and community buildings, are especially significant because of their completeness and because of their distinctive localised regional details – with stone dressings and decorative embellishments and frequent use of the motif of three linked doors in a common frontage (two doors as house entrances, one door for yard access). These are the types of neighbourhoods which in other industrial towns and cities have been greatly altered or eroded with demolition and new unsympathetic construction. But here at Kettering whole late Victorian neighbourhoods remain intact with seemingly only superficial twentieth century alterations”
Policy KET4 will look to identify the best examples of this description to consider designating as Areas of Special Character and KET7 will investigate whether there are any heritage assets, not already listed, which should be identified as being the highest quality examples reflecting this architectural and historic significance.
Whilst KET9 considers energy efficiency in new development, KET3 could also consider how energy efficiency is taken into account during any building works to existing buildings to promote a positive approach to energy efficiency measures in buildings in the conservation area.
The Advisory Panel and community have also raised the matter of safety in the town centre. This is an area largely outside the purview of a NP as it does not relate to the use of land but the policy and/or supporting text can consider how to integrate security measures which are sensitive to the heritage context both for buildings and their immediate surroundings.