Design and Character Supplementary Planning DocumentCompanion Guide : Walton On Thames

April 2012

21 Producing the Walton on Thames Settlement Area Character Assessment

32 How to use the settlement and sub-area analysis

43 Walton on Thames Character Assessment

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1 Producing the Walton onThames Settlement AreaCharacter Assessment

This companion guide forms an integralpart of the Elmbridge Design andCharacter SPD. The guides provide areference source for considering thecharacter of an area as part of the designprocess for new development.

1.1 The following Character Assessmentfor Walton on Thames has been developedin partnership with the local communityassisted by design consultants (ForumHeritage Services and Context 4D) andElmbridge Borough Council.

Community Involvement

1.2 A community workshop was held at theWalton Day Centre on 7 April 2011, whichallowed local people to talk about thecharacter of their local area and suggest waysin which that character might be maintainedand enhanced in light of future development.The community organisations that attendedincluded the Walton Society and a local wardCouncillor.

1.3 As well as providing a wealth ofinformation about their local area, thecommunity participants were instrumental inthe subdivision of character areas and theidentification of key features in Walton.

Sub dividing the character areas at thecommunity workshop

1.4 The second half of the workshopconcentrated on the design process and andallowed participants to see how the new SPDwould work.

1.5 Participants were given the opportunityto appraise the context and setting of a sitein practice using maps and notation symbolsto assist them. A site visit involved appraisingan edge of town centre corner plot,considering issues such as impact on historicassets, continuation of the building line andcreating a pivotal corner. As well as thisexercise, the site visit included a walk throughWalton town centre observing both localcharacter and buildings of historic importanceas well as new development such as TheHeart and the High Street improvements.

1.6 The community issues and specificissue text boxes that are featured within thecharacter assessment provide a summary ofthose issues raised at the workshop.

1.7 A feedback session held on the 15September 2011 allowed participants to checkthe draft assessment adding any additionalcomments and providing further informationwhere appropriate.

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2 How to use the settlementand sub-area analysis

Step 1: Identify the settlement area andsub-area your development site fallswithin, using the character area map tohelp you. The maps also provide anoverview of the wider context of the area.

Step 2: Read the introduction to thesettlement area, which gives a briefoverview and a summary of key features,providing you with a snapshot ofsettlement character and highlighting keyissues identified from communityworkshops.

Step 3: Read the sub-area analysis,taking note of specific local concerns andwhere to find additional design guidance.

2.1 In order to inform your design proposal,it is important to evaluate and understand thekey characteristics of the settlements and theirsub-areas. Understanding an area's characterwill help to deliver high quality developmentthat contributes to the distinctiveness of thelocal area and sense of place. In order to dothis effectively, the Borough has beensubdivided into 8 settlement areas, reflectingthose in the Core Strategy. Each settlementarea has been further divided into sub-areas,derived from fieldwork and group discussionsat the community workshops.

2.2 The sub-area analysis describes itspredominant characteristics such as buildingtypes, use, scale, grain, tree cover and anyheritage assets. Reference may be made tospecific design guidance you should takeaccount of when considering yourdevelopment proposal. In some instances,reference is also made to case studies thatmay be particularly relevant to the type ofdevelopment likely to occur in the sub-area.These are contained within the maindocument and illustrate the process ofunderstanding local character through contextand site appraisal, which will generate a

design concept and indicative design. Eachcase study offers just one solution to how asite could be developed and there may beinstances when other case studies arerelevant, depending on the nature of thedevelopment.

2.3 Where the community workshopidentified specific issues affecting a particularsub-area, a box is included to highlight theseconcerns. This is intended to help youcarefully consider the local context and thesensitivities of the site's surroundings. Itprovides an opportunity to show how youmight address specific concerns highlightedin relation to sub-areas. These may not beexhaustive but are provided as prompts forconsideration.

2.4 For sites that fall on the edge of twosub-areas or settlement boundaries, you willneed to take into account adjoining sub-areas,which may have an impact on the context ofthe site. In many ways the designrequirements of these sites are more complexto resolve as they may be at a key transitionbetween one type of development andanother.

2.5 You should use the settlement andsub-area analysis as a starting point todevelop a clear context for your proposal.This should be considered in more detailthrough site visits etc, taking account of thespecific location of the development site.

The analysis of character and contextshould be an integral part of a Designand Access Statement.

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3 Walton on Thames CharacterAssessment

Introduction

3.1 This settlement area, which borders asizeable section of the River Thames,contains the largest town in the Borough,Walton on Thames. The town centre hasrecently seen major redevelopment withcompletion of ‘The Heart’, a large mixed usescheme which provides housing, high qualityretail units, a library, restaurants, bars andcafés, located around a pedestrianised streetto the south-west of the High Street.

The Heart

3.2 The settlement area has twoconservation areas; Walton (Riverside) andWalton (Church Street/Bridge Street). Theformer includes part of the medievalsettlement, including a survivingManor House(Grade I Listed) and remaining elements ofthe riverside village (particularly parts of theroad and street layout). The area is knownlocally as Old Walton.

3.3 There was a small expansion of thetown in the late 19th century with the layingout of Winchester Road which became thespine road for mostly later development (earlyand mid 20th century) which formed the tightgrid of streets seen today. However, it wasnot until the 20th century thatWalton expandedthrough a series of large developments to thesouth and east of the town centre, includingthe development of Ashley Park, and theprogressive infilling of roads and consolidationof large houses along Hersham Road to theHalfway and the station environs.

3.4 The area to the east of Sidney Roadwas developed during the inter-war andpost-war periods. Rydens is notable forpossibly the largest concentration of singlestorey or chalet style houses in the Borough.In addition, there is much variation in housetype, scale and density across this settlementarea. This stretches from the low and highrise flats, to very large detached houses setin generous plots.

Summary of key Features

Highly focused, fine grained town centre(with medieval origins) with extensiveresidential suburbs predominantly datingfrom the early to late 20th centuryVery popular riverside easily accessed.Three distinct shopping areas whichhave different but complementaryfunctionsWide and diverse range of house typesincluding high rise flatted developmentin both residential blocks (WellingtonClose) and mixed use schemes (TheHeart and The Halfway – Kings Court,Hersham Road)High degree of mature broadleaf treecover to large parts of the settlementarea, particularly to front boundariesElevated reservoirs and open flood plainto the north form an important bufferbetweenMolesey andWalton and createkey entry-points to the residentialsuburbsStrongly defined gateways to thesettlement area (in-part by railway andriver)el

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Two designated conservation areas-Riverside and Church Street/BridgeStreet and the Grade I listed Old ManorHouse (1)

Fewer street trees when compared withother parts of the BoroughMuch extension and alteration of existinghousing stock.Some areas of high architectural qualitysuch as Ashley Park and elsewhere asisolated groups or individual houses(parts of Sidney Road, Kings Road andManor Road environs)

Walton Methodist Church

Issues identified from the CommunityWorkshops

It was generally felt that there werea number of important potentialredevelopment sites, some currentlylight industrial, within and to theedge of the town centre whichneeded careful consideration, butcould provide significant benefits interms of sustainable development,located close to a vibrant andsuccessful town centre.Potential development sites willoften include historic buildings ortheir setting which need to becarefully considered.

Local Landmarks

As featured on settlement map

A. The Heart, Walton Town Centre

B. Spire, Walton on Thames MethodistChurch, Terrace Road

C. Former Grade II listed Birds EyeOffices, Station Avenue

3.5 The following maps can be viewed inmore detail using the Council's interactivemapping system 'My Elmbridge' which islocated on the Elmbridge Borough Councilhomepage

1 To find out more about these conservation areas please see http://www.elmbridge.gov.uk/planning/heritage/ConAreas.htm

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The Sub-areas

WAL01: Town Centre

Overview

3.6 This is a complex mixed use area,recently the subject of major redevelopment,and is divided into two sections;

- the older core of Walton comprising the HighStreet and Church Street to the north (part ofwhich is designated as a conservation area)

- 'The Heart' and Wellington Close to thesouth and west

3.7 From medieval origins, the High Streetand Church Street sections of the sub-areaadd to the high quality bespoke retail spacesto the south.

3.8 Prior to the 1920s much of the southside of the High Street formed the edge ofAshley Park with houses to the northconverted at ground floor to provide shops.

3.9 The relatively modest domestic scaleand fine grain of early development stillsurvives in the High Street and Church Streetsections of this sub-area.

High Street, Walton

3.10 To the older sections of the towncentre two and two and a half storey buildingsare commonplace.

3.11 'The Heart' is at a far larger scaleextending to seven storeys in places with theflats adjacent to Wellington Close extendingto ten storeys.

Wellington Close flats

3.12 This area has a very strong urbancharacter and has the highest density ofhousing and mixed uses within Elmbridge.

3.13 There is a high degree of architecturalquality and articulation in old and newbuildings and a vibrant mix of commercial,retail, cafes, restaurants and residential uses.

3.14 This is a hard edged urban core withvery little tree cover. Where this is found, itis focused on areas such as the cemetery andnorthern edges of the cricket ground whichborders the town centre.

3.15 Open space is a combination of hardsurface public realm and other green spacefor example the cemetery and cricket ground.

3.16 Despite the significant redevelopmentof the town centre there remains a relativelyhigh number of statutory listed buildings andpart of theWalton Conservation Area (ChurchStreet/Bridge Street) falls within this sub-area.

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Grade II listed buildings, Church Street

3.17 A number of buildings of local interest,and a small number of locally listed buildings,are also to be found within this sub-area forexample the Old Library and former SchoolMaster's House to the south of the towncentre.

Opportunities

3.18 There are significant developmentopportunities within this sub-area. CaseStudy CS5 and CS6will be of most relevancein this part of the Borough.

WAL02: Manor Road environs

Overview

3.19 This sub-area is almost entirelyresidential with the notable exception of theGrade II listed converted barn and complexwhich make up the Riverhouse CommunityArts Centre and the Walton Day Centre,Manor Road.

3.20 There is a cluster of popular publichouses on the waterside and Manor Road.

Thames Street, a mix of house types from17th to 20th century

3.21 The road layout and network of paths,particularly the access points to the riverside,are likely to date from the medieval periodand in this respect they provide a frameworkfor development which has occurred at ahigher density than other parts of Walton andresulted in an attractive fine urban grain.

3.22 Notable views of this part of the towncan be had from the north side of the river.The skyline is particularly evident andsensitive to change in these views.

3.23 Houses are generally of a modestscale, two storey, with some older propertieswith dormer windows. There is much use andconversion of roof spaces with the use ofrooflights and dormers.

Roof lights and dormer windows to DaleRoad

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3.24 A series of flatted developments to theriverside at three storeys add to the range ofbuildings in this older part of the Borough andare well-landscaped for the most part withtrees.

3.25 This area is generally referred to as'Old Walton' and its Thameside relatedactivities (which include a number of rowingclubs) is part of its essential character.

3.26 The scale of the buildings, changes inlevel, and the mature trees are features whichgive this small but well-defined area a specialcharacter which is reflected in its partialconservation area status.

Specific issues raised at theCommunity Workshop

The insertion of oversized andinappropriately placed dormerwindows to roof extensions washighlighted as a particular issue inthis sub-area.

Opportunities

3.27 Given the already high density andfine grained character of established and oftenhistoric built form, development opportunitiesare likely to be limited.

3.28 In light of the issues raised at thecommunity workshop, roof extensions anddormer windows will require sensitive design.Please see the Home Extensions CompanionGuide for further advice.

3.29 Any future development located closeto the river frontage should take into accountspecific design advice featured in section 6on riverside development.

WAL03: North of Terrace Road

Overview

3.30 This sub-area is residential to the northof Terrace Road.

3.31 Terrace Road itself is a major gatewayinto Walton on Thames, with mixed usedevelopment, mostly comprising shops withresidential above or purpose built units whichinclude offices and services.

3.32 This local centre (between RussellRoad and Sunbury Lane) is a very distinctand well-used section of the sub-area andserves the relatively high density residentialareas which lead off forming a tight grid ofstreets and cross streets.

Local centre, Terrace Road

3.33 The exception to this is the moderndevelopment, Thamesmead, which is offsetfrom the grid creating triangular spaces alongthe plan.

3.34 To the north of this is a nine storeyblock of flats, which contrasts with theestablished late Victorian scale and grain ofthis sub-area.

Thamesview House

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3.35 Beyond the building is an open spacestretching to the riverside. Along with anumber of access points from roads adjacentto the River and tow path, this open spaceprovides public access to the River Thames,enabling pedestrians and cyclists to avoidbusy roads into and out of the town centre.

3.36 Houses are generally two storey andsemi-detached.

3.37 The occasional narrow detachedhouse is found and there are a series of shortterraces to parts of some streets.

3.38 The building line is consistentthroughout and strongly defines views alongthese streets.

3.39 A key characteristic of this sub-areais the fine grain and consistency to plot sizeand ratio, but with subtle variation to groupsof houses; some with gables on to the street;somewith bays to the ground floor; and othersin short terraces with modest architecturaldetailing.

Sunbury Lane

3.40 The richness of variation to individualand groups of houses, combined with thegrid-like streets, forms a distinctive townscapethroughout this sub-area.

Opportunities

3.41 Development is likely to take the formof infill (see Case Study CS3) or possiblyinvolve land to the rear of shopping areas(Case Study CS4).

WAL04: Cottimore Lane and St Johnsenvirons

Overview

3.42 This sub-area is mostly medium tohigh density inter-war and post-war housesand flats.

3.43 Houses are generally two storey withlimited articulation and mostly pitch roofsfacing the roadside, although there are somegroups of gable to roadside houses (usuallyolder properties), which provide interest in thestreetscape.

3.44 Flatted development is generally foundin clusters, particularly the group of three,eight storey blocks at Vicarage Fields to thefar east bordering the Queen Elizabeth IIreservoir, which are local landmarks, and tothe St Johns area to the south.

Flats to St Johns Drive

3.45 The building line to most houses isclose to the back of pavement with only smallfront gardens between the roadside andfrontage.

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3.46 There has been a loss of frontboundary walls and the use of gardens forparking spaces. This has had a significanteffect on the character of some streets withinthis sub-area.

Front gardens replaced with parking,Carlton Road

3.47 Whilst there are hedges andornamental trees within front gardens, thereis a lack of mature trees and no grass verges.

Specific issues raised at theCommunity Workshop

Loss of front boundaries andgardens to parking spaces.

Opportunities

3.48 This sub-area could potentiallyaccommodate a range of development fromsmall scale flatted development, replacementbuildings and sub-division of larger plotswhere they survive. Case Studies CS1 andCS2 will be particularly relevant.

WAL05: Homefield (Field Common)

Overview

3.49 This sub-area is separated from theremaining residential suburbs of Walton, andsurrounded by the reservoirs to the west and

east, although their presence is not apparentuntil almost immediately adjacent to theirgrass banks.

3.50 Homefield functions almost as aseparate local centre. It has a small paradeof shops and a strong community spirit.

3.51 Post-war housing development is seton an informal grid of streets with cul-de-sacsleading from amain feeder road which servesthe whole development.

3.52 Houses are two storey, mostlysemi-detached, but some are on shortterraces and set around communal greenspaces.

3.53 There is a distinct openness to thedevelopment within this sub-area, with openboundaries and limited tree cover, althoughthere are some street trees to wide grassverges and mature hedges to some houses.

Field Common Lane

3.54 Recently, a large part of the OakbankAvenue has been redeveloped, replacingsubstandard housing with a mix of flats andhouses.

Opportunities

3.55 Development is likely to take the formof infill to existing established patterns ofmedium to high density and redevelopmentof existing buildings.

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3.56 In this grid-like street layout, the roleof proposed development will be important.For guidance on this please see the diagramsat section 5 on the roles within thestreetscape in addition to case study CS3.

WAL06: Rydens

Overview

3.57 This sub-area is almost whollyresidential.

3.58 It is mostly characterised by small,low-rise two storey detached andsemi-detached houses interspersed withsome flats. These are generally three storey,often with flat roofs.

Flats to St Martins Drive

3.59 A notable exception in terms of scaleis the private estate south of Rydens Roadbounded by Crofton Avenue, Shaldon Wayand the railway. Within these roads there isa concentration of bungalows with somechalet style housing. This is one of the largerareas of this type of housing in the Borough,and is quite distinctive.

Bungalows to Crofton Avenue

3.60 A notable characteristic of this part ofthe Walton is the green front boundaries andrear gardens with mature broad leaf trees toboth, often making a significant positivecontribution to the public realm.

3.61 Grass verges and street trees inplaces add to the verdant qualities of thestreet scene.

Rydens Road

Opportunities

3.62 Within this medium density residentialarea, new development might beaccommodated through sub division (CaseStudy CS2) or redevelopment of brownfieldsites (See Case Study CS3).

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WAL07: The Halfway

Overview

3.63 This part of the settlement area isparticularly distinctive in terms of its mix ofolder buildings, varied uses and presence ofthe railway bridge which effectively acts as awell-defined ‘gateway’ to the Waltonsettlement area.

Shops in Hersham Road

3.64 This important local centre comprisesindependent shops, cafes and restaurants inaddition to a garage and car sales, fire stationand petrol station. This mix of uses meansthat there is constant activity, movement andinterest which makes for a dynamictownscape.

Mixed use character of this part ofHersham Road

3.65 The older shops, with flats and someoffice accommodation above, have baywindows and Dutch style ogee gables frontingthe roadside.

3.66 Occasional mature trees, some ofthem specimen trees particularly towards therailway line, add some valuable greenery tothe street scene.

3.67 Views north along HershamRoad intosub-area WAL09 are notable for their densegreen borders to the roadside in contrast tothe hard edges of built form at The Halfway.

View looking north from Station Avenue/Hersham Road junction

Opportunities

3.68 Development within this sub-area islikely to have a mixed use character. Casestudies CS4, CS5 and CS6may be relevant.

WAL08: Station Avenue environs

Overview

3.69 This sub-area comprises Walton onThames rail station, which sits on an area ofland to the north of the railway dissected byStation Avenue.

3.70 To the north, flatted development(including maisonettes) has replaced oldervillas to this part of the settlement area. Theseare all set back from the road generally incommunal green spaces with some treescreening from Station Avenue.

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Flats to Trafalgar Drive leading off StationAvenue

3.71 To the south of Station Avenue is alarge office development dating from the1960s. This building is Grade II listed. Ofparticular note is the integral landscapingincluding a long pool and abstract sculptureof flying birds fronting the roadside elevation.

Former Birds Eye Foods Offices

3.72 Elsewhere there is some evidence ofarchitectural innovation and experimentation,with developments having asymmetrical roofprofiles and reflecting much of the use ofmaterials and architectural simplicity of theSpanDevelopments (seen in nearbyOatlandsPark (see WEY06) and sharing some of thespatial qualities of these developments.

3.73 This area, when compared withadjacent sub-areas, has a mixed use.

3.74 The station, car sales showroom andgarage area, offices and flats are all separateand could potentially have an improvedrelationship with the road and public realm.

3.75 What is notable is the very high degreeof tree cover, almost throughout, making fora pleasant public realm.

Opportunities

3.76 The area has good public transportand high density development may beappropriate in some circumstances.

3.77 For guidance on achieving high qualityreplacement buildings for flatteddevelopments please see Case Study CS1.

3.78 For specific design guidance on thedesign of future commercial developmentplease see section 6.

WAL09: Sidney Road environs

Overview

3.79 This sub-area comprises largelyresidential development, with a number ofsmall schools and older buildings which havebeen converted to institutional and officeuses.

3.80 There is a lower density of built formto much of this area with some large and verylarge houses set in generous regular plots.

3.81 Mostly two and two and a half storeydetached houses but some semi-detached.

3.82 Most houses are set back from theroadside in gardens with side access anddriveways providing off street parking.

3.83 Boundaries are generally mature andlandscaped and often contain a mix ofbroadleaf and ornamental trees.

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Sidney Road

3.84 The road layout is on an irregular gridof mostly long straight, partly tree-lined,streets forming part of the early 20th centuryexpansion of the town with later 20th centuryinfill.

3.85 There are some individual houses ofhigh architectural quality.

3.86 Varying degrees of articulation to theroadside, including projecting gabled baysand more modest canted and bowed baysand porches are common.

Houses to Sidney Road/Bowes Roadjunction

3.87 To the north-west corner of thesub-area, the Winchester Road environs is aVictorian extension to the town and comprisesa regular grid of streets running parallel andperpendicular to the High Street. Most houseshere are two/two and a half storey mix of

detached and semi-detached units set backfrom the roadside generally at a fine grain,and higher density to the rest of the sub-area.

Specific issues raised at theCommunity Workshop

Insertion of oversized rooflights anddormers to front roof slopesOn-street parking in places givesfront gardens a clutteredappearance

Opportunities

3.88 The Sidney Road environs, with thepossible exception of the older roads adjacentto the town centre, may offer someopportunities for new development of housesor flats (Case Study CS1).

3.89 Roof extensions and on street parkingprovision will require sensitive design in lightof the comments made at the communityworkshop. Please see theHome ExtensionsCompanion Guide for advice.

WAL10: Ashley Road environs (AshleyPark)

Overview

3.90 This sub-area originated as thegrounds of Ashley House, built 1602-7 anddemolished in 1929 with half acre plots soldfrom 1930.

3.91 It is a private estate but has AshleyRoad passing through the centre (the B365)which is a busy thoroughfare leading to oneof the few railway crossing places which linksWalton to the major road networks to thesouth.

3.92 The sub-area comprises largedetached houses set in regular generousplots.

3.93 Houses often have significant opengreen space to their curtilage.

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3.94 There is generally a fixed building linebut the presence of landscaped boundariesand mature trees and tree groups, combinedwith the often gentle curve of roads, gives aninformal feel to the area.

3.95 It is semi-rural in places with mosthouses at least partially obscured byvegetation and tree cover.

Adelaide Road

3.96 Some of the older houses show aconfident and bold use of vernacular materialsand characteristics, particularly the use offaux timber framing and controlling themassing of buildings through articulation ofthe roof, possibly incorporating projectinggables and catslide roofs over garageextensions.

Houses to Ashley Road

3.97 The cricket ground to the northernedge links this sub-area with the town centre(WAL01) and is an important, attractivetree-lined green amenity space.

Opportunities

3.98 Development could take the form ofthe replacement of existing buildings (CaseStudy CS1) or possibly sub-division of plots(Case Study CS2), subject to carefulconsideration of the established low densitygrain of existing development.

WAL11: Oatlands Park (part – see WEY09)

3.99 Please see the description forWEY09of which this small extension in the WaltonSettlement area forms part.

WAL12: Hersham Industrial Estate

Overview

3.100 This sub-area comprises a smallindustrial estate to the edge of the residentialarea, adjacent to the railway line and setaround a grid of roads with two access andegress points but no through road.

3.101 Units are set out on small to mediumsized plots often surrounded by hardstandingused for parking or storage.

3.102 There is generally anoffice/administration block of two or threestoreys to the roadside, usually brick with aflat roof with large profile metal or asbestoscement sheeting clad industrial spacesbehind.

3.103 These are mainly used for lightindustrial and manufacturing with somestorage and distribution.

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Lyon Road, Hersham Industrial Estate

Opportunities

3.104 This area is strategic employmentland and unlikely to be redeveloped in theshort term.

3.105 For design guidance on the designof future commercial development please seesection 6.

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