Conservation Area: Great Houghton Conservation Area (DNN12305)

The conservation area consists mainly of well maintained residential properties although the irregular shape of some plots has led to small parcels of land being neglected. There is a mixture of building materials within the conservation area. The older buildings along the High Street and Cherry Tree Lane are generally built in stone whilst the more recent dwellings between High Street and Willow Lane are built in old red brick. The visual impact of bricks is lessened to an appreciable extent by the stone walls which are found on at least one side of all roads in the approved conservation area. The village as a whole is loosely knit together, many of the significant buildings like the school and the rectory having large gardens. This lack of unity has been compensated by the many groups of trees within the conservation area which bind the village together and create important features in the landscape of the village. So far no Tree Preservation Orders have been made within the conservation area. The significant area of open space is that by the War Memorial and the green by the Cross. In addition there are a number of undeveloped and incidental open spaces within the approved conservation area. There are large gardens to the Preparatory school and the Rectory: several of the dwellings have large gardens and there is open grazing land off Cherry Tree Lane. Applications for planning permission for residential infilling within the village have generally been resisted in the past. The open space adjoining the war memorial is an area that has been subject to similar pressure. As commercial premises within the approved conservation area are confined to the two public houses, the village shop and a builders yard, advertisement signs are not prominent, and none are detrimental to the appearance of the area. Overhead cables in the High Street are rather unsightly and present an obtrusive element. The garden of No. 20 Willow Lane, a corner plot, is used as a builders yard and is detrimental to the appearance of this part of the village. The land opposite to No. 20 is an open area previously used as a transport contractors depot. From the village there are impressive outward views north and west across and along the valley of the River Nene and of the town beyond. To the east, the view is of open countryside along the valley to the villages of Ecton and beyond to Earls Barton on the skyline.

Record last edited

Jan 19 2009 10:47AM