flaybrick cemetery ca management plan - wirral council and building/built... · 3.2.6 the flaybrick...

DONALD INSALL ASSOCIATES LTD, Bridgegate House, 5 Bridge Place, Chester, CH1 1SA Tel: 01244 350063 email: [email protected] web: www.insall-lon.co.uk

DONALD INSALL ASSOCIATES LTD, Bridgegate House, 5 Bridge Place, Chester, CH1 1SA Tel: 01244 350063 email: [email protected] web: www.insall-lon.co.uk

FLAYBRICK CEMETERY CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL AND MANAGEMENT PLAN

PART 2 – CONSERVATION AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN Prepared for Wirral Council by Donald Insall Associates Ltd 2007 – Wirral Council 2009

FLAYBRICK CEMETERY CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL & MANAGEMENT PLAN

Donald Insall Associates Ltd Page 1 of 16

PART 2 – CONSERVATION AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN CONTENTS 1.0 ROLE OF THE MANAGEMENT PLAN AND IMPLEMENTATION 2.0 SUMMARY OF SPECIAL CHARACTER 3.0 ISSUES AND POLICIES 3.1 Unitary Development Plan and Policy Framework 3.2 Community and Resources 3.3 Managing a Living Landscape 3.4 Buildings, Structures and Monuments 4.0 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BOUNDARY AMENDMENTS AND PROVISION OF

ARTICLE 4 DIRECTIONS

FLAYBRICK CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL & MANAGEMENT PLAN


1.0 ROLE OF THE MANAGEMENT PLAN AND IMPLEMENTATION 1.1 At this stage of the process the Management Plan is an agenda for future action

and consideration. This part of the document relies on the analysis contained in the appraisal to set out the issues and negative factors affecting both the private and public realm. As such it is the first stage in a management plan process which will refine the plan through further consultation, joint officer working and budgetary request.

1.2 It is recommended that the Appraisal, as an audit of the Conservation Area, is

adopted by the Council and used as a material consideration in determining any planning applications within or affecting the setting of the conservation area. The Management Plan should be adopted for the time being pending further consultation with the local Conservation Area Advisory Committees and further review. In accord with English Heritage guidance, the Appraisal and Management Plan should be reviewed every five years. This review process may be tied into that of the key Local Development Framework documents to ensure consistency in approach and referencing.

2.0 SUMMARY OF SPECIAL CHARACTER 2.1 The following is a list of features and information that are part of

Conservation Area’s special character:

� Flaybrick is a fine and substantially intact example of a mid 19th century public cemetery.

� The cemetery is the work of one of the great landscape designers of the 19th century, Edward Kemp.

� The cemetery incorporates the work of locally important architects Lucy and Littler

� Within the cemetery are memorials to people of international, national and local significance.

� The main buildings and structures are designed as a group using the same materials, mainly local sandstone, and Gothic Revival architectural language. The majority of the buildings survive and their group value is intact.

� There are a variety of monuments within the cemetery, of wide social, cultural, artistic and geological interest.

� The planting is mature and substantially intact. It typifies many aspects of mid Victorian landscape design and botanical fashion.

� Extensive woodland and mature trees inside and outside the conservation area are important to its character and appearance.

� Several individual trees and the collection as a whole is of national interest.

� The cemetery is an area of local importance to wildlife. � There are expansive views out of the conservation area, as well as areas

of seclusion and enclosure.



� The cemetery provides a valuable local resource for leisure, education and local identity.

3.0 ISSUES, POLICIES AND RECOMMENDED ACTIONS 3.1 UNITARY DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND POLICY FRAMEWORK 3.1.1 Flaybrick Cemetery is a designated Conservation Area and contains a

number of Listed Buildings. Section 11 of Wirral Council’s Unitary Development Plan (UDP) contains a range of policies relating to the historic environment. Those of particular relevance to Flaybrick are CH1 (Listed Buildings and Structures), CH2 (Development in Conservation Areas), CH3 (Control of Demolition in Conservation Areas), CH23 (Flaybrick Cemetery Conservation Area Policies) and CH 26 (Preservation of Historic Parks and Gardens).

3.1.2 CH23 states that “In relation to Flaybrick Cemetery Conservation Area the

principal planning objectives for the area will be to: i) retain the quiet character and landscape quality of the early of the early

Victorian cemetery; ii) preserve extensive views of Birkenhead and across the River Mersey to

Liverpool; iii) retain unifying features, such as stone walls and railings, symmetrical

composition and the Gothic style of chapels and lodges; and iv) preserve the visual dominance and style of the main processional

avenue. New development within the main cemetery area will be restricted to small

scale facilities required for visitors or for cemetery maintenance”. 3.1.3 The cemetery is designated as Urban Greenspace within the UDP. The

relavant UDP policies are GRE1 (Strategic Policy for the Protection of Urban Greenspace), GR1 (The Protection of Urban Greenspace) and GR2 item 14 (Land Designated as Urban Greenspace). Policies relevant to the setting of the conservation area include GR2 items 10 – 13 and policy GR3 (The Protection of Allotments) since these protect woodland and allotments adjacent to the cemetery from inappropriate development.

3.1.3 As well as the Unitary Development Plan Wirral Council has produced

Flaybrick Memorial Garden Management Plan and Security Audit, 2007 - 2011. This was written by the Parks and Countryside Service within the Department of Regeneration. It uses the CABESpace model for park management plans.

3.1.4 Management of the cemetery is the responsibility of the Department of

Regeneration Parks and Countryside. This Department is responsible for day to day management, delegated via Parks Managers to the Sexton, and



also for strategic management via the Parks Development Officers and for access and interpretation through the Parks Rangers.

3.1.5 The following policies are intended to augment the aims, objectives and

action plan within the Memorial Garden Management Plan and identify ways in which different stakeholders can contribute to the preservation and enhancement of the cemetery conservation area in line with the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act and Planning Policy Guidance Note (PPG) 15.

3.1.6 Within the policy recommendations priorities are identified. Immediate

indicates actions that can be taken now. Medium term indicates within 1 - 2 years and long term is used to indicate work that should begin within 5 years but may continue into the future. Ongoing is used to indicate activities that are or should become part of regular management rather than one off projects.

DESIGNATION OF LAND WITHIN UDP Issue Location

The future re-designation of land in or around the conservation area through revisions to the Unitary Development Plan may be detrimental to its character or setting

Throughout

Policy recommendation

Any future re-designation of land within or around the conservation area should be considered in terms the effects on of its special character and setting.

Action Priority

• Consider special character of the Flaybrick Cemetery Conservation Area before any proposed changes of policy

Medium-long-term

URBAN GREENSPACE POLICY Issue Location

The application of Urban Greenspace policy to development of land or buildings within the conservation area or affecting its setting may overlook the need to preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the conservation area.

Throughout


• In the application of Policies GR1, GR2 and GR3 the effects of any proposals on the special character and appearance of the conservation area and its setting should be strong material considerations

Action Priority

• Consider the special character of the Flaybrick Cemetery Conservation Area in the application of policy

Immediate / ongoing



NATIONAL AND LOCAL CONSERVATION POLICIES Issue Location

Policies CH1, CH2, CH3, CH23 and CH26 together with the guidance in PPG15, may not always be rigorously applied, resulting in development or changes to buildings, structures and monuments which are detrimental to the character of the conservation area.

Throughout


• Ensure that all new development and management practices within the conservation area comply with polices CH1, CH2, CH3, CH23 and CH26 together with the relevant sections of PPG15.

Action Priority

• Improve allocated resources and knowledge of management and maintenance staff in relation to conservation policy.

• Improve allocated resources and knowledge of planning staff to ensure that proper consideration is given to these issues in applications.

• Rigorous inspection of planning, conservation area and listed building consent applications.

Immediate / ongoing

3.4.7 Section 4 of this Appraisal and Management Plan discusses Article 4

directions. 3.2 COMMUNITY AND RESOURCES 3.2.1 Flaybrick Cemetery is fortunate in having an active and well established

voluntary organisation dedicated to its conservation, recording and wider enjoyment. The Friends of Flaybrick have been established for around 15 years. In that time they have successfully raised the local, national and international standing of the cemetery, carried out valuable research and recording, enabled the public to benefit from guided walks and information leaflets, lobbied the Council and bodies such as the Police to deal with specific problems, commissioned feasibility studies for the redundant chapel, sought funding and set up an informative web site.

3.2.2 In collaboration with Wirral Council they are hosting the AGM of the

Association of Significant Cemeteries in Europe in September 2008. In preparation for this event Flaybrick Cemetery has benefited from enhanced resource allocation and a number of major maintenance issues have been successfully tackled.

3.2.3 The Council Rangers are actively involved in local community projects,

especially work with young people, which have resulted in a wide range of educational benefits, the production of leaflets and arts projects such as a highly acclaimed musical drama.

3.2.4 The cemetery is well used by local people as a public park, for dog walking

and strolling, as its original designers intended. Many graves are still



tended and it remains a place of mourning and remembrance. Its potential as a resource for family and local history research is immense. The biodiversity of Flaybrick Cemetery has been described in Sections 3.4 and 3.5.

3.2.5 It must also be recognised that not all members of the local community

value the cemetery. High levels of social and economic exclusion in adjoining residential areas contribute to antisocial and destructive behaviour in the cemetery. This poses threats to the fabric of the cemetery and its users.

3.2.6 The Flaybrick Memorial Gardens Management Plan identifies that

resources are an issue for the cemetery. This includes the numbers of staff, their skills and training, strategic funding and long term management planning.

3.2.7 The following policies relate to maximising the existing human resource

potential and ensuring that the needs of existing and potential users of Flaybrick Cemetery are met. Longer term planning is discussed further in Sections 3.3 and 3.4 below.

HUMAN RESOURCES Issue Location

The level of staffing, their skills and the training they receive may be inadequate to maintain the cemetery to the desired standard for a site of such conservation value or to plan adequately for its future.

Throughout

Policy recommendations

• Increase the numbers and expertise of maintenance and management staff.

Action Priority

• Ensure that a staff presence and maintenance facilities remain on site.

• Assess existing skills and offer training to fill any skills gap

• Assess the numbers of staff required and allocate additional resources

• Bring in additional human resources for occasional specialist work as required

• Ensure that sufficient financial resources are allocated

• Consider the use of volunteer labour

Medium term / ongoing



SECURITY Issue Location

High levels of vandalism and antisocial behaviour have existed in the past and lower levels of vandalism still continue.

Throughout


• Continue existing policies and practices in relation to security.

• Ensure that evidence of antisocial activity is cleared away.

Action Priority

• Dusk to dawn lockdown and regular patrols by community police should be maintained

• Clear litter, fly tipping and graffiti more frequently to ensure that the cemetery is patently “cared for”.

• Continue existing practice in relation to staking/ lying down of stones and low key signs relating to dangerous monuments.

• Maintain contacts with relevant agencies and prepare action plan in case of future escalation in vandalism

• Offer support and advice to residents of Lodges if required

• Ensure that a staff presence and maintenance facilities remain on site.

Immediate / ongoing

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Issue Location

Voluntary sector may not be utilised to its full potential. The potential of the cemetery for enhancing local identity may be underestimated.

Throughout


• Continue and increase cooperation with The Friends of Flaybrick

• Support community projects

• Make conservation area information readily available to residents, for instance making appraisals /management plans available in local libraries (or other well used public buildings), and on the internet.

Action Priority

• Consider the use of volunteer labour. This might include work using special skills and knowledge within the community such as research and recording, or tasks requiring a low skill level such as litter picking and scrub clearance.

• Make use of the voluntary sector’s great potential in securing match funding for a variety of conservation and education projects.

• Continue and increase support for work carried out by the Rangers and Friends with local schools and other non-conservation based groups

Immediate / ongoing (community projects)

Medium term and ongoing (increased liaison and availability of information).



• Dialogue between local authority, residents groups, landowners and other agencies.

PUBLIC INFORMATION AND FACILITIES Issue Location

People may be unaware of Flaybrick Cemetery as a leisure resource and visitors that do use the cemetery lack basic facilities.


• Increase the level of local information available about Flaybrick in conjunction with Bidston Hill and the urban farm

• Provide high quality and well designed signage, seating and discreetly located litter bins.

Action Priority

• Provide signs, information boards and leaflets relating to the cemetery at the nearby Tam O’Shanter urban farm and car park.

• Provide additional information in and adjacent to the cemetery about the facilities at the Tam O’ Shanter farm and Bidston Hill.

• Provide limited bench seating and litter bins within the cemetery, carefully designed and located so that they do not become a focus for antisocial behaviour or adversely affect the character or appearance of the cemetery, in accordance with UDP and national policies.

• Consider the provision of dog waste bins. The location of any such bins should be most carefully considered, including positions close to but outside the cemetery.

Medium term (leaflets and signage)

Long term (other facilities)

3.3 MANAGING A L IVING LANDSCAPE 3.3.1 In Section 6.3 the need for a long term management strategy for the

landscape as a whole and the mature trees in particular was identified. Planted landscapes are living and dynamic. Their designers might have anticipated a long period of time when the planting matured and the landscape could be maintained in a relatively static state. Historic photographs suggest that this plateau was achieved for the later part of the 19th and first part of the 20th centuries. However 150 years of plant growth, varying levels of maintenance and periods of major social and economic change mean that the cemetery is not now in a static state.

3.3.2 The essence of a significant landscape can and should be preserved, but the

individual living components which make it up will change over time. The use society makes of that landscape will also change. Managing these changes requires considerable skill and long term planning. At Flaybrick the key components of the living landscape are the structural planting of avenues, clumps and belts along with the smaller number of specimen trees.



3.3.3 Long term planning for replanting of any diseased, damaged and over mature trees is required. As well as this long view, day to day maintenance of grass and shrubs and decisions about self seeded trees and scrub need to be made in such a way as to ensure the preservation of the cemetery’s character and appearance.

3.3.4 New considerations about biodiversity, recreation, education, personal safety

and continued use of the landscape as a place of remembrance must also be sensitively accommodated.

ROUTINE MAINTENANCE Issue Location

Existing standards of maintenance might not be achieved if staff resources are reduced or additional tasks are required from the same staff.

Throughout


• Maintain or increase existing human resources within the cemetery

• Ensure that current standards are maintained in the formal Anglican / Non Conformist area, the south end of the picturesque RC area and Upper Quarry areas.

Action Priority

• Current levels of grass mowing, edging, clipping of avenues, cutting back vegetation which encroaches on paths and monuments and keeping ivy under control are essential for public confidence and should continue.

• Ensure that current resources are adequate to maintain existing levels of maintenance.

• Closely monitor levels of maintenance over the next 12 -24 months.

Immediate / ongoing

TREE WORKS Issue Location

Any major work to mature trees and avenues may have a detrimental affect on the overall design of the cemetery.

Throughout


• Only undertake emergency works necessary for health and safety until such time as a full landscape and tree management plan has been produced.

Action Priority

• Ensure that no additional crown lifting is carried out., either to trees growing in their natural form or to clipped trees such as the avenues of conical hollies.

• Ensure that no lopping or felling is carried out to mature trees and avenues except to ensure public health and safety

• No new planting in existing avenues or existing clumps and belts until full management plan is in place.

Immediate and medium term



NEW CLEARANCE WORK Issue Location

Further clearance of self seeded scrub or cutting back of overgrown shrubs and under planting may impose a strain on existing resources and inadvertently have a detrimental effect on the overall character and appearance of the conservation area.

Throughout, but especially Picturesque and Lower Quarry zones


• Do not plan further major clearance work in areas not already cleared until such time as a full landscape and tree management plan has been produced.

Action Priority

• Focus resources on maintaining areas already cleared. Immediate and medium term.

LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT PLAN Issue Location

The planted landscape features at Flaybrick Cemetery are reaching full maturity and elements of the design are vulnerable to loss through over maturity, disease, storm damage or poor decision making.


• Commission a full landscape conservation management plan, including a specific tree management plan, for the cemetery

Action Priority

• Allocate financial resources for a major study.

• Seek external match funding

• Fully research and issue an appropriate brief (for example the HLF model)

• Fully research and appoint suitable landscape, conservation and arboricultural advisors for the study.

• Allocate human and financial resources for implementation of any proposals and recommendations

Medium to long term



3.4 BUILDINGS , STRUCTURES AND MONUMENTS 3.4.1 Flaybrick cemetery contains three buildings, four gateways, an extensive

perimeter wall, numerous steps, retaining walls, terraces and ramps and something in the order of 10,000 monuments. This represents a considerable estate that requires repair and maintenance, ideally to a level commensurate with its architectural, social and historic status.

3.4.2 The central chapels, two lodges and four gateways at Flaybrick Cemetery are

listed buildings. The boundary wall which forms the curtilage to these buildings and is physically connected to the gateways is also considered to be a listed building. The same could also be said of the many retaining walls, terraces, ramps and steps, since they too are within the curtilage of the listed buildings. This includes the paved surface of the steps and ramps but not other paths or paved areas. Any work which affects their character may require listed building consent. Routine maintenance does not require consent, but stone cleaning, alterations or major repairs may do.

3.4.3 As a conservation area all the monuments within it are also subject to special

protection. Monuments dating from before 1925 cannot be removed, demolished or laid down without conservation area consent.

3.4.4 At present there is no regular inspection or maintenance strategy for the

buildings, structures and monuments. The two lodges are in private ownership and strictly speaking the monuments are owned by the families of the deceased or bodies such as the War Graves Commission. Work to monuments can only be carried out by the council when efforts to contact the owners have failed. The system for notification and subsequent work appears to be well established and properly implemented. All the other structures and buildings are the sole responsibility of the Borough Council. Repairs and inspections are currently carried out primarily in response to health and safety concerns.

3.4.5 The major issue for building management are the redundant central chapels.

These have been redundant for over thirty years and roofless for about half that time. The imposing spire was taken down, probably in the 1980s, and much of the demolished stone is now strewn within the chapels. Trees and shrubs are growing inside the buildings and taking root within the walls. Unlike Mediaeval masonry the walls are relatively thin and cannot long withstand full exposure to the elements.

3.4.6 A feasibility study for conversion of the chapels to a bat and tree study centre

has been undertaken. Measures to secure the buildings from vandalism and to prop the most vulnerable gables have been carried out. However the timescale for the reuse proposals is unknown and the condition of the chapels continues to deteriorate. Some further remedial work will be required if the ultimate costs of repair and reuse are to be manageable and



the historic significance of the buildings retained to the greatest possible degree.

BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES MAINTENANCE STRATEGY Issue Location

The major buildings, structures and hard surfaced areas do not benefit from regular condition surveys and are vulnerable to neglect, and unplanned or poorly executed repairs.

Chapels, lodges, gateways, walls, steps, ramps, terraces, paths, drives and entrance splays.


• Implement a regular (four or five yearly) regime of inspections with recommendations for planned repairs and maintenance.

Action Priority

• Allocate suitably skilled human resources for inspections

• Allocate financial resources for planned repairs and maintenance

• Ensure appropriate supervision of repair works

• Liaise with conservation officer over possible need for statutory consent and technical advice.

Medium term and ongoing

MAINTENANCE OF MONUMENTS Issue Location

The vast numbers, varied condition and uncertain ownership of the monuments poses a major challenge for their proper maintenance.

Throughout


• Continue the existing policy of laying down or staking unsafe headstones and their re-setting when staff resources allow

• Identify significant memorials for planned repair and maintenance.

Action Priority

• Ensure that all headstones laid down or staked are re-set on an annual basis.

• Consult with stakeholders over the identification of significant memorials for planned repair and maintenance.

• Include any such significant memorials within the buildings and structures maintenance strategy (see above).

Ongoing (for existing policy)

Medium to long term and ongoing (new policy for significant monuments)



CENTRAL CHAPELS CONSERVATION Issue Location

The central Anglican and Non Conformist chapels are suffering from accelerated decay and the cost of eventual repair and reuse is increasing rapidly.

Central Chapels


• Carry out inspection and implement “mothballing” works to the central Anglican and Non Conformist chapels

Action Priority


• Deal with self seeded trees and shrubs in the structure

• Review propping of vulnerable gables and chimneys

• Consider additional protection to wall heads and decorative features

Immediate

CENTRAL CHAPELS REUSE Issue Location

The timescale, detailed design and funding for the proposed reuse of the chapels are not yet established.

Central chapels


• Increase support for the reuse of the central chapels.

Action Priority

• Continue and increase dialogue with Friends of Flaybrick

• Offer human and/or financial resources to accelerate development of proposals

• Allocate human and financial resources for implementation of proposals

Medium term

USE AND CONDITION OF LODGES Issue Location

The Lodges are in private ownership and the owners may be unaware of listed building and conservation area legislation. The Main Lodge is especially vulnerable to vandalism.

Lodges


• Ensure that the owners are offered support and advice on the repair and maintenance of their buildings and their surrounding boundaries

• Take action to secure the buildings against neglect or unauthorised work.

Action Priority

• Parks and Countryside Service liaison with owners. Immediate / ongoing




• Under section 54 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, urgent works notices can be used to secure emergency or immediate repairs on any unoccupied listed building (or part of a building) at risk.

4.0 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BOUNDARY AMENDMENTS AND

PROVISION OF ARTICLE 4 DIRECTIONS 4.1 BOUNDARY AMENDMENT 4.1.1 The current boundary fully includes the extent of the historic cemetery and

covers all buildings of interest within it. The boundary is clearly defined by the physical perimeter of the cemetery. It is therefore recommended that the boundary does not change.

4.2 ARTICLE 4 DIRECTIONS 4.2.1 The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order

1995 allows building owners to carry out a range of minor developments without planning consent subject to limits and conditions. These ‘permitted development’ rights are automatically limited within conservation areas: restrictions include the addition of dormer windows, various types of cladding, the erection of satellite dishes fronting a highway and the reduction in the size of extensions.

4.2.2 Article 4 of the General Permitted Development Order enables local

authorities to withdraw some specified permitted development rights on buildings or land, such as removal of a chimney, changes around the front boundary of a building, construction of porches, painting of houses or removal of architectural features such as windows and doors. Local authorities must notify local people and take account of their opinions before confirming an Article 4 direction and in certain instances obtain approval from the Secretary of State.

4.2.3 Article 4 directions are not just automatic consequence of conservation area

designation, but should be borne out of a careful assessment of what is of special interest within an area and should be preserved. Permitted development rights should only be withdrawn where there is evidence to prove that such development would damage the character of a conservation area and is currently taking place.



4.2.4 In the case of Flaybrick, there are currently no article 4 directions. Since all the main buildings and structures are listed, either directly or as cartilage structures and the majority of monuments are already protected by their location within a conservation area it is not recommended that any Article 4 directions should be introduced.

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