Thurrock Council - Character Appraisal - East Tilbury

East TilburyConservationArea

Character AppraisalMarch 2007

Index Page

Introduction 1

Planning Policy Framework 2

Social and Architectural History 3

The Estate today 6

The five discreet areas 8

• The Central Core

• Factory Site and Bata Avenue

• The Avenues (The flat roof houses on Thomas Bata, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Coronation and Queen Mary Avenues)

• The Crescents (The pitched roof houses on Princess, Gloucester and Queen Mary Avenues and Farm Road)

• Princess Margaret Road

Community Involvement 13

Boundary changes 13

Management considerations 13

Appendices

Appendix 1 - Thurrock Borough Local Plan 1997 – 14Conservation area policies

Appendix 2 - Listed buildings in East Tilbury Conservation Area 15as shown in the 17th list of Buildings of Special Architecturalor Historic Interest (as at January 2007)

www.thurrock.gov.uk

East Tilbury Conservation Area - Character Appraisal

Introduction

East Tilbury (Bata) Conservation Area was designated in 1993.

The designation of a conservation area should not be seen asan end in itself. It is important that conservation areas areregularly reviewed and the preparation of a characterappraisal is a part of this process. An appraisal should beregarded as an opportunity to re-assess a conservation areaand to evaluate its special interest and significance. It is thedefining of special interest that is the main purpose of theappraisal. The appraisal should also provide a basis for makingsustainable decisions about the future of the conservationarea through the development of managementconsiderations.

The core of the appraisal is the definition of the specialinterest of the East Tilbury (Bata) Conservation Area and this isintended to provide a vivid, succinct picture of how it is todaytogether with an evaluation of its key characteristics.

Reference is made to the relevant national and local planningpolicy framework. An outline is provided of the steps thathave been taken to involve the local community and otherinterested parties in the preparation of the appraisal.

The Conservation Area boundary remains unaltered. Anindication of management considerations is providedaddressing the issues arising from the appraisal.

It is emphasised that no appraisal can ever be fullycomprehensive and the omission of any particular building,feature or space should not be taken to imply that it is of nointerest.

1

Planning Policy Framework

A conservation area is an ‘area of Special Architectural orHistoric Interest, the character or appearance of which it isdesirable to preserve or enhance’ (Planning (Listed Buildingsand Conservation Areas) Act 1990). Designation places certainduties upon local planning authorities. They must review the‘special interest’ of their areas from time to time and alsoconsider whether new conservation areas should bedesignated.

The Adopted Thurrock Borough Local Plan 1997 forms part ofthe development plan for Thurrock and provides the basis fordecisions on land use planning. It contains policies regardingthe designation, review and enhancement of conservationareas, together with guidance relating to the control ofdevelopment within them. These Local Plan policies areoutlined in Appendix 1.

The Council is currently preparing its Local DevelopmentFramework. This will be a range of documents containingpolicies and proposals to guide the future development anduse of land in Thurrock up to 2021, including those relating toconservation areas. It will form part of the statutorydevelopment plan and will replace the Local Plan.

With regard to the control of development withinconservation areas the Town and Country Planning (GeneralPermitted Development) Order 1995, requires that planningapplications be made for certain types of development whichare elsewhere considered to be ‘permitted development’. Thisincludes various types of cladding; the insertion of dormerwindows into roof slopes; the erection of satellite dishes onwalls, roofs or chimneys fronting a highway; and theinstallation of radio masts and antennae. The size of houseand industrial extensions that may be carried out inconservation areas without a specific grant of planningpermission is also more restricted.

www.thurrock.gov.uk2

Social and architectural history

East Tilbury is situated in the eastern half of the boroughof Thurrock in Essex. It lies midway between the historicsettlement of Mucking and the modern settlement ofChadwell St. Mary. Developed on former farmland, it isvery close to the river Thames.

The Conservation Area consists of the former factorycomplex of the British Bata Shoe Company and a largehousing development of some 352 houses in a ‘gardenvillage’ setting. This planned settlement was designed byarchitects of international importance from Zlin inMoravia (now in the Czech Republic) and home of theparent shoe company, which is the only entireconstructivist town in the world. The original master planfor the Bata estate at East Tilbury mirrors that of Zlin,although the design of some of the houses did changewith time. Although recent housing has been built to theeast of the Bata estate, the surrounding land on thenorth, west and south is flat, open countryside.

The design and character of the buildings on the estatefall into four distinct styles (reflecting the time at whichthey were constructed) and the central core area, whichonce contained most of the social facilities provided by

the Bata Company for its employees. For the purposes ofanalysing the character of the whole estate, it isnecessary to look at each of the five areas separately.

A Vision of One Man

The estate was established in 1933 by the Czech, TomasBata, who came to East Tilbury in 1932 to establish aBritish branch of the Bata Shoe Company andsubsequently built the township on land acquired from alocal farmer. The estate was built to an original masterplan in the international modern movement style. All thebuildings on the estate and their locations were carefullydesigned to work as a self-contained social mechanism.

Although Tomas Bata was killed in a plane crash in 1933and never saw his creation at East Tilbury, his plans forthe estate were continued by his brother and eventuallyhis son, Tomas Bata junior. The industrial processes,which Tomas Bata had put in place, were based on‘Fordism’ and mass marketing. The master plan for theestate was designed by the Czech architects, VladimirKarfik and Frantizek Gahura, who made significantcontributions to the international modern movement inthe 1920’s and 1930’s. Karfik had worked with LeCorbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright and was influential inthe Eastern European branch of modern movementarchitecture.

Using the slogan “living separately - workingtogether”, the Bata Company generated a greatcommunity spirit amongst employees, the emphasis beingplaced on “healthy competition” in the workplace and“wholesome pursuits” outside the working environment.

The rubber and lether factory buildings

The Bata Estate, East Tilbury

Tomas Bata statue

3East Tilbury Conservation Area - Character Appraisal


Phases of Housing Development

The original master plan had been changed with thepassage of time and was ultimately never fully realised.The original plan, proposed and drawn up by VladimirKarfik, shows a development many times bigger than theestate, which was constructed and exists today, andwould have constituted a complete new constructivisttown on par with the parent company in Zlin.

The housing was built in stages between 1933 and themid 1960’s. The oldest properties (in Bata Avenue) arevery much in the Czech style and set in a staggered‘chequerboard’ layout to maximise the garden space toeach property. The Avenues (Thomas Bata, King GeorgeVI and Queen Elizabeth) were set in straight rows leadingout from the centre of the estate.

The pitched roof houses were largely built after theoutbreak of the Second World War and represented amore English taste and the changing architecturalfashions of the time. The Crescents and Princess MargaretAvenue properties departed from the internationalmodern movement designs contained in the originalmaster plan.

Hierarchy of Accommodation and Social facilities

All the social facilities necessary were provided by theBata Company for their employees. Of paramountconcern however, was that all employees be housed.

This was dealt with on a sliding scale of importance andstatus. Single people and migrant workers wereaccommodated in single sex dormitory buildings or theBata Hotel (formerly Community House, now known asStanford House). Married people with families wereprovided with rented accommodation as soon as possible,which grew with the family. The cluster of larger plotsand properties, with their integral garages, near to theroundabout, were used to house Bata managers and theirfamilies. All the social facilities, however, were communaland included the following;

n A cinema which seated up to 396 people

n An outdoor swimming pool and changing rooms

n Tennis courts and associated pavilion

n Sports ground and football stand

n A large formal park and war memorial

n A 300 acre farm with dairy herd and fruit orchards supplying produce for residents to purchase

n A large hotel with integrated shops, restaurant, suite for the Bata family and a ballroom for company functions

n A college and school

n A medical centre

n A cafe and separate tea shop

n A children’s playground

n A fire station

The Bata Estate in the 1950s

Conservation area boundary

Legend:

Significant open space

Listed Building

Significant physical/built form

Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission of HMSO,

© Crown Copyright. Thurrock Borough Council Licence number 100025457 (2006)

East Tilbury Conservation Area Character Appraisal - Special Interest (not to scale)

Highways of historic significance

n.b. detailed information regarding listed buildings should be verified separately

WALDON

QUEENELIZABETH

AVENUE

KINGGEORGE

VIAVENUE

STENNINGAVENUE

PRINCESSMARGARET

ROAD

THOMASBATA

AVENUE

CORONATION

AVENUE

BATA

AVENUE

ALEXANDRAWAY

East

Tilbury

Station

El

Sub

Sta

Stanford

House

PO

Thames

Industrial

Park

37

43

12

1

33a

55a

7

19

29

41

53

2

257

243

229

227

213

201

2

12

24

34

33

31

17

15

1

200

212

224

238

250

262

49

7

25

13

1

1a

2a

2

14

26

38

50

62

65

53

41

29

15

1

1a

4

16

28

42

54

66 51

41

31

21

11

42

54

66 16

15

1718

Hall

18

Surgery

15

1

11

SL

Path

(um)

ElSub

Sta

7.3m

MP25

BM7.14m

TCB

LB

Drain

Statue

Drain

Tank

Posts

Lay-by

PINEWOOD

CLOSE

ALEXANDRAWAY

55

53

15

30

31

1920

25

33

1

15

2

8

12

14

21

24

70

76

Murella

East Tilbury

Station 23

29

31

33

43

45

59

61

LC

Path

(um)

El

Sta

Sub

ElSubSta

PRINCESSMARGARET

ROAD

PRINCESS

AVENUE

QUEENELIZABETH

AVENUE

TWEED

STRATHMORE

CORONATIONAVENUE

BURE

QUEEN MARY AVENUE

COLNE

FROME

CLYDE

GLOUCESTER

AVENUE

FARMROAD

QUEENELIZABETH

AVE

East Tilbury

County Primary

School

StanfordHouse

Library

QueenMary

Court

1

7

2

14

24

13

27

39

2

12

24

32

1

15

12

2

14

5

1

2

6

1

5

1

5

16

26

8

16

1 to6

13to

18

1

7

12

149

135

102

1

5

10

30

31

34

95

5

11

1 to15

2

8

77

1

5

6

7

10

16

20

69

73

9to67

728

36

40

26

34

32

26

31

4

7

11

12

24

18

4

1

5

12

1

4

5

10

14

25

20

4

1

5

15

16

19

13

19

132

138

140

5

1

32

18

25

6

11

5

10

14

15

20

37

48

45

220

228

1

7

11

8

12

14

15

19to24

6

27

30

32a

4

33

5

75

10

101

29

25

20

11

150

109

11

44

17

1

20

1

14

Hall

Club

2

to

34

39

2730

33

26

29

25

31

32

42to

130

Ashlands

Court

230to

300

Corona

tion

Court

12

11

11

1

26

21

Surgery 1

14

1

36

to

Colne

Court

2

4

1to4

5to

8

Kensington Gardens

9 to 12

7to

12

Stone

Sports Ground

War

Memorial

Thomas Bata

Drain

TCB

El

Sub

Sta

ElSub

Sta

ElSub

Sta

El

Sub Sta

3.7m

BM4.5

0m

SubSta

El

Memorial Park

East Tilbury

WB

Posts

Drain

FB

El

Sub

Sta

Sub Sta

El

Roman

Roach

Wellan

d

Lambou

rne

Torrid

ge

Tyne

LB

Track

BURE

HAYLE

10to

21

1114

2

48

18

33

34

1

4

9

10

5

10

12

11

1

49

50

22

to

30

31to

39

83

11

54

16

ElSub

Sta

WALDON

ElSub

Sta

5

6www.thurrock.gov.uk

The Estate Today

The factory complex is still intact, although the BataCompany no longer owns any buildings or land on theestate. The three 5 storey factory buildings (theadministration block and former rubber and leatherfactories) are in low occupancy and are in need of repair.It is not clear what the new owners intend to do with thesite and the land holdings purchased from Bata in 1998.Many of the smaller buildings in the factory complex arenow let to small companies.

All of the houses are also privately owned, either by theoccupants or private landlords. The houses in BataAvenue used to belong to the company, but these toohave been sold, although the tenants are some of theoriginal Bata residents and retired employees. The originalCommunity House, which became the Bata Hotel and isnow Stanford House, has been sub-divided into flats andstudio apartments and the former ballroom on theground floor is now a parade of retail shops. Manycommunal facilities are gone or rundown. The previously

Bata owned communal spaces are now largely in privatecontrol, however, the Council maintains the MemorialPark.

The setting of the whole Conservation Area is enhancedby the central area of open spaces and the original‘garden village’ layout can still be appreciated. The estatestill has the very spacious feel of the original design, soevident in plan form. Although the swimming pool andtennis courts are now gone, the tennis courts remainopen and the landscaping is still apparent, however flatshave been built on the swimming pool site. Althoughsome ‘modern’ improvements have occurred, these aremostly confined to the privately owned properties. Theoverall design and infrastructure is still very much inevidence.

Although there have been a number of alterations andextensions, the layout and street (or avenue) character,the regular plot and building line character and the blockform of the houses have been retained.

The Avenues

Conservation area boundary

Legend:

Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission of HMSO,

© Crown Copyright. Thurrock Borough Council Licence number 100025457 (2006)

East Tilbury Conservation Area Character Appraisal - Zones (5 areas) (not to scale)

Zone boundary

AREA

1

THE

CEN

TRAL

CO

RE

AREA 2

BATA AVENUE & FACTORY SITE

AREA 3

THE AVENUES

AR

EA

1

PR

INC

ES

SM

AR

GA

RE

TR

OA

D

AREA 4

THE CRESCENTS

WALDON

QU

EE

NE

LIZAB

ETH

AV

EN

UE

KIN

GG

EO

RG

EV

I AV

EN

UE

ST

EN

NIN

GA

VE

NU

E

PR

INC

ES

SM

AR

GA

RE

TR

OA

D

THO

MA

SB

ATA

AV

EN

UE

CORONATION

AV

EN

UE

BATA AVENUE

ALEXANDRA WAY

East

Tilbury

Station

El

Sub

Sta

Stanford

House

PO

Thames

Industrial

Park

37

43

12

1

33a

55a

7

19

29

41

53

2

257

243

229

227

213

201

2

12

24

34

33

31

17

15

1

200

212

224

238

250

262

49

7

25

13

1

1a

2a

2

14

26

38

50

62

65

53

41

29

15

1

1a

4

16

28

42

54

66 51

41

31

21

11

42

54

66 16

15

1718

Hall

18

Surgery

15

1

11

SL

Path(um)

El S

ubS

ta

7.3m

MP

25

BM7.14m

TCB

LB

Drain

Statue

Drain

Tank

Posts

Lay-by

PINEWOOD CLOSE

ALEXANDRA WAY

55

53

15

30

31

1920

25

33

1

15

2

8

12

14

21

24

70

76

Murella

East Tilbury

Station 23

29

31

33

43

45

59

61

LC

Path (um)

El

Sta

Sub

El Sub Sta

PR

INC

ES

SM

AR

GA

RE

TR

OA

D

PRINCESS AVENUE

QU

EE

NE

LIZAB

ETH

AV

EN

UE

TWEED

STRATHMORE

CO

RO

NA

TION

AV

EN

UE

BUR

E

QUEEN MARY AVENUE

CO

LNE

FRO

ME

CLY

DE

GLOUCESTER AVENUEFARM

ROAD

QU

EE

NE

LIZAB

ETH

AV

E

East Tilbury

County Primary

School

StanfordH

ouse

Library

Queen

Mary

Court

1

7

2

14

24

13

27

39

2

12

24

32

1

15

12

2

14

5

1

2

6

1

5

1

5

16

26

8

16

1 to 6

13to

18

1

7

12

149

135

102

1

5

10

30

31

34

95

5

11

1 to 15

2

8

77

1

5

6

7

10

16

20

69

73

9to

67

728

36

40

26

34

32

26

31

4

7

11

12

24

18

4

1

5

12

1

4

5

10

14

25

20

4

1

5

15

16

19

13

19

132

138

140

5

1

32

18

25

6

11

5

10

14

15

20

37

48

45

220

228

1

7

11

8

12

14

15

19to24

6

27

30

32a

4

33

5

75

10

101

29

25

20

11

150

109

11

44

17

1

20

1

14

Hall

Club

2

to

34

39

2730

33

26

29

25

31

32

42 to 130

Ashlands

Court

230to

300

Coronation

Court

12

11

11

1

26

21

Surgery 1

14

1

36

to

Colne Court

2

4

1to

4

5 to 8

Kensington Gardens

9 to 12

7to

12

Stone

Sports Ground

War

Memorial

Thomas Bata

Drain

TCB

El

Sub

Sta

El Sub Sta

El Sub Sta

El

Sub Sta

3.7m

BM 4.50m

Sub StaEl

Memorial Park

East Tilbury

WB

Posts

Drain

FB

El

Sub

Sta

Sub Sta

El

Roman

Roach

Welland

Lambourne

Torridge

Tyne

LB

Track

BU

RE

HAY

LE

10to

21

1114

2

48

18

33

34

1

4

9

10

5

10

12

11

1

49

50

22

to

3031

to39

83

11

54

16

El Sub Sta

WALDON

El Sub Sta

7


The five discreet areas

The design of the buildings is characteristically uniform inboth style and layout within each street or group ofbuildings. Decoration and embellishment plays a relativelyminor part, although there are some subtleties andchanges in design details between each zone. In all casesthe layout is formal. Distinct housing areas were plannedaround central open spaces and an integrated villagecentre where most of the social facilities were located.

The Conservation Area has five discreet areas - all withtheir own distinct character, based on the design andlayout of the buildings and the time at which they werebuilt.

• The Central Core (containing all the social facilities)

• Factory Site and Bata Avenue (the earliest part of the estate)

• The Avenues (modern movement housing)

• The Crescents (pitched roof house design)

• Princess Margaret Road (most recently built housing)

Area 1 - The Central Core

All the built facilities of the original estate were located inand around Stanford House (formerly Community House),the largest building outside the factory complex. This isthe ‘heart’ of the Conservation Area and contains all theremaining social facilities on the estate. There are largeareas of open space around the village centre and thepresence of uniform rows of poplar trees is characteristicof the original landscape design. These trees delineatethe boundaries between the various elements of openspace and help to balance and enhance the appearanceof the larger buildings.

The central open spaces are visually important, not onlyin providing a setting for the whole of the ConservationArea, but also in separating the various components ofthe estate housing. While these spaces play an importantvisual and recreational role, many of the built facilities(including the swimming pool and tennis courts) havebeen lost. The loss of these facilities, together with ageneral deterioration of grassed areas and the addition oflarge areas of hard surfaces gives an impression ofneglect and decline.

Other characteristic features include concrete bollards andprivet or box hedges, which outline the boundaries of thedifferent areas. These are a unifying feature.

Memorial Park

The Memorial Park was a large, formal open space,incorporating the central War Memorial to the men ofEast Tilbury who lost their lives in the Second World War.The park was originally twice the size it is today. The areanow occupied by the East Tilbury Infants and JuniorSchools once formed part of the park. The layout of thepaths can still be seen. The remaining park is now usedas an informal recreation area by residents.

The park is bounded on two sides (Princess MargaretRoad and Gloucester Avenue) by hedges and maturepoplar trees, a feature of the original landscape design.Although the hedge is retained around the memorial, theoriginal ground cover has been replaced by mown grass.Vehicles are restrained to a strip at the western edge ofthe park.

Coronation Avenue open spaces

The various open spaces adjacent to Coronation Avenueare at the heart of the Conservation Area and provide acentral setting for Stanford House and an open view intothe Conservation Area. These spaces also separate thevarious components of the estate housing and provide afocus and centre for residents.

Hard Surfaces

Concrete paving and tarmac occurs in large areas withinthe central core area. These areas are predominantly carparks. However, much of this was once laid to grass informal shapes to complement the buildings.

Trees

The central core has remnants of the former lines ofmature poplar trees, many of which fitted in with theoriginal estate master plan. It is believed that these treeswere also necessary to prevent the soil from becomingwaterlogged. The existence of these trees is an importantvertical element in a landscape dominated by horizontalemphasis.

Stanford House (formerly Community House)

Hedges

Privet or box hedging are very characteristic of theoriginal landscape design. They delineate the boundariesof properties and factory buildings as well as the openspaces and are a unifying element within theConservation Area.

Landmark Buildings within the Central Core

Within the central core, there are three ‘landmark’buildings.

Stanford House - the former Bata Hotel andCommunity House. This five-storey building dominatesthis part of the Conservation Area and represents thelargest building outside the factory complex. Of similardesign and style to the factory buildings, it provides animportant link between the factory site and estatehousing.

Village Hall - the former cinema building is in aprominent location in Gloucester Avenue. It still retainsmany design details and internal fittings. A HeritageLottery Grant was successfully won by the Council whoinstigated full repairs, reinstatement of original pavingdetails and landscaping, new disabled access andcomplete refurbishment of the hall interior (summer1998)

Former Espresso Bar - this building remains intact. Ithas had a variety of other uses since the original barclosed. This building represents the remnant of theformer social facilities and has group value with theformer cinema and company hotel within the centralarea.

Area 2 - Factory Site and Bata Avenue

Factory Site

The factory complex consists of 13 large buildings rangingbetween 1 and 5 storeys in height (and other smallerassociated buildings and structures), which were builtbetween 1933 and the late 1950’s. The standardiseddesign and proportions of the 5 storey buildings are adominant feature of the factory complex and are verygood examples of the modern movement style ofarchitecture.

The grid layout of the factory site is an important designelement. The measurements both of the buildings andthe proportions of spaces are built into the design andare crucial to maintain the visual balance between thesheer size of the buildings and their surroundings.

The three largest buildings on the factory site are theleather factory (1936) the rubber factory (1938) andthe central office and administration block (1933),which is a listed building. These buildings are verycharacteristic of the modern movement style and verymuch mirror the design and scale of building in theparent company town of Zlin. The characteristic blue

East Tilbury Conservation Area - Character Appraisal9

Village Hall (former cinema)

Trafalgar House (former central office &administration block)

Former Bata factory buildings

www.thurrock.gov.uk

and white buildings and red logo are visible for somedistance, in what is an otherwise flat landscape.

The gatehouse, clock and barriers at the entrance to thefactory complex are an important component to thefactory area. These details are clear indicators of the roleand original function of this part of the estate andreminders of the regime and control of the employer.

Another interesting building within the complex is theboiler house, built in 1956 from which the wholecomplex was powered and heated. Its size reflects thesize of boilers required, which have so quickly been

outdated and modernised. It is currently used by anengineering company.

The landscaped gardens at the front of the mainadministration building, reinforce the concept of ‘factoryin a garden’. It houses the statue of Tomas Bata and thegardens are maintained in the way that they have alwaysbeen, with low clipped hedging and conical trees, so thatthe company logo and image could clearly be seen. Parkbenches are located outside the factory, set in the originalconcrete paving and formal grassed areas.

The Bata logo has been removed from the administrationbuilding and its long association with the estate is far lessobvious. New signage has appeared and the new ownerslease various smaller buildings to a variety of companieswho use spaces within the factory complex to park theirvehicles and display their own signs, so that the overallcoherent approach is gradually diminishing.

The three 5 storey landmark buildings are decaying andtheir continued low occupancy is a threat to their long-term future, as well as being detrimental to the overallcharacter and appearance of the Conservation Area.

Their repair and occupation would considerably improvethe industrial zone and Conservation Area as a whole, asthese buildings are very visible for some distance bothwithin and outside of the Conservation Area.

The downsizing of Bata and introduction of new companiesand processes within the factory area present an opportunityfor the regeneration of these larger buildings which areno longer needed for the manufacturing of shoes.

Although of a particular style of architecture their overallsize and spacious interiors are capable of adaptation andsub division and with the input of design guidance(particularly as one of the buildings is statutorily listed)the strong design ethos and overall character of theindustrial zone can be maintained.

Bata Avenue

These properties are the oldest houses on the estate.Although some of the houses closest to the factory sitewere demolished by Bata, they were replaced withreplicas of the originals. The remaining properties, on theother side of the avenue, have been listed as buildings ofSpecial Architectural or Historic Interest. The 20th centuryreplacement buildings have successfully replicated theBata Avenue character, the spacing, setting back orforward, building size, style and detail of the original.

The properties are widely spaced semi-detached houses,set in a staggered layout. All have large gardens andthere are remnants of the original privet hedging. All arepainted render in off white or cream, although thewooden windows and doors were painted in blue, yellowand green when the Conservation Area was firstdesignated. However, following a successful EnglishHeritage funded Conservation Area Partnership Schemeand grant award to many of the Bata Avenue houses, theoriginal finished colour scheme of the houses wascarefully investigated. The paint analysis process revealedthat the original colours were a cream painted render anda peppermint green finish on all woodwork. The grant-aided properties have all been restored to their originalcolours. In later years Bata used blue, red, yellow andgreen paint.

Bata Avenue houses

Bata Avenue house type

10


Area 3 - The Avenues

The Avenues contain the most representative forms ofthe flat roofed housing. The cubic form of the houses is astrong feature of the modern movement and there are104 pairs of semi-detached properties in the Avenues(208 homes) making this type of property the mostcharacteristic of the area as a whole. Central to thisdesign concept, were the wide spaces between thebuildings. A large number of the houses are red paintedbrick, although there are some that are part rendered.These variations in external house finishes are insubstantial blocks and represent phases of building.

The balcony type houses, with integral garages wereconstructed for managers and their families and areclustered at the south end of Queen Elizabeth and KingGeorge VI Avenues.

Originally, the doors and windows of whole streets werefitted with a standard design. There is evidence oforiginal doors and windows. Most have been replacedwith new double glazed units of various styles anddesigns. However, there are also a variety of ‘original’styles, which were first installed to open inwards. It seemsthese were subsequently replaced with a choice ofstandard styles and explains why some adjoiningproperties had slightly different window types, whichwere all in period. Some are painted wooden windowsand others are metal Crittal frames, but all are typical ofthe thirties era.

Many properties have also had extensions or porchadditions, some with pitched roofs, although this hasbeen largely resisted to date and a detailed Design Guideshould facilitate appropriate forms of extension.

Front boundary walls are mostly of the type illustrated atfigures 1-3 and represent the original low single courseof brick walls put in at the time of construction. Manyboundary walls have been breached to facilitate off roadcar parking or vehicular access to garages within theproperty boundary. These low boundary walls are animportant design detail of the Avenues.

Brick Walls

Walls delineate the boundaries of the front gardens ofthe properties. Often backed by hedges, these werecharacteristic of the original landscaping. These are low,single course of brick walls, usually in sand-faced bricksand occur in the following styles : -

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3Former manager’s houses

The Avenues

The Avenues house type


Another unifying feature is thetype of lamp posts used in allparts of the Conservation Areatypically shown at figure 4.(except Princess Margaret Road –the main road into East Tilbury).

There are no communal openspaces in The Avenues. However,the front gardens are generousand thoughtful plantingprovided the framework foradequate tree presence in TheAvenues. Bata originally planteda cherry tree in the front gardenof each pair of ‘semis’. The lossof the trees is noticeable. Theonly other green spaces are thesmall verges formed at roadjunctions. The private gardens are the only source oflandscaping, which was not a problem when Bata ownedthe whole estate. Sadly, this is a concept that has beeneroded over time.

Area 4 - The Crescents (Avenues with pitchedroof houses)

(Princess, Queen Mary and Gloucester Avenues andFarm Road)

The properties in this area are small semi-detachedhouses with hipped roofs and were built between 1939and the mid 1950’s. They are quite close to the road.There are 2 basic designs;

Type 1: Type 2:

Princess Avenue, Gloucester Gloucester Avenue and AvenueQueen Mary Avenue

A number of these properties have been altered orextended and there are a number of replacementwindows and doors.

The only soft landscaping is provided within frontgardens, although the triangular verge at the junction ofFarm Road and Gloucester Avenue is important andretains the feeling of spaciousness evident elsewhere onthe estate.

Area 5 - Princess Margaret Road

The properties in this area are the most recent, havingbeen built during the 1960’s. They are wide fronted andset well back from the road line in spacious gardens.Princess Margaret Road forms the entrance and gatewayinto the Conservation Area. Many of the gardens are wellmaintained and have mature trees, which is important tothe amenity value and overall character of the estate.

Princess Margaret Road

The boundary walls were all in sand-faced bricks in thestyle typically shown at figures 1-3. Some of these arenow being replaced and there is a mixture of materialsand colours appearing which creates a piecemealapproach alien to the otherwise regular street scene.

Gloucester Avenue

Figure 4


Community involvement

Involving the local community and raising publicawareness has been an integral part of the process ofpreparing the character appraisal.

This took the form of sending consultation letters to allresidents and occupants in the Conservation Arearequesting views on the following-

n What features are important to East Tilbury Conservation Area and make it special

n What adds to the character

n What takes away from the character

Included with the consultation letter was a questionnairetogether with a plan of the Conservation Area and asummary of the considered character and possible issues.

In addition, the entire public consultation process tookplace online on the Council’s website. Notice of thepublic exhibitions was given in the local press.

Local ward members, the MP and other interested partieswere also consulted.

An exhibition with historic maps, photographs anddocuments was held on 21 and 23 September 2006 atEast Tilbury Village Hall, East Tilbury where Officers wereavailable to talk through issues and answer questions.

The consultation responses affirmed the following issues:

n The importance of the designated Conservation Area

n The possible expansion to include other areas of special interest

n Involvement of the public in the process of character appraisals

n Involvement of the public in the production of management proposals

n The preservation and management of the special issues

n Any new proposal should respect and not detract from the existing character

Boundary changes

An important aspect of the appraisal process is theconsideration of where the boundary of the ConservationArea should be drawn. The appropriateness of currentboundaries should be regularly reassessed, perhaps on afive-year cycle (Guidance on conservation areaappraisals – English Heritage 2006).

No boundary changes are considered necessary at thistime.

Management considerations

In East Tilbury Conservation Area the followingmanagement issues should be considered:

1. Retention of the important existing characteristics of the historic industrial model garden village settlement form, the roads, avenues, lanes, plots, buildings, spaces, vistas, trees, hedges, and surrounding fields ofthe industrial, commercial and residential development.

2. Replacement of the avenues of trees, which were integral with the original design concept, and

3. Review of the existing Design Guide and further appropriate protection be proposed for identified features.

Once a conservation area is designated, additionalplanning controls can be introduced by limiting permitteddevelopment rights through the issue of an Article 4(2)direction under the Town and Country Planning (GeneralPermitted Development) Order 1995. Planning permissionwould then be required for the works that are specified.

The original character of some buildings in theConservation Area has already been altered, through forexample replacement windows, concrete roof tiles, andthe painting or rendering of brickwork. It is important totry and prevent further erosion from such changes.

The restoration of original features should be promoted.The spread of the use of UPVC, a material that is neithersympathetic in appearance nor sustainable should bechecked.

Poor maintenance means that there will be a need toreplace windows in many buildings and in suchcircumstances the opportunity should be taken to ensurethe new windows are in character.


The appearance of properties that have alreadyundergone alteration would be greatly improved if newwindows were inserted to the original pattern. Frontdoors can also contribute greatly to the appearance ofhouses and controls to ensure that they are not replacedunsympathetically may also be valuable.

Exposed and prominent boundary treatments in theConservation Area are important and their alteration has

the potential to be a problem. The Council will considerthe production of design guidance with regard to mattersof the nature outlined and reserves the right to considerthe use of Article 4 directions if necessary.

It is intended to produce Management Proposals for EastTilbury Conservation Area. The Management Proposals willoutline general and specific issues relevant to the ConservationArea and may include recommendations for action

Appendix 1 – Thurrock Borough Local Plan 1997 – Conservation Area policies

BE22 – Conservation Areas – Designation, Reviewand Enhancement

‘The Council will regularly review conservation areaboundaries, amend them when necessary and examinethe need to designate new conservation areas using thefollowing broad criteria to assess the special interest ofareas:

(i) The origins and development of the topography of the area;

(ii) Archaeological significance and potential;

(iii) Prevalent building materials, character and hierarchy of spaces;

(iv) The quality and relationship of buildings in the area including the contribution of unlisted buildings;

(v) The contribution made by trees and other green features.

Using the above criteria, the Council will also formulateand publish proposals for the preservation andenhancement of conservation areas’.

BE23 – Development affecting Conservation Areas

‘Development proposals within, adjacent to, or affectingthe Borough’s conservation areas will be expected topreserve and enhance their character or appearance. TheCouncil will not permit any development that would be inconflict with this objective.

In this regard, special attention will be paid to thefollowing:

(i) The retention and protection of all buildings, whether listed or not, trees and any other features which are important to the character or appearance of that area;

(ii) The position of new buildings, which should enhancethe character and appearance of the area and be in scale and harmony with the adjoining buildings and the area as a whole;

(iii) The use of materials, which should be appropriate tothe area and sympathetic to adjoining buildings.

The desirability of preserving or enhancing the area willalso be taken into consideration by the Council in thehandling of development proposals which are outside thearea but would affect its setting, or views into or out ofthe area.’

BE-23A-Demolition in Conservation Areas

‘The Council will not grant consent for the total orsubstantial demolition of a building in a conservation areaunless it can be shown to their satisfaction that thebuilding is wholly beyond repair; incapable of reasonablybeneficial use; or where its removal would enhance thecharacter or appearance of the area.

If necessary, the Council will impose a condition on thegrant of any consent providing that any developmentshall not take place before a contract for carrying out theworks of redevelopment on the site has been granted forthe development for which the contract provides.’

BE24-Article Four Directions in Conservation Areas

‘In exceptional circumstances, including where there arereal and specific threats to the character of theconservation area, and subject to approval by theSecretary of State, the Council will make direction underarticle 4 of the General Development Order to restrictpermitted development rights in conservation areas.’

East Tilbury Conservation Area - Character Appraisal

Appendix 2- Listed Buildings in the East Tilbury (Bata) ConservationArea as shown in the 17th list of Buildings of Special Architectural orHistoric Interest (as at January 2007)

15

BATA AVENUE No 2. (known as ‘the hostel’)

Grade II GV

House. 1930-1933. Designed by Vladimir Karfik andFrantizek Gahura and built by a variety of localcontractors. Flat roofed. Hybrid construction, with frontand side walls of concrete poured in lifts of about onemetre in height; interior partition and rear walls appear tobe made from brick and then faced in concrete.International Style. Two storeys and four-window rangewith half landing window on centre axis above mainentrance. Entrances on returns. Thin projecting cornice.All openings flat arched. One of a pair of gatewaybuildings to Bata Avenue, their design was unique. Formsa group with nos 4-34 (even) Bata Avenue.

BATA AVENUE Nos 4 and 6 (even)

Grade II GV

Semi-detached houses. 1930-33. Designed by VladimirKarfik and Frantizek Gahura, and built by various localcontractors. Flat roofed. Hybrid construction withconcrete poured in lifts of roughly one metre in height tofront and side walls; interior partition and rear walls ofbrickfaced with concrete. Two storeys and two-windowrange to the pair; rectangular bay to each sitting room;entrances on the returns with one small window to eachfloor. Four-window range to the rear. Stack to party wall.International Style. Nos 2-34 (even) Bata Avenue form agroup.

BATA AVENUENos 8 and 10 (even)

Grade II GV

Identical to nos 4 and 6, forming a group with nos 2-34(even) Bata Avenue.

BATA AVENUE Nos 12 and 14 (even)

Grade II GV

Identical to nos 4 and 6 Bata Avenue. Forms a group withnos 2-34 (even) Bata Avenue.


Grade II GV



Grade II GV



Grade II GV



Grade II GV


PRINCESS MARGARET ROAD (south west side)Building 13, Bata Factory, Bata Estate

Grade II

Factory. 1933, to the designs of Czechoslovakianarchitect Frantizek L. Gahura. Reinforced concrete framewith painted brick spandrel and metal framed windows;flat roof with shallow projecting cornice. Rectangularplan, three bays by thirteen bays, with thin, full-heightpilaster strips articulating each. Left return with centrethree bays projecting forward to form circulation spine;centremost bay projects further and is glazed. Utilitysheds to roof above. External fire stair to right return ofan authentic design. An exceptionally early and completeexample of International Style building in Britain.

www.thurrock.gov.uk

TCTA/6/07

Thurrock Council - Character Appraisal - East Tilbury

Documents

Transcript of Thurrock Council - Character Appraisal - East Tilbury