Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
The types of area seen as suitable for designation
have also changed over time. Originally, most
societies concentrated on historic (i.e. mediaeval
and earlier) town centres. Industrial areas became
recognised following the rising academic and lay
interest in industrial archaeology and architecture;
and the much larger scale of industrial buildings
and areas brings new problems for the funding of
townscape conservation and the finding of new
uses for redundant structures (Box 24.1). Suburbs
are now increasingly popular designations in both
the UK and USA; Ames (1999) relates this
development to the change of direction in
architectural history away from elite or 'high'
styles towards vernacular architecture. But
conservation of such familiar townscapes causes
much controversy (Plate 24.1).
The geographical and temporal patterns of
conservation area designations, and their
potential causes, from national-level statute and
government advice to local politics and events,
can be reviewed (Larkham 1996). Knowing the
trends in the types of area being designated is also
useful. More, however, needs to be done on the
social, economic and physical impacts of
designation (
cf
. Gale 1991).
Character
An enduring element within townscape
conservation is consideration of the 'character' of
the area to be conserved (see Plate 24.2). In the
UK, this is enshrined in the statutory definition of
the conservation area as one 'of special historical
or architectural interest, the character or
appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or
enhance' (1967 Civic Amenities Act). This
wording is significant in explicitly separating
'character' from simple 'appearance'.
The examination of 'character' lends itself to
geographical approaches. Straightforward issues of
physical form may be examined, for example using
the tools and concepts of urban morphology.
Other relevant factors include the history and
development of the area, which might in part be
revealed through morphological analysis, and its
past, present and future uses. The relevance of use
and activity patterns should not be
underestimated: increasing car dependence and
the need for on- and off-street parking has affected
the character of many suburban conservation
areas, and Ludlow has changed with the
conversion of many Georgian town houses to
antique retailing for the tourist trade. The change
over time has been demonstrated by Buswell
(1984) in Newcastle upon Tyne, as central business
and retail functions move away from the preserved
historic core: if other functions with equal
investment powers do not replace them, then the
core will decay, notwithstanding the conservation
designation.
Box 24.2 gives current UK government
guidance on area character. But the problem with
traditional investigations of character is twofold:
first that, in many countries, planning authorities
were unsystematic in their investigations and, in
many cases, simply made designations without
appropriate prior investigations. This may lead to
problems in subsequent planning and
management. Only within the last decade in the
UK has the need for suitably detailed character
assessment become accepted. Second, the
traditional methods of description implied 'that
character can be identified, even perhaps measured
Plate 24.1
Inter-war speculative semi-detached
suburbia conserved: Hall Green, Birmingham,
designated in 1988 and featured in
The Times.
