Rainham CAAMP

RAINHAM

CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL AND MANAGEMENT PLAN

JUNE 2025

15 Bermondsey Square, Tower Bridge Road, London SE1 3UN

info@purcelluk.com

www.purcelluk.com Date

RAINHAM CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL AND MANAGEMENT PLAN

1.0 Introduction

1.0 Introduction

This section provides information about what conservation area designation means and its implications for development. It also gives an overview of the Rainham Conservation Area, sets out the purpose of the Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan (CAAMP) and outlines the consultation process that has been undertaken to prepare it.

1.1 What is a Conservation Area?

A conservation area is defined as an ‘area of special architectural or historic interest the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance.’01

Designation of a conservation area recognises the unique quality of the heritage of that area as a whole. This quality is derived not only from individual buildings but also other features, including (but not limited to) topography, grain, materials, thoroughfares, views, open spaces and landscape. These all contribute to the historic character and appearance of an area, resulting in a distinctive local identity and sense of place.

The extent to which a building, or group of buildings or structures, positively shapes the character of a conservation area is derived from its exterior – principally those elevations which are street-facing but also side and rear elevations, the integrity of its historic fabric, overall scale and massing, detailing and materials. Open spaces, whether they are public or private, green or hard landscaped, can all contribute to the special interest of an area. Furthermore, the spaces between buildings, such as alleys, streets, paths and yards, all contribute to a conservation area’s appearance and character.

1.2 What Does Conservation Area Designation Mean?

Changes to the external appearance of buildings in a conservation area may require planning permission from the Local Planning Authority, as certain permitted development rights are curtailed. For example, full or substantial demolition of a building will require planning permission and works to trees within conservation areas must be notified to the Local Planning Authority in advance. There are often further restrictions in place in conservation areas through Article 4 directions, which remove certain permitted development rights.

Under the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), conservation areas are designated heritage assets, and their conservation is to be given great weight when determining planning applications.02 Further details can be found in Section 6.

The 2016-2030 Havering Local Plan (adopted in 2021) includes Policy 28, Heritage Assets, which sets out the Council’s approach to development impacting heritage assets, including conservation areas and their settings.

1.3 Rainham Conservation Area

The Rainham Conservation Area is one of 11 conservation areas in Havering, each distinctly individual in character and representing a variety of the surviving areas from different periods of the borough’s past. It was designated as one of the borough’s first conservation areas in April 1968.

Rainham retains a hamlet-like character at its core, formed of an intersection of three main roads which later grew to comprise ancillary streets. Its setting north of the Thames is shaped by ancient natural features including streams, marshland and fields which afford the area some separation from denser suburban development to the north and west, further preserving its character.

1.4 Conservation Area Boundary

1.4.1

Boundary Review

Understanding or appreciation of what is special about an area can change over time. Therefore it is important to review and take stock of the boundaries and character of a conservation area at intervals to ensure that the reasons for its designation are still relevant and evident, and that the proper management of change is in place.

A review of the boundary alongside any accompanying guidance and assessments should generally take place every five to ten years or in response to a notable change (positive or negative), including changes in policy or legislation.

The present-day boundary encompasses the ancient village core, focused on the group of historic buildings that give Rainham its character. This encompasses the buildings and rear garden plots lining the three streets of the village core,

1.0 Introduction

stopping before the railway line to the south, the eastern riverbank of the River Ingrebourne to the west, and the greater part of the Rainham Hall gardens and surviving 18th century buildings to the east, including the Church of St Helen and St Giles, the Vicarage, Redbury, the War Memorial, Rainham Hall and the Lodge. This boundary has not changed since the area was designated in 1968. Two changse to the boundary have been made as part of the preparation of this CAAMP, see the following paragraphs details.

A site inspection of the area found that the conservation area boundary bisected a section of Rainham Hall gardens to the east of the building.As the community garden forms a key feature of Rainham Hall, a National Trust site and one of the conservation area’s key historic buildings, the boundary of the conservation area has been extended slightly to the north east to encompass the entire garden along its northern and eastern plot boundary. This is indicated by the solid red line on the adjacent boundary map.

Additionally, the conservation area has been altered to omit the section south of Viking Way, which included two mid-to-late 20th-century structures. This decision follows a thorough site assessment and examination. The buildings in question were deemed incongruous with the overall character of the conservation area due to differing materiality, form, and age. Furthermore, they are isolated from the main conservation zone, lacking any connecting roads within the designated area. Consequently, their removal has been deemed appropriate to maintain the overall cohesion of the conservation area.

These updates are reflected on the Rainham Conservation Area Boundary map on the following page.

1.0 Introduction

Rainham Conservation Area boundary

Source: Airbus,USGS,NGA,NASA,CGIAR,NLS,OS,NMA,Geodatastyrelsen,GSA,GSI and the GIS User Community

Existing conservation area boundary

This plan is not to scale

Road South

Road

1.0 Introduction

1.5 Purpose and Scope of the Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan

Understanding the character and significance of conservation areas is essential for managing change within them. It is therefore a requirement under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 that all Local Planning Authorities ‘formulate and publish proposals for the preservation and enhancement’ of conservation areas within their jurisdiction, and that conservation areas are periodically reviewed.

These proposals are normally presented in the form of a CAAMP, which defines and documents the special interest of a conservation area (see Section 2), analyses the characteristics that make it special (see Sections 3 and 4) and the issues and opportunities that the area faces (see Section 5), and sets out a plan for managing change to ensure its ongoing protection and enhancement (see Section 6).

This CAAMP has been prepared in line with current best practice guidance published by Historic England, the government’s heritage advisor and the public body which manages the care and protection of the nation’s historic environment.

This document is intended to be comprehensive, but the omission of any building, structure, feature or space does not imply that the element is not significant or does not positively contribute to the character and special interest of the conservation area. The protocols and guidance provided in Section 6 are applicable in every instance.

The assessments which provide the baseline information for this CAAMP have been carried out using publicly available resources and thorough on-site analysis from the publicly accessible parts of the Rainham Conservation Area.

1.6 C onsultation and Engagement

It is a statutory requirement under Section 71 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 that conservation area guidance produced by or on behalf of the Local Planning Authority be subject to public consultation, and for the Local Planning Authority to have regard of the views expressed by consultees.

Initial consultation was undertaken with key stakeholders, including the London Borough of Havering Planning Team, at early stages of the CAAMP drafting process to raise awareness of the conservation area review and utilise local understanding of the area’s special interest.

A draft of this CAAMP underwent public consultation from 28th April to 9th June 2025 including a public event. Comments received from this consultation have been incorporated into the final CAAMP as appropriate.

2.0 Summary of Special Interest

2.0 Summary of Special Interest

Rainham’s special interest is drawn from its ancient settlement at the banks of the Thames marshes and River Ingrebourne, and the historic village buildings associated with its development and prosperity as a marshland hamlet.

This village character remains at the heart of Rainham, which has been shaped over time by a setting along rivers and marshes that is key to understanding the conservation area’s historic development. These natural features have afforded a degree of protection from encroaching suburbia at the outskirts of London, providing Rainham with an air of seclusion which survives today.

The conservation area’s core of high-quality historic buildings, including its largely unaltered Norman church, is not only architecturally significant but also illustrative of the village’s eras of development tied to its association with riverside trade from the medieval period onward.

Historic public houses mark entrances into the village from the east and west, while shopfronts largely retain their period character and are occupied by independent traders, adding vibrancy to the village centre. Historic houses belonging to once-prominent local residents also feature within the streetscape.

A network of pathways across and into the conservation area creates strong spatial links across the village. These help illustrate Rainham’s historic layout and contribute kinetic views of its historic buildings, the River Ingrebourne and the wider setting. Trees are mature and plentiful across the area within private gardens, the churchyard of St Helen and St Giles, along the river and across Rainham Hall gardens. These contribute to the area’s historic character and soften the urban environment. Together these elements allow Rainham’s historic village character to remain prominent, and underpin the conservation area’s special interest.

2.0 Summary of Special Interest

3.0 Summary of Historic Development

3.0 Summary of Historic Development

Settlement in Rainham grew up on the edge of the riverside marshes, near to a River Thames crossing from the Bronze Age.

12th Century

A ferry established between Rainham and Erith in Kent.

c. 1160-1178

Parish church of St Helen and St Giles built.

1670

By 1670 there were 44 houses recorded in the parish, clustered around the churchyard.

1729

London merchant John Harle dredged the tributary to Rainham, expanding the creekside wharf to allow ships to sail up to Rainham proper, and erected Rainham Hall.

1850s

London Tilbury & Southend Railway was laid in the 1850s, Rainham Station opened in 1854, bringing Victorian suburban development.

1920

The Havering memorial to those lost in the First World War was raised in Rainham centre.

1930s

The industrialisation of the Thames marshes and the suburban expansion of London meant Rainham became a nucleus to dormitory suburbs.

Mid-20th Century

Development included construction of new library, council offices and housing.

1968

Rainham Conservation Area is established.

1994

Retail superstore built north of Rainham centre.

2012

Public realm schemes include rerouting roads through centre.

2014

Rainham Library is relocated adjacent to the railway station, its former site replaced by housing.

3.0 Summary of Historic Development

3.2 E arly Rainham

Remains dating to the Neolithic, Iron Age, Romano-British and Anglo-Saxon periods have been found in the area surrounding Rainham, suggestive of a continuous settlement in or near to Rainham from the Bronze Age onward. Discovered relics from the Saxon period indicate the presence of residents of some importance, and support one theory behind the village’s placename - Roeginga-ham, or ‘settlement of the ruling people.’03

The settlement developed as an important landing point for a river crossing to Kent, and on a principal roadway leading east from London along the northern banks of the Thames. The village was located at the point the main London Road crossed the River Ingrebourne, on a spit of higher land that separated the Ingrebourne, Rainham Creek and the Rainham Marshes. A ‘short’ river-crossing ferry was established immediately south of the hamlet in the 12th century, taking passengers to and from Erith in Kent, with the expansive marshes between the river and the hamlet providing excellent grazing for livestock awaiting transportation. Intensive river traffic over the medieval and early modern ages spurred the development of wharves employing workers in the water trade. Public houses were established in Rainham village to cater to the burgeoning local economy.

The parish church of St Helen and St Giles was built somewhere between 1160 and 1178, the tower and embattlements added in the 16th century. The church is the conservation area’s only surviving medieval building, however timber framed cottages at no.2-8 Upminster Road and the Vicarage are believed to date to the 17th century. The latter was then fronted in brick in 1710.

3.3 18th Century Growth

Rainham’s prosperity expanded in the early 18th century when London sea merchant John Harle acquired its wharf and dredged the Ingrebourne to sail ships directly to the centre of Rainham. Following the success of his business in the London coal and grain trade, Harle built Rainham Hall and its associated outbuildings in 1729. A series of other conservation area buildings date to this period of prosperity, including Redberry House, the vicarage and smaller properties such as No.12 Broadway. An earlier iteration of the Pheonix public house, the Bell Inn and the Angel public house were all in situ by c.1720-30.

Lotter’s map of 1760 recorded Rainham as an established settlement on the road into London, north of the marshes bounding the banks of the Thames. Lessees of the wharf were recorded from the late-18th century onward, and in 1801 Rainham was described as ‘the grand lodging and landing place for the whole mercantile goods of that part of the county.’ (please insert footnote as Powell, 1978, p. 134-138.). The wharf continued to serve area market garden trade providing transport of goods into London well into the 19th century.

3.0 Summary of Historic Development

3.4

T he 19th Century Village

Rainham remained a modest village until the arrival of the railway in 1854 when its suburban development gradually began. A post office and telegraph office followed shortly thereafter in the early 1870s, serving a population which had reached 868 by 1868, with initial premises near to Rainham Station. The adjacent 1862 Ordnance Survey map shows

ribbon development along main roads east of the wharf and northeast of the railway line, with market gardens to the rear of plots. St Giles & St Helen’s Church was situated in a generous churchyard at the village’s principal intersection, with Rainham Hall noted to the south.

3.0 Summary of Historic Development

Late 19th-century development saw the construction of terraced housing to the east of the village centre and north of the railway line along Broadway and the Upminster Road, while residential properties overlooking the centre were altered to incorporate ground floor shopfronts. Purpose built commercial ground floor units with residential accommodation above had also begun to infill open land closer to the village centre, in some cases replacing individual dwellings

and farmhouses overlooking the village square; No.26-28 Broadway was rebuilt c.1897 in this style. The Phoenix public house was rebuilt along the west side of Broadway following a fire in the 1890s, with the result visible in the photograph below left.

3.0 Summary of Historic Development

3.5 R ainham in the 20th Century Commercial buildings with purpose-built ground floor shop fronts and the rebuilding of several pubs continued to shape Rainham centre prior to the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. Ground floor shops were added to the front of Nos.9-27 Upminster Road South c.1900-1905, while Nos.18-24 (even) Bridge Road were erected in 1907, and the Angel and the Bell public houses were rebuilt in 1906 and c.1900, respectively.

The profitability and prominence of Rainham Wharf by the early 20th century was much reduced, having declined steadily over the second half of the 19th century after the trainline had disrupted its primacy as a trading post.04 The marshes between Rainham and the River Thames were sold to the War Office in 1906 and turned into a rifle range, and an industrial site near to the marshes was adapted for use as a munitions facility during the First World War. A memorial to those lost in the War was erected in Rainham centre on 7th November 1920, the first such memorial in Havering. Its three clockfaces were designed to face the three main roads from Rainham Triangle: the main road to London, the road leading to Southend and the Upminster Road South.

The bucolic village briefly became a destination for London day-trippers before the area was industrialised over the 1930s with the arrival of the Dagenham Ford Factory on marshland to the west of Rainham. This corresponded with a decline in prosperity associated with the slowing of shipping commerce.

The suburban expansion of London reached Rainham after the end of the Second World War, when the village became the nucleus of a dormitory suburb which grew up around it.

04 Havering Libraries (2021) 30 March. Available at: https://www.facebook.com/HavLib/ posts/daldys-wharf-rainham-creek-rainham-c1900-1910the-victoria-county-historyessex-v/3785777368136952/. (Accessed: 24 October 2024)

3.0 Summary of Historic Development

Over the 1960s and 70s a Rainham sewer system was developed and the roads repaved. A library and council offices were built in 1967 south of Broadway, overlooking the main square. Rainham Conservation Area was established in 1968 and the following year, Rainham Wharf was closed, after which the River Ingrebourne in its path near the village gradually silted up.

In the 1970s several tall council apartment buildings and commercial units were built to the northeast of the church along Upminster Road South, and a large supermarket and associated carpark were built north of the centre in 1994. In 1998/9 the Rainham Creekside Path was opened, using some of the site of the old Rainham Wharf to create an open green space.05

A public realm masterplan for Rainham village was completed in 2013, aimed at improving the spatial relationships between all parts of the village. This involved the adjustment of roads within the central square to form a large pedestrianised space around the war memorial, improved pedestrian routes between Upminster Road South and the Tesco site to the north, and an improved riverside walkway next to River Ingrebourne.06

The new Rainham Library was opened in 2014, accompanied by a bus interchange and improved public realm between it and the station. The old library site overlooking the square was subsequently redeveloped for housing, with some homes occupied, some under construction at the time of writing.

05 Havering Libraries (2021) 30 March. Available at: https://www.facebook.com/HavLib/ posts/daldys-wharf-rainham-creek-rainham-c1900-1910the-victoria-county-historyessex-v/3785777368136952/. (Accessed: 24 October 2024)

06 Havering Libraries (2021) 30 March. Available at: https://www.facebook.com/HavLib/ posts/daldys-wharf-rainham-creek-rainham-c1900-1910the-victoria-county-historyessex-v/3785777368136952/. (Accessed: 24 October 2024)

4.0 Character Assessment

4.0 Character Assessment

4.1 L ocation, Topography and Geology

Rainham village is situated at the southern end of the London Borough of Havering, an area within the London Basin. It is approximately 15 miles east of London city centre, and one mile northeast of the River Thames. The medieval market town of Romford lies just over five miles to the north.

The village core is formed at the meeting of Upminster Road South, Bridge Road and Broadway, adjacent to a historic small river crossing of the River Ingrebourne, and north of the Rainham Marshes. The River Ingrebourne is now mostly silted up, while the Rainham Marshes are partially occupied by industrial estates and partially given over to nature reserves.

4.0 Character Assessment

4.2 A rchaeology

The entire conservation area is covered by Havering Archaeological Priority Area 2.22, which is centred on the historic village. The Rainham APA is designated principally as it has potential to contain archaeological deposits associated with successive phases of medieval and later settlement activity.07

There are no scheduled monuments within the conservation area or its immediate setting.

Further information can be found by consulting the Archaeological Priority Area Appraisal written by Oxford Archaeology in 2024 for the London Borough of Havering, available online.

07 Oxford Archaeology (2024) ‘Archaeological Priority Area Appraisal: London Borough of Havering’. Available at: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/ https://www.havering.gov.uk/downloads/file/6708/havering-archaeological-priorityareas-report

Source: Airbus,USGS,NGA,NASA,CGIAR,NLS,OS,NMA,Geodatastyrelsen,GSA,GSI and the GIS User Community

4.0 Character Assessment

4.3

T he Setting of the Conservation Area

The setting of the conservation area is dominated by suburban built development to the east, large retail and leisure developments to the north and west, and marshlands and industrial parks to the south.

The railway line is a dominant visual and physical boundary between the conservation area and the marshland and industrial parks to the south, screening views of the latter completely from within the conservation area apart from views of its tall electricity masts.

Modern suburban development dominates wider setting to the west and north west, but is separated from the conservation area by the River Ingrebourne and roadways and further screened by mature trees.

Large retail and leisure facilities and associated car parking have infilled land to the immediate north, linked to the village core through a series of well-designed wayfinding paths, and screened from views within the conservation area by the tight plot layout to the north of Upminster Road South. Public realm works at the northern edge of the boundary soften the break between conservation area and retail park.

Upminster Road South and Broadway extend straight eastwards, lined by two-storey 20th century suburban housing.

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4.4 I mportant Views

The small size of the conservation area and generally lowlying topography impedes long-range views into and out of the centre of Rainham, limiting important views within the conservation area to those into and out of its central triangle. Otherwise the conservation area is experienced via incidental and kinetic views which change as one moves along its three main streets, or along pathways through town. These views include those of landmark buildings, including glimpsed views of the St Helen and St Giles church tower at the heart of the village.

All views which take in heritage assets, whether or not they are designated, are considered important and contribute to the understanding and experience of the conservation area. Consequently, the views considered in this section are only an indicative selection and are not intended to be a comprehensive set. Important views within the Rainham Conservation Area include those looking inward into the conservation area from its setting, those looking across the triangle at its historic core, views across the St Helen and St Giles churchyard at the centre of the village, and views across Rainham Hall gardens. These are illustrated in adjacent photographs and on landmarks map in Section 4.5

4.0 Character Assessment

4.0 Character Assessment

4.5 Key Buildings and Spaces

A conservation area is often best experienced by taking in its historic buildings and spaces, as the majority of these contribute to the understanding of its special interest. However, there are individual buildings and spaces which play a more important role in establishing the character of the area, and are considered to be landmarks.

Rainham’s landmarks are generally either statutorily listed heritage assets or locally listed buildings, while several others also make a positive contribution to the area’s historic or architectural character. These are identified on the plan opposite, as well as the conservation area’s important views identified in Section 4.4.

A number of buildings or sites within the conservation area boundary are identified as opportunities for enhancement. These comprise elements which considerably detract from the character and appearance of the conservation area; their improvement or replacement is encouraged.

4.6 Townscape and Spatial Analysis

The conservation area is centred on the meeting point of three major historic thoroughfares, Broadway, Upminster Road South and Bridge Road.

Streets and plot form around these three main roads reflect the gradual expansion of built form, densely packed with principal street frontages set around large plots of principal civic or private property, the church yard, Rainham Hall and Redbury House. Public and private open spaces help the area to retain its historically spacious feel, despite the dense development surrounding the area.

Map indicating the location of heritage assets, positive contributors, opportunities for enhancement and the conservation area boundary.

Source: Airbus,USGS,NGA,NASA,CGIAR,NLS,OS,NMA,Geodatastyrelsen,GSA,GSI and the GIS User Community

Key Views Proposed

Boundary

Contributor Opportunity for Enhancement

Statutorily Listed Heritage Assets

01 K6 Telephone Kiosk (Grade II)

02 Redbury (Grade II)

03 The Vicarage (Grade II)

04 War memorial (Grade II)

05 Church of St Helen and St Giles (Grade I)

06 No.2-8 Upminster Road South (Grade II)

07 Forecourt railings, gates and piers walls and vases at Rainham Hall (Grade II*)

08 Rainham Hall (Grade II*)

09 Stable Block at Rainham Hall (Grade II*)

10 The Lodge and Rainham Hall (Grade II*)

11 Wall and gate piers to Rainham Hall between number 15 and 37 (Grade II)

Locally Listed Buildings

A The Bell Public House

B The Angel Inn

C 12 Broadway

D 9 to 27 Upminster Road South

E 27A Broadway, Outbuilding to Vicarage.

F 2025 Extension to the Conservation Area boundary.

This plan is not to scale

4.0 Character Assessment

4.7

O pen Space and Trees

There are a series of publicly accessible, historic open green spaces within the centre of Rainham, its suburban expansion and modern infill having remained largely outside of the historic core. Principal public open spaces within the conservation area include:

• St Helens and St Giles Churchyard

• Rainham Hall Gardens

• River Ingrebourne Creek-side Park

4.0 Character Assessment

There are relatively few street trees within the conservation area due to plots arranged close to the road. Mature trees within the public green spaces, as well as those lining the railway and those within private gardens behind street facing buildings are therefore important features of the townscape,

as they provide verdant backdrops and help to soften views of railway or electricity pylons set beyond the conservation area boundaries. Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) are designated across a considerable number of plots within the conservation area boundary, as indicated on the adjacent map.

Source: Airbus,USGS,NGA,NASA,CGIAR,NLS,OS,NMA,Geodatastyrelsen,GSA,GSI and the GIS

2024 Proposed Conservation Area

Tree Preservation Orders

Designated Green Space

This plan is not to scale

4.0 Character Assessment

4.8.1

Key Features

A generous, roughly-triangular ‘square’ lies at the heart of the conservation area, formed by the meeting of its three principal roads, which provides a key feature of area public realm. The space was created in c.2012, when roadway to the rear of the war memorial was infilled and pedestrianised. This area is laid with modern stone pavers and provided with seating, planters and cycle bays which encourage dwell time and generally contribute positively to the character of the centre, despite sparse planting.

Pedestrianised or shared use links between Upminster Road South and the shopping centre to the north, and public realm between the 2014 library, bus depot and railway station to the south have been similarly provided with planters or young trees. The link to the north has art installations on brickwork to the sides of buildings in addition to planters, which serves to soften the otherwise urban environment and contributes positively to the character of the links, encouraging active footfall.

4.0 Character Assessment

4.8.2 Street Surfaces

Street surfaces throughout the conservation area are in tarmac with stone or granite kerbs.

Pavement materials vary more widely throughout the conservation area. Utilitarian surface treatments including tarmac and concrete pavers prevail on pavements away from the centre, and while in generally decent condition detract from the character of the townscape.

Pavements laid with flags and large paving stones prevail around the centre and streets surrounding Rainham Hall and the church. Modern polychromatic brick pavers and granite setts survive in driveways have been used to articulate sections of new pavement. Modern textured pavers have been laid to demarcate level access pedestrian crossings, or parking kerbs.

4.0 Character Assessment

4.8.3 Street Furniture, Lighting and Wayfinding

Street furniture is found throughout the conservation area, indicative of its character as a town centre.

Seating, bike hoops, planters and other furniture that encourages dwell time is clustered within open areas where wide pavements or dedicated land allows it: within the churchyard, the pedestrianised section of the town centre, near to the library and in the creek-side park. Their profiles vary, and their materials include stone, wood, or black plastic.

Street lighting is modern throughout the conservation area. Streetlamps are in a traditional profile through, except for within the new housing development south of Bridge Road, where they employ a contemporary design. Historic metal bollards on the pavement edge are prominent throughout the conservation area. Some modest wayfinding signage has been introduced within the town centre via metal signposts and small, circular metal plaques embedded in stone pavers around the centre, indicating the historic locations of local services.

4.0 Character Assessment

4.9 B uilding Uses

Building uses throughout the conservation area are typical to that of a modest village centre. Most buildings are in commercial or mixed use comprising ground floor shops or restaurants with offices or flats above. Exceptions within historic buildings include St Helen and Giles church, Rainham Hall, currently in cultural use as a National Trust site, and the area’s public houses.

There are a handful of solely residential historic buildings, as well as the recently-built housing redevelopment south of Bridge Road. A new residential and civic complex including Rainham library is sited just north of the railway station near the conservation area’s southern boundary.

4.10 B oundary Treatments

Boundary treatments throughout the conservation area are limited, but those to historic properties have a considerable impact on the appearance of the townscape. Both Rainham Hall and St Helen and St Giles churchyard have robust, handsome brick garden walls which provide them with visual separation from the street and an air of privacy. The wall between the two properties also makes a strong visual impression along the path leading northward through the churchyard.

The Vicarage and Redbury are given more delicate treatment, set behind railings on brick plinths which allow their façades to remain fully visible from the street. Iron railings also offer protection to the war memorial at the village centre.

The new housing development opposite the church and Rainham Hall includes tall brick boundary walls which are a nod to their historic neighbours. Elsewhere modern boundary treatments tend to comprise utilitarian metal fencing at the conservation area’s outer limits.

4.11 S cale and Massing

Buildings within the conservation area are generally two to three-storeys in height beneath pitched roofs, often with additional attic storeys with dormer. Modest buildings are often arranged in terraces. Grander buildings such as Rainham Hall and Redbury House are markedly taller with more prominent massing.

Commercial and residential building terraces along Upminster Road South are more compact in scale and massing, with longer terraces contributing to consistent frontages in street views. Larger, freestanding forms found across residences and public house premises along Bridge Road and Broadway and the St Helen and St Giles church add variety to the historic centre.

4.0 Character Assessment

4.12 Materials

The use of red and brown brick characterises the conservation area, with stone and other materials intermixed. The use of render on principal façades is also prevalent, particularly along the northern side of Bridge Road and Upminster Road South.

4.12.1 Brick

Red, brown and occasionally use of stock brick is the predominant building material used across the conservation area on buildings from the 17th century onward.

4.12.2 Stonework

Stone is used as decorative detailing on prominent historic buildings within the conservation area, specifically at Rainham Hall and to the war memorial within the centre.

The church is the conservation area’s most prominent building, and the only one to be built of stone, more specifically rubble. It also features brick sections within the tower, and timber porches.

4.0 Character Assessment

4.12.3 Other Finishes

Render and roughcast have been applied to entire brick frontages in several instances throughout the conservation area. In some instances, such as with sections of The Bell and Angel public houses, it has formed part of the early 20th century mock-Tudor timber framing. Several instances of render application along the northern side of Bridge Road and Upminster Road South, either on early 20th century commercial edifices, over older frontages, or localised rendering of details such as door surrounds, contributes to a great deal of variety in frontage materiality.

Traditional weatherboarding has been retained or reinstated at a single-storey eastern extension to the Old Vicarage on Broadway, and at 2-8 Upminster Road South, the latter as part of a 21st century renewal project.

4.12.4 Roofs

Roofs to historic buildings are generally finished in terracotta tile or slate, with an occasional roof replaced with modern tile. Chimneys form an important part of the roofscape, each varied in height and massing according to the varied age of the building stock, and provide lively visual interruptions within a characterful roofline framing the conservation area.

4.13 A rchitectural Types

The historic architectural types most prevalent throughout the conservation area include modest, commercial terraces, semidetached and detached houses. Standalone local landmarks punctuate these, such as the church, Rainham Hall and public houses. This contributes to the conservation area’s wider architectural character as a prosperous 18th to 19th century village.

4.13.1 Commercial and Professional Buildings

A wide range of commercial and professional buildings which date from the late-18th to the late 20th century line Bridge Road, Upminster Road and Broadway. There is a high proportion of residential buildings with ground floors converted into shopfronts in the late 19th and 20th century, with one or two-storeys above, as well as purpose-built in this mixed-use arrangement. Examples of the former include the late Victorian ground floor shopfront extensions to no.9-27 Upminster Road South, and examples of the latter include the three-storey No.26-28 Bridge Street. There is very little modern commercial development within the conservation area, limited to a short range of late 20th century commercial buildings which occupy the north side of Upminster Road South. Commercial frontages are generally simple, in brickwork with brick dressings and plastered, pebbledash or stucco fronts. There is one example of timber boarding, a modern replica of historic design, used at no.2-8 Upminster Road South.

4.0 Character Assessment

4.13.2 Shopfronts

Shopfronts to historic commercial buildings across the conservation area consist in the most part of late 19th or 20th century design, forming converted ground floor additions to residential houses, although there are instances of purposebuilt ground floor units. These are all largely traditional in design, reflecting the late Victorian practice of recessed entrance doors, panelled stall risers, large shopfront windows and over lights. Pilasters with capitals also remain consistently legible. Shop signage is generally in keeping with the historic setting; examples include painted brickwork at The Lodge (Grade II) and painted timber fasciae, although there are some examples of inappropriate, backlit modern shop signs. The shopfronts within the late 20th century range at No.3137 Upminster Road South are modern, with large shopfront windows and metal framed entrances.

4.13.3 Public Houses

There are three purpose-built public house buildings within the conservation area, one of which – The Phoenix, remains in active use. The other two, The Bell and The Angel, closed in the 2020s and remain at the time of writing vacant. Their scale and massing are indicative of their use as centres of social pasttime, and all three have large, prominent street facing façades built in red brick, with embellishments including faux Tudor timber framing, bay windows and ornamental brick detailing.

4.0 Character Assessment

4.13.4 Residential Buildings

Historic residential buildings include the 18th century Vicarage and Redbury House, which present prominent brick frontages to Broadway. Both rise two-storeys beneath pitched roofs set with dormers, and are set back from the pavement by a narrow stretch of planting.

Rainham Hall and its ancillary buildings are now owned by the National Trust but were designed and built as residential buildings. The hall represents a grander style typical of an 18th century merchant’s house, rising three-storeys in brick with

stone dressings. This is now a key feature of the streetscape and conservation area, and paramount to understanding its historic development. Its current cultural use and interpretative offer go far in this regard.

4.0 Character Assessment

4.13.5 Religious Buildings

The conservation area’s single religious building is the Church of St Helen and St Giles, which is still in active use as a place of worship and forms the most prominent fixture within the townscape. Its size and massing provide visual breaks within the centre, and its rich external enrichments from iterative phases from c.1170 to the present day provide high architectural interest. It has high communal and historic value as the oldest building in the borough.

4.0 Character Assessment

4.14 A rchitectural Details

A mix of 18th, 19th and early 20th century architectural detail survives on principal elevations within the conservation area.

Rainham Hall presents the most enriched façades, but elsewhere more modest decorative elements include applied timber embellishments, door canopies and intricate leaded glazing.

Polychromatic bricks and decorative arrangements have been used on late 19th and early 20th century buildings to create intricate cornices, such as at the Phoenix Public House.

Decorative relief brickwork has been used to good effect at the Bell Public House, where a raised grid pattern embellishes one of the principal gable façades.

5.0 Issues and Opportunities

5.0 Issues and Opportunities

5.1 Introduction

This section of the Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan provides analysis of the current issues and opportunities facing the Rainham Conservation Area and reflects the findings of a detailed site survey and initial stakeholder consultation. It will be reviewed and updated following public consultation to ensure holistic coverage. The analysis is set out around the below themes:

5.2 Development Opportunity

5.3 Detracting Buildings, Elements and Additions

5.4 Shopfronts and Advertising

5.5 Maintenance and Repair of Buildings

5.6 Public Realm

5.7 Sustainable Development and Climate Change

5.8 Interpretation and Raising Awareness

5.2 D evelopment Opportunity

Rainham enjoys the unique combination of village character, good transport links into central London and adjacent open space at the fringe of the borough, all qualities of a desirable place to live. This, alongside the nationwide housing shortage which local authorities are under pressure to accommodate, means that there is an inevitable desire for new development within the area. A new housing scheme has recently redeveloped a considerable tract of land west of Broadway and opposite St Helen and St Giles church within the conservation area, and there is also potential for development within its immediate and wider setting.

This can present a challenge in historic areas such as Rainham, where the historic character of buildings and townscape is especially sensitive to change. Given the density of the conservation area, there are very few sites which have been identified as detracting from its special interest in Section 4.5; these present opportunities for the enhancement of historic character through sympathetic redevelopment.

Any proposals for new development both within the conservation area and within its setting should be carefully considered and well designed to ensure that the special interest and character of the conservation area as a designated heritage asset are preserved. Particular attention should be paid to the placement, height, massing and materiality of any proposed development within the conservation area or its setting, also taking important views and the potential impacts of accompanying infrastructure changes into account.

5.3 D etracting Buildings, Elements and Additions

The overall quality and appearance of buildings and the street scene of the conservation area is generally good. Most historic frontages contribute positively to appearance and character of the area, though some have suffered from unsympathetic modern accretions. A small number of low-quality modern buildings also detract from the character and appearance of the conservation area. A number of these elements, from whole buildings to smaller-scale alterations, present opportunities for conservation area enhancement.

5.3.1 Detracting Buildings

Detracting buildings and sites are identified as opportunities for enhancement on the area map included in Section 4.5. These buildings generally comprise massing and/or materiality which do little to relate to the area’s historic character and detract from the street scene, and are found at the edges of the conservation area. They include the railway station, a squat, modern building with no architectural detail, adjacent vacant sites and car parks to the south.

If the opportunity arises to replace or alter detracting buildings, there is potential to enhance the conservation area by ensuring that proposals are sensitively designed and respond better to the area’s historic context and the character and appearance of the townscape.

Any development within the setting of the conservation area should take into consideration its special interest, and be of high quality, sensitive design.

5.0 Issues and Opportunities

5.3.2 Unsympathetic Additions and Accretions

Modern accretions to historic building exteriors across the conservation area are largely unsympathetic. These elements, and particularly the cumulative impact of incremental additions, can detract from the appearance of historic elevations and, as a result, from the character of the conservation area. These include:

• Surface-mounted services such as cables, conduit and security systems; there is opportunity to reduce visual clutter across frontages by removing or rationalising these elements, or by relocating them to more discreet locations. It is recommended that installation of any new external devices or technology be limited to rear elevations or rerouted internally so that they remain concealed from the public realm. Opportunities should also be taken to remove redundant wiring.

• Television aerials and satellite dishes are modern and highly conspicuous elements which are visually intrusive within historic streetscapes; these are found throughout the conservation area atop roofs and fixed to frontages. Often dishes and aerials remain fixed to buildings after they become redundant. There is opportunity to remove the latter, and ensure that any new devices are located along rear elevations, concealed from the public realm. Planning permission is required for the installation of telecoms equipment on walls and roofs visible from the public domain, and listed building consent is required for installation on listed buildings.

5.0 Issues and Opportunities

5.3.3 Windows, Doors and Rain Goods

Whilst a good number of timber windows survive in historic buildings across the conservation area, there are highly visible examples of insensitive replacement in uPVC in the village centre. uPVC doors and plastic rain goods have also replaced original and traditional versions in places.

Plastic windows in particular negatively affect the appearance of buildings, but all plastic features are modern, alien additions to the historic environment and have a detrimental impact on

the character and appearance of the conservation area. Their installation often constitutes the loss of the original or historic features and profiles, which incrementally reduces the special interest of the area. In addition, the use of plastic windows and doors reduces the breathability of traditionally constructed buildings, by preventing moisture from egressing the building; this can cause wider damage to building fabric. There are opportunities to return windows to traditional materials and appearance where they have been altered.

There are a few instances of visible rooflight installations within historic façades in the village centre. These are particularly modern insertions which break up the appearance of historic pitched roofs and detract from the character and appearance of the conservation area. There is potential for an Article 4 direction to be implemented to better control proposals for window changes in the future.

5.0 Issues and Opportunities

5.3.4 Boundary Treatments

Boundary treatments within the conservation area are generally historic or of appropriate profile and materiality, particularly within the village core. However, utilitarian, unfinished metal fencing is visible at the fringes of the conservation to the north and south which detracts from area character. Whilst it is understood that some security fencing relates to the railway, there is opportunity to replace other unsightly boundary treatments in metal fencing in a traditional profile; simple, black-painted railings are generally considered most appropriate.

In some cases, overly-utilitarian modern metal fencing is used at the entrances to rear yards between historic buildings; there is opportunity to replace these with gates of a sympathetic profile.

5.0 Issues and Opportunities

5.4 S hopfronts and Advertising

Retail trade is a very important part of Rainham’s economy, both historically and today. Whilst there are a considerable number of historic shopfronts surviving, some have been unsympathetically altered or replaced over time. This is particularly visible along the central village triangle, and in places along Upminster Road South, where it has a detrimental impact on the special interest of the conservation area.

Oversized fascia signs in plastic or metal are particular issues, and some employ internally-lit signage. Overlarge fascias obscures the legible proportions of historic façades and neighbouring façades, and often conceal historic fabric or architectural details. The colour and design of some shop signage does not respect the character of either the building or of the historic street scene as a whole.

While many shopfronts employ traditional glazing and stall riser proportions and arrangements, detailing is often crude or overly-plain. Modern accretions, including security bars, ventilation grilles and low-quality lighting also detract from the street scene, as do shopfronts which have had their historic profiles and proportions replaced with larger windows without subdivision.

Planning permission is required for alterations or changes which materially affect the external appearance of shopfronts. When opportunities arise, shopfronts and shop signage should be returned to a more traditional appearance, or utilise design features or patterns that are generally in keeping with historic shopfront proportions and materiality where appropriate. Guidance on shopfront design is included in Section 6.5

5.0 Issues and Opportunities

5.5 M aintenance and Repair of Buildings

The area as a whole remains in active commercial use, with high footfall and commercial tenancy. Buildings are overall in good condition and play an active role in the public experience of the conservation area.

Some buildings suffer from a lack of maintenance or are in need of repair. Issues include peeling paint to render, deteriorated render, peeling paint to timber windows, loose or missing roof tiles, water damage and staining to brickwork, and loss of glazing. It is critical that the causes of these issues are resolved to prevent reoccurrence and further damage.

In other instances, the loss of historic detail is indicative of lowquality repair. A number of terraced frontages in Upminster Road South have lost their historic dentilled cornices, and prominent historic blocks within the village triangle have been repaired or modified with mismatched fabric.

Vacancy also presents building condition concerns, as vacant buildings are often not maintained whilst awaiting new occupancy. This is currently the case for the two public house buildings which frame the western entrance into the conservation area, where boarded-up windows, broken windows and brickwork degradation are evident. These vacant buildings in prominent townscape positions emit sense of decline.

As well as having an impact on physical building fabric, these maintenance and repair issues harm the appearance of both individual buildings and the wider conservation area. There is guidance on good practice maintenance and repair methods in Section 6.4 and additional sources of guidance in Further Information and Resources.

5.0 Issues and Opportunities

5.6 Public Realm

The pedestrian triangle at the village centre is an important and popular area of public realm within the conservation area which enjoys views of several of its designated heritage assets. However, it currently comprises a mix of street furniture in various materials and profiles that lack cohesion and detract from its sense of place. There is opportunity to rationalise street furniture here; any proposed street furniture should be of high quality design and materials which remain sensitive to the historic character of the conservation area.

Traditionally-profiled streetlamps across the conservation area effectively help to demarcate it from its setting; lampposts should undergo regularly-scheduled maintenance, inspection, and repair. Bollards in an array of profiles and materials are found throughout the conservation area. There is opportunity to rationalise and replace modern bollards in metal in a traditional profile that complements the character of the conservation are.

The River Ingrebourne presents a green space along the conservation area’s western boundary with important historic ties to the development of Rainham. There is opportunity to improve the public realm offer within the park along the river to improve its appearance, and so that it can more legibly relate to the rest of the conservation area.

5.0 Issues and Opportunities

5.7

S ustainable Development and Climate Change

The London Borough of Havering intends to be carbon neutral by 2040, and in March 2023 declared a climate and ecological emergency recognising the threats of climate change to the borough. This issue interacts with the conservation area in a number of ways, including changes to buildings and the way people move around the area.

Havering Council have embedded climate change mitigation and minimising carbon emissions throughout the Local Plan, including within its Strategic Objectives and in Policy 12, Healthy communities and Policy 36, Low carbon design and renewable energy.

5.7.1 Energy Efficiency Upgrades

Whilst the maintenance and continued use of historic buildings is inherently sustainable, there is likely to be both a desire amongst residents and tenants and pressure from government over coming decades to improve the energy efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint of Rainham’s historic building stock. Reducing heating requirements combined with using more sustainable sources of heat and power are the two main aspects to consider.

There are many opportunities to improve the energy efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint of historic buildings which will have no impact on the character and appearance of the conservation area. These include improving the thermal performance of the building stock through insulating roofs and suspended ground floors, draught exclusion and introducing secondary glazing. Historic and traditionally constructed buildings were designed to be breathable, allowing moisture to naturally exit building fabric. Care needs to be taken to make sure buildings of this type remain breathable, rather than air-tight, through choosing appropriate materials as retaining moisture will harm the fabric of the building.

Care also needs to be taken if external changes are proposed, to ensure they remain sensitive to their historic context. This could include the addition of solar photovoltaic panels on south or east/west facing roofs as an additional heating or hot water source. However, these must not detract from the historic character of the building and are likely to be only acceptable when positioned on rear roof slopes not visible from the public realm. Where solar panels would be on a wall or roof slopes facing the public highway, or on a flat roof, planning permission is required.

5.7.2 Upgrades within the Public Realm

Reducing petrol and diesel car use is critical to reducing carbon emissions and there is government commitment to phasing out their sale over the next decade. Petrol and diesel car use will be replaced by a combination of electric (or other carbon-free) vehicles and active, car less travel. Both will require infrastructure changes that will need to be considered in the context of the special interest of the conservation area to ensure they are implemented appropriately.

Electric vehicles require charging points which can be installed within existing car parks and adjacent to street parking bays. Although these are relatively unobtrusive, they are likely to increase visual street clutter to a degree and should therefore be considered alongside other reductions in street furniture clutter. However, lamppost charging points and wireless charging may become viable in the future which and are likely to be compatible with a conservation area environment.

Encouraging active travel, cycling, walking and the use of e-scooters is also key to reducing carbon emissions. Reducing vehicle movement in the conservation area will improve air quality and make active travel more pleasant and safer. Improved signposting for cycling and walking routes could be introduced whilst taking care not to add to visual clutter through excessive increased signage. There clusters

of cycle stands near the station and the library, but only two in the village centre; there is opportunity to expand on these within the historic village core.

5.7.3 Trees and Open Spaces

Maintaining existing trees and replacing lost or dying trees are an important part of the strategy to tackle climate change and trees also contribute considerably to the special interest of the conservation area. Street trees help to soften the area’s urban grain, and contribute to its sense of place. There are currently large planters in place within the central village triangle, but these only contain low-level planting. There is opportunity to provide trees in planters or planted directly into the ground within this pedestrian space, which could help soften its otherwise hard finishes and sparse character.

Permission is needed for any works to trees above a certain size in the conservation area (see Section 6.3) and justification is required for the loss of any street trees, which should be also be replaced with new trees. A succession planting strategy would be beneficial to ensure existing tree coverage is maintained into the future and opportunities for new trees should also be considered.

5.0 Issues and Opportunities

5.8 I nterpretation and Raising Awareness

Whilst there is a good level of local appreciation for the historic development of Rainham, aided in part by the National Trust’s interpretative offer at Rainham Hall, there are opportunities to increase awareness of the special interest of the conservation area. This is particularly the case around the River Ingrebourne, once home to Rainham’s historic wharf, where there is a lack of legibility regarding the historic importance of the water feature; there is an opportunity here for the installation of interpretive signage to encourage increased historic awareness.

It is beneficial to provide area residents and tenants with clear information on the responsibilities and benefits of owning a building in the conservation area and the implications of proposing changes to buildings. There are also opportunities to raise awareness of the importance of building maintenance to prevent degradation amongst local owners and occupiers.

6.0 Managing Change

6.0 Managing Change

6.1 Introduction

Section 6 provides a framework to guide change within the Rainham Conservation Area, based on the understanding of its special interest set out in earlier sections of this document. The overarching ambition for the conservation area is to preserve and enhance what is special about it, and thus this is the statutory duty of the Council. This is achieved by ensuring that change and development take place in a considered and sympathetic way, and by raising awareness of and promoting shared responsibility for looking after the conservation area.

The long-term objectives of conservation area management are to phase out past ill-considered changes and additions, and to ensure that new development is of high quality and responds to the conservation area’s special character. This applies to very small changes, such as reinstating lost historic features, to proposals for new development both within the conservation area and its setting. In addition, the regular maintenance of buildings is a vital part of preserving both their special interest and physical fabric. Repairs can often be necessary; ensuring that these are undertaken sensitively is an important part of looking after historic buildings and the conservation area as a whole.

The following sections set out how and why change within the conservation area is controlled, good practice advice on maintenance and repair and specific guidance on alterations, extension and new development. Specific recommendations can be found in Section 6.8.

6.2 Planning Legislation, Policy and Guidance

Planning legislation, policy and guidance is utilised when determining applications for development or other changes within the conservation area. This is to ensure that proposals seek to preserve or enhance the area’s special interest including the contribution made by its setting.

The primary legislation governing conservation areas is the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. This sets out statutory duties for local planning authorities in managing change within conservation areas. Regional and local planning policy reflect this legislation in the protection and enhancement of conservation areas. See the London Borough of Havering’s website for details regarding current national policy regarding the historic environment and the relevant policies set out within the Havering Local Plan.

In addition to legislative and policy requirements there is a wealth of best practice guidance and advice available from Historic England and other heritage organisations. When changes are being considered to buildings within and in the setting of the conservation area, it is often helpful to first seek pre-application advice from the Council to gain early guidance on proposals and discuss any constraints or opportunities; details for this can be found on the London Borough of Havering’s website.

Links and details of all the relevant policy, guidance and advice can be found in Further Information and Resources.

6.3 C ontrol Measures Brought about by Conservation Area Designation

6.3.1 Restrictions on Permitted Development

In order to protect and enhance the Rainham Conservation Area, any changes that take place must preserve, respect or contribute to the character and appearance which makes the conservation area of special interest. Permitted Development Rights, as defined by The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, are works which can be undertaken without the need to gain planning permission. Permitted Development Rights are different in a conservation area, meaning that planning permission is needed for works which materially affect the external appearance of a building.

This includes, but is not restricted to:

• The total or substantial demolition of buildings or structures (including walls of over 1 metre in height, gate piers and chimneys);

• Other partial demolition including new openings in external elevations;

• Works to trees with a diameter of 75 mm or greater, measured at 1.5 metres from soil level;

• Changes to the external finish of a building (including rendering, pebble dash or other cladding);

• Changes to the roof shape including installation of new dormer windows and chimneys;

• Any extension other than a single-storey rear extension of 4 metres or less (3 metres or less if the house is detached or semi-detached);

• Extensions to the side of buildings;

• Any two-storey extensions;

• Erection of an outbuilding to the side of a property;

• Aerials and satellite dishes on chimneys or elevations visible from the street;

• Putting up advertisements and other commercial signage (advertising consent may also be required);

• Changing the use of a building (e.g. from residential to commercial); and

• Installing solar panels that are wall-mounted on a wall or roof facing the highway.

For further information and advice about when planning permission is required within a conservation area, see the guidance on the Government’s Planning Portal or contact the London Borough of Havering Planning Department. It should be noted that proposals which impact listed buildings, including changes to their setting, may also require listed building consent.

6.0 Managing Change

6.3.2 Article 4 Directions

The Council can develop bespoke controls to ensure that specific elements of a conservation area are protected from harmful change. This is done through the application of an Article 4 Direction. These provide additional control by specifically revoking certain permitted development rights, meaning that planning permission needs to be sought before work can be undertaken.

Should the Council wish to do so, the process of implementing any new Article 4 Directions will be undertaken at a future date, separate from the adoption of this CAAMP.

6.4 C onservation and the Repair of Buildings

All buildings require maintenance and repair regardless of their age, designation (or lack thereof) or significance. In conservation areas, it is important that such works are carried out sensitively to protect the historic fabric of buildings and preserve the established character of the wider area. The following sections provide a summary of best practice advice on maintenance and repair. Historic England and other heritage bodies, including the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB), provide a wide range of advice and guidance on how to care for and protect historic places, including advice on their maintenance and repair. See Further Information and Resources for information.

6.4.1 Maintenance

Maintenance is defined as routine work necessary to keep the fabric of a place in good order. It differs from repair in that it is a pre-planned, regular activity intended to reduce the instances where remedial or unforeseen work is needed. Regular maintenance ensures that small problems do not escalate into larger issues, lessening the need for repairs, and is therefore cost effective in the long-term. In general maintenance work does not require consent from the Council, however some maintenance works may require consent.

Regular inspection of building fabric and services will help identify specific maintenance tasks relevant to each building. These could include but are not limited to:

• Regularly clearing gutters and drain grilles of debris, particularly leaves;

• Clearing any blockages in downpipes;

• Sweeping of chimneys;

• Removal of vegetation growth on or abutting a building; and

• Repainting or treating timber or metal windows and other external timberwork.

6.4.2 Repair

Repair is defined as work that is beyond the scope of maintenance undertaken to remedy defects caused by decay, damage or use, including minor adaptation to achieve a sustainable outcome, but not involving alteration or restoration. Identification of repairs may arise during regular inspection of buildings or following extreme weather events and could include repairing damage to roof coverings, repointing of brickwork or repairs to windows.

It is important to understand the cause of any damage or defects both to ensure that the repair is successful and to minimise the work that is required. It is also important to understand the significance of the built fabric affected in order to minimise harm when enacting a repair. As with maintenance, consent may be required for some types of repair work; it is advisable to discuss with the Council before any work is undertaken.

The following should be considered when planning repair works:

• Repairs should always be considered on a case-bycase basis. A method of repair which is suitable for one building may not be suitable for another.

• Only undertaking the minimum intervention required for any given repair.

• Use materials and construction techniques which match the existing fabric to maintain the appearance and character of the building. The exception to this is when existing materials or techniques are detrimental to the built fabric – for example, cement pointing on a historic brick building.

• Repair is always preferable over the wholesale replacement of a historic feature.

• If replacement of a historic feature is required – for example, if it has degraded beyond repair – the replacement should be carried out on a like-for-like basis using the same materials and construction techniques. The replaced element should be the same as the original in terms of material, dimensions, method of construction and finish (condition notwithstanding) in order to be classed as like-for-like.

• Like-for-like replacement should not be applied in cases where a historic feature has previously been repaired using inappropriate materials or techniques. When seeking to improve failing modern features or past unsuitable repairs, a traditionally-designed alternative using appropriate materials is preferable, such as breathable, lime-based renders and paints. In such cases planning permission, and in the case of a listed building, listed building consent, may be required.

• Repairs should, where possible, be reversible, as better alternatives may become available in the future.

• Repointing should always be carried out using a limebased mortar. Within historic and traditionally constructed buildings, cement-based pointing is damaging to brickwork and stonework as it is an impermeable material. Periodic renewal of pointing will extend the lifetime of building fabric.

6.0 Managing Change

6.5 P roposing Change to Buildings

6.5.1 Alteration, Extension and Demolition

The appropriateness of demolition, alteration or extension will be considered on a case-by-case basis, as what is appropriate in one location will not necessarily be acceptable in another. In all cases it is vital to consider the impact of the proposed change on the special interest of the conservation area ensuring that this is preserved or enhanced.

Demolition of buildings that detract from the character and appearance of the conservation area may be beneficial. However, gap sites can also detract from the character of the conservation area, and therefore demolition of whole buildings may only be permitted in instances when rebuilding is proposed, when the site was historically open and this remains appropriate, or when an alternative suitable future use for the site is planned.

Alterations should preserve or enhance the character of the conservation area, and changes should be sensitive to its prevailing architectural and visual character. Alterations may comprise of the removal of detracting features such as uPVC windows, and where appropriate, their replacement with more historically appropriate versions. Alterations should therefore use appropriate materials for their context, and ideally those that are typically found within the conservation area. This may include timber for windows and doors and brickwork for structural elements. New materials may be appropriate as long as they are complementary to the appearance of the area.

Extensions should be subordinate to the existing buildings in their scale, massing and design, and should ensure that any existing historic features remain legible. Extension to the side and front of buildings is unlikely to be appropriate as this would change the visual appearance of the streetscape, whereas extension to the rear, where space allows, is likely to be more acceptable. All extensions should be of high quality design and construction. Whilst the design may use materials and finishes

which are characteristic to the conservation area, there may be scope for use of a wider, less traditional material palette where these are part of a high quality, sensitively-designed extension that complements or enhances the appearance of the original building and the conservation area setting.

6.5.2 Alterations Proposed in Response to Climate Change

There are many opportunities to make changes to historic buildings in the conservation area which will assist in improving their thermal performance and, as a result, tackle climate change. Internal works in unlisted buildings will not require planning permission; however, for any works which affect the exterior of a building it will be required. Any works to listed buildings, both internal and external, will require listed building consent and those to the exterior will also require planning permission.

Internally, adding insulation to roofs or lofts and below suspended ground floors will improve thermal efficiency, and draft exclusion around windows, doors and vents will also be beneficial. Installing secondary glazing will also improve thermal performance, though it is noted that double or triple glazing may be considered appropriate in some conservation area buildings, pending impacts to the character of the building and wider setting. Care should be taken to ensure that traditionally constructed buildings remain sufficiently breathable to avoid causing harm to the fabric of the building.

Externally, solar panels could be installed on rear roof slopes not visible from the public realm. Where solar panels are proposed to be installed to listed buildings, even on rear roof slopes, listed building consent will be required. Other renewable energy sources could be considered, such as ground, air or water-sourced heat pumps, so long as they do not detract from the character or appearance of the conservation area.

When planning the installation of electric vehicle charging points (EVCPs) care should be taken when installing any outlets, conduit, etc. in historic building fabric to avoid unnecessary fabric loss and minimise the visual impact of the EVCP in views from the street. EVCPs often require vehicles to be parked at close range; the impact of this on the character and appearance of the street and wider conservation area should be carefully considered. The installation of an EVCP does not require planning permission, the areas in question must be lawfully used for off street parking.

6.5.3 Modern Additions to Historic Buildings

Proposed modern additions to buildings should be carefully considered to ensure they are both necessary and appropriate to the character and appearance of the conservation area. The removal of unsympathetic features such as redundant external wiring, satellite dishes and television aerials should be undertaken proactively, as this will remove visual clutter and thus enhance the appearance of the conservation area. The installation of new television aerials and satellite dishes on a wall, chimney or roof slope that faces onto and is visible from the conservation area public realm (generally to front and side elevations) requires planning permission and is discouraged. The visibility of such features detracts from the appearance of the conservation area; therefore care should be taken to locate these items discreetly, ideally to the rear of buildings.

6.5.4 Windows, Doors and Drainage Goods

There have been instances in which uPVC units have been used to replace historic windows. uPVC doors and plastic gutters and drainpipes also found on historic buildings in places throughout the conservation area. Plastic or uPVC elements are not in keeping with the appearance or character of a historic building, and thus detract from the special interest of the conservation area. Therefore, replacement of historic or traditional windows, doors and drainage goods is discouraged unless they are damaged beyond repair. Where such replacement is necessary this should be in materials and styles appropriate to the building. Where inappropriate

6.0 Managing Change

replacement has already been undertaken, returning these features back to their traditional appearance is encouraged. The proportions and type of window will be dependent upon the age and style of an individual building.

Doors and window frames should be painted in appropriate colours. Changes in colour beyond a shade lighter or darker of the existing colours will likely require planning permission, with decisions based on surrounding context and appropriate historic precedent. Drainage goods would have historically been painted cast iron or lead; however other metals may be appropriate subject to their detailed design.

6.5.5 Boundary Treatments

Boundary treatments are applied sparingly throughout the conservation area, but some form key elements of the townscape within the village centre. Inappropriate or lowquality existing boundary treatments should be replaced when opportunities arise. When new boundary treatments are proposed, these should remain sensitive to the historic character and appearance of the conservation area and avoid introducing clutter to the street scene.

6.5.6 Shopfronts and Signage

Retail is an important function at the heart of the conservation area, and therefore the design and appearance of shopfronts is important to preserving and enhancing its character. Changes to shopfronts will require planning permission, and, if part of a listed building, listed building consent. Changes to signage and advertising will require advertisement consent.

A shopfront is part of a building as a whole, rather than being a separate entity. The design of shopfronts therefore needs to reflect the style, proportions, vertical or horizontal emphasis and detailing of the rest of the building, particularly the principal elevation. This is the case for both buildings which historically contained retail at ground floor and where a shopfront has been a later insertion.

Where historic or existing shopfronts contribute to the character and appearance of the conservation area, they should be retained and enhanced where possible. Any historic shopfront features which survive should be retained, repaired as necessary, and incorporated into new schemes, rather than being replaced or concealed. It would be desirable to reinstate historic features, such as corbels and pilasters where these have been lost.

Where it is appropriate to replace all or parts of a shopfront, traditional styles and materials are likely to be most appropriate in historic buildings, but nontraditional, sympathetically designed shopfronts would be appropriate in modern and new buildings. The replacement of inappropriate

modern alterations to shopfronts with suitably-designed traditional alternatives is encouraged. The use of plastic and metal is not considered to be appropriate in historic contexts.

Pilasters, cornices, fascias and stall risers are all important elements in creating the visual proportions of traditional shopfronts within historic buildings. Fascias are of notable importance and should be in proportion to the rest of the shopfront; they should not be overly large or extend above cornice level or beyond the corbels on either side. Full height glazing is a modern feature and does not reflect the character of historic buildings, though may be considered appropriate in more recent buildings.

6.0 Managing Change

The design and detailing of advertising and signage content, both on fascias, hanging signs and any free-standing signage, are also important in the conservation area. The signage should complement the design of the shopfront and building, conveying a sense of permanence and quality. Colour palettes, lettering style and illumination need to be considered in the design of a complementary shopfront. With regards to illumination, internally lit signage is generally considered inappropriate within the conservation area context; subtle external lighting is more appropriate. Careful consideration needs to be given to the appropriateness of free-standing signage such as A-boards as these can cause visual clutter and physical impediment to pedestrian movement.

There are examples of fabric canopies within the conservation area and such features can add interest to the street scene if they are of an appropriate design which also considers impacts on neighbouring shopfronts and longer street views. Canopies should avoid obscuring historic features, should be retractable and be made of canvas. Dutch-style canopies, which are visible when retracted, are not appropriate. Canopies would have traditionally been positioned above fascia signage and this is therefore the most appropriate position for replacement or new canopies; projecting hanging signage will allow the shop name and advertising to remain visible when the canopy is down. Installation of canopies will require consent from the Council.

6.6 New Development

6.6.1 New Development within the Conservation Area

There are relatively few opportunities for new development within the conservation area. However, some sites comprise detracting buildings or vacant areas, the sensitive replacement or redevelopment of which could enhance the conservation area’s appearance. There may also be opportunities to redevelop buildings which make a neutral contribution to the conservation area. Any new or replacement development

needs to take account of, and remain sensitive to, the following:

• The significance of any building proposed for demolition;

• The significance of the relationship between any building to be removed and adjacent structures and spaces;

• The potential to draw inspiration from the historic use and character of a site;

• The significance or contribution of any gap site; is it a historic gap within the street frontage or does it detract?;

• The potential impact of proposals on known or potential archaeological remains;

• The potential impact of proposals on the setting of any neighbouring listed buildings;

• The materials and architectural detailing characteristic of the area - these should be a key point of reference in the choice of materials and detailing for proposed new development;

• The scale and grain of the surrounding area, including historic plot boundaries;

• The proposed height of new development in relation to neighbouring buildings and the surrounding context; and

• The potential impact of proposals on important views and the prominence of landmark buildings within the conservation area.

The above list is not exhaustive; each location will present its own unique requirements for sensitive and appropriate proposed development. In all cases, new development must be of high quality design, construction and detailing. The principal aim of new development should be to preserve or enhance the character of its immediate setting and the conservation area as a whole.

6.6.2 New Development in the Setting of the Conservation Area

The setting of the conservation area contributes considerably to its special interest, and there are likely opportunities for new development within this setting. New development should remain sensitive to its location within the setting of the designated heritage asset and enhance or preserve, rather than harm, its special interest. Proposed new development should be of the highest quality design and execution, regardless of scale, in order to achieve this and, where relevant, help phase out ill-considered and unsympathetic interventions from the past.

6.7 Public Realm

The public realm, namely publicly accessible streets and open spaces, is the area from which the majority of people will experience the conservation area. Preserving and enhancing its character and appearance is therefore of considerable importance for maintaining the special interest of the area. The public realm consists not only of street surfaces, but the street furniture, street signs and interpretation.

A sensitive and holistic approach to change and improvement to the public realm within an overarching strategy is needed, including changes to road infrastructure to encourage cycling and walking. Any additions or amendments to the public realm will also need to take account of highways and other relevant regulations.

Care should be taken to ensure future public realm works are considered for the longer term and materials both for street furniture and surface treatments are durable and of high quality, and remain sensitive to the character of the conservation area.

In addition to street furniture, road signage, freestanding shop signage, broadband cabinets, and elements such as inappropriately located café seating can collectively

6.0 Managing Change

cause excessive clutter within the public realm and detract physically and visually from the pedestrian experience of the conservation area. Applications associated with features within the public realm should be carefully considered to make certain that public streets remain pleasant and attractive places to be whilst ensuring that commercial activities can continue successfully.

Installation of vehicle e-charging points are likely to become a feature of the street scene in the near future. Although these are relatively unobtrusive, they are likely to increase visual street clutter to a degree and should therefore be considered alongside other elements of street furniture.

6.8 Specific Recommendations

The following recommendations have been developed in response to the issues and opportunities within the conservation area identified in Section 5, and in light of the guidance on managing change provided in Section 6 over previous pages. These recommendations are designed to ensure the preservation and enhancement of the special interest of the Rainham Conservation Area.

01 The historic environment of Rainham, in particular that which contributes to the character and appearance of the conservation area, should be maintained to ensure the area remains a desirable place to live, work and visit.

02 Proposals for extension, alteration and new development should preserve or enhance the special interest of the conservation area, or where the public benefits would outweigh any harm.

03 The design, construction and materials of any new development, extension, alteration or repair should be of the highest quality and respect their local context.

04 Development within the setting of the conservation area should be sympathetic to its special interest in terms of its scale, massing, proportions, materials and detailing.

05 Development within the setting of the conservation area should ensure the green and spacious nature of the setting, which contributes to its special interest, is maintained.

06 Trees which contribute to the character of the conservation area should be retained, or replaced as necessary; opportunities for additional tree planting and green landscaping should also be carefully considered.

07 Changes to buildings in response to climate change are encouraged but should take into consideration the character and appearance of the conservation area.

08 Careful removal of inappropriate and unsympathetic additions to buildings and the street scene is encouraged.

09 Reinstatement of lost historic features, such as timber sash windows or corbels and stall risers on traditional shopfronts is encouraged, where appropriate.

10 Replacement of inappropriate modern alterations to shopfronts with suitably designed traditional or sympathetically designed alternatives is encouraged.

11 The condition of the conservation area should be monitored and reviewed periodically.

Further Information and Resources

Further Information and Resources

Bibliography

Cherry, B., C. O’Brien and N. Pevsner. 2005. The Buildings of England London 5: East. London and New Haven: Yale University Press.

Genealogy Supplies (Jersey) Limited. 2024. The Genealogist. Available online at https://www.thegeneaologist.co.uk/

Havering Museum. 2017. Did you know? – Rainham. Available online at www.haveringmuseum.org.uk/did-you-knowrainham/

London Borough of Havering and Place Services. 2024. Local Heritage List London Borough of Havering. Available online at https://www.havering.gov.uk/downloads/download/531/ havering-heritage

National Trust. 2024. ‘The history of Rainham Hall’ in Rainham Hall. Available online at https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/ london/rainham-hall/the-history-of-rainham-hall

Oxford Archaeology. 2024. Archaeological Priority Area Appraisal: London Borough of Havering. Available online at https://www.havering.gov.uk/downloads/file/6708/haveringarchaeological- priority-areas-report

Powell, W. R. (ed.) 1978. A History of the County of Essex: Volume 7. London. Available online at https://www.britishhistory.ac.uk/vch/essex/vol7

Weinreb, B. and C. Hibbert (eds.). 1983. The London Encyclopaedia. London: Macmillan London Ltd.

Consulted Archives

Havering Library and Local Studies

Historic England archive

Further Sources of Information

For further study, the following archives hold material that may be of relevance to the history and significance of Rainham:

• Havering Library and Local Studies

• London Metropolitan Archive

• Essex Record Office

• The National Archives

• Historic England Archive

• National Trust Heritage Records database

Legislation, Policy and Guidance

Legislation, Planning Policy and Best Practice Guidance

The following legislation, policy documents and guidance have been utilised in undertaking the conservation area review and preparing this report.

a Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990

b Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, National Planning Policy Framework (2023) (specifically Section 16: Conserving and Enhancing the Historic Environment)

c London Borough of Havering, Havering Local Plan (20162031)

d London Borough of Havering, Havering Character Study (August 2024)

e London Borough of Havering Archaeological Priority Area Appraisal (May 2024)

f Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Planning Practice Guidance

g Historic England, Conservation Area Appraisal, Designation and Management: Advice Note 1 (Second Edition, 2019)

h Historic England, Conservation Principles, Policies and Guidance for the Sustainable Management of the Historic Environment (2008)

i Historic England, Historic Environment Good Practice Advice in Planning Note 3: The Setting of Heritage Assets (Second Edition, 2017)

j Historic England Advice Note 18. Adapting Historic Buildings for Energy Carbon Efficiency (July 2024)

Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990

Listed buildings and conservation areas are designated under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 for their special architectural or historic interest. Designation gives conservation areas protection as alterations, additions or demolitions are controlled by the need for planning permission, which is required by local planning authorities when change is proposed. Section 69 of the Act details the protection of conservation areas and is reproduced below, of specific reference is section (1):

‘Section

69 Designation of Conservation Areas

(1) Every local planning authority:

(a) shall from time to time determine which parts of their area are areas of special architectural or historic interest the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance, and

(b) shall designate those areas as Conservation Areas.

(2) It shall be the duty of a local planning authority from time to time to review the past exercise of functions under this section and to determine whether any parts or any further parts of their area should be designated as Conservation Areas; and, if they so determine, they shall designate those parts accordingly.

(3) The Secretary of State may from time to time determine that any part of a local planning authority’s area which is not for the time being designated as a Conservation Area is an area of special architectural or historic interest the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance; and, if he so determines, he may designate that part as a Conservation Area.

(4) The designation of any area as a Conservation Area shall be a local land charge.’

National Planning Policy Framework (2023)

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out the government’s planning policies for new development within England and how these are expected to be applied. At the heart of the NPPF ‘is a presumption in favour of sustainable development’. The most recent version of the NPPF was published in 2023 and of relevance to the current review is Section 16 – ‘Conserving and enhancing the historic environment’, in particular paragraph 197:

‘When considering the designation of conservation areas, local planning authorities should ensure that an area justifies such status because of its special architectural or historic interest, and that the concept of conservation is not devalued through the designation of areas that lack special interest.’

Also of relevance are paragraphs 212 and 213:

‘Local planning authorities should look for opportunities for new development within Conservation Areas and World Heritage Sites, and within the setting of heritage assets, to enhance or better reveal their significance. Proposals that preserve those elements of the setting that make a positive contribution to the asset (or which better reveal its significance) should be treated favourably.

Not all elements of a Conservation Area or World Heritage Site will necessarily contribute to its significance. Loss of a building (or other element) which makes a positive contribution to the significance of the Conservation Area or World Heritage Site should be treated either as substantial harm under paragraph 207 or less than substantial harm under paragraph 208, as appropriate, taking into account the relative significance of the element affected and its contribution to the significance of the Conservation Area or World Heritage Site as a whole.’

Planning

Practice Guidance

In 2014 the government launched the Planning Practice Guidance website (https://www.gov.uk/government/ collections/planning-practice-guidance). The guidance is a live document intended to provide further detailed information with regard to the implementation of the NPPF. It includes the section ‘Historic environment’, which advises on enhancing and conserving the historic environment.

Conservation Area Designation, Appraisal and Management Historic England Advice Note 1 (Second Edition)

This Historic England advice note, published in 2019, supports the management of change in a way that conserves and enhances the character and appearance of historic areas through conservation area appraisal, designation and management. Of great relevance to the review of the Rainham Conservation Area are the following paragraphs:

’10 Conservation area designation is undertaken to recognise the historic character of an area and/or in answer to the impact of development, neglect and other threats, on areas which are considered to have special architectural or historic interest. The appraisal is the vehicle for understanding both the significance of an area and the effect of those impacts bearing negatively on its significance. It will form part of the local planning authority’s Historic Environment Record and will be part of the evidence base for the local plan and a material consideration in planning decisions.’

‘77 Under section 71 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 local planning authorities have a statutory duty to draw up and publish proposals for the preservation and enhancement of Conservation Areas in their districts from time to time. Regularly reviewed appraisals, or shorter condition surveys, identifying threats and opportunities can be developed into a management plan that is specific to the area’s needs. In turn, this can channel development to conserve the Conservation Area’s special qualities. Both areas in relative economic decline and those under pressure for development can benefit from management proposals that promote positive change.’

Further Information and Resources

Conservation Principles, Policies and Guidance

Conservation Principles was published by English Heritage (now Historic England) in 2008. It provides a comprehensive framework for the sustainable management of the historic environment, wherein ‘Conservation is defined as the process of managing change to a significant place in its setting in ways that will best sustain its heritage values, while recognising opportunities to reveal or reinforce those values for present and future generations’. The guidance also provides a set of four heritage values, which are used to assess significance. The values are evidential, historical, aesthetic and communal.

Historic Environment Good Practice Advice in Planning Note 3: The Setting of Heritage Assets (Second Edition)

The significance of a heritage asset is not only derived from its physical presence but also from its setting and the surroundings in which it is experienced. The Setting of Heritage Assets (2nd Edition) published in 2017 by Historic England provides guidance on managing change within the setting of a heritage asset. It recommends the following staged approach to the assessment of proposals during design evolution under Part 2: Setting and Views:

Step 1: Identify which heritage assets and their settings are affected.

Step 2: Assess the degree to which these settings make a contribution to the significance of the heritage asset(s) or allow significance to be appreciated.

Step 3: Assess the effects of the proposed development, whether beneficial or harmful, on that significance or on the ability to appreciate it.

Step 4: Explore ways to maximise enhancement and avoid or minimise harm.

Step 5: Make and document the decision and monitor outcomes.

Contact Details

London Borough of Havering Planning Department: developmentplanning@havering.gov.uk

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