Market
Saffron Walden
Town
General Description:
Saffron W alden is the largest town in the District, and the administrative and
commercial centre. This very attractive tow n is one of the finest preserved
example s of a medieval market town w ith a wealth of listed buildings in a tow n
centre which is a long-standing conservation area. T he historic layout of the
town centre results in proble ms w ith traffic flow through and around it
particularly in peak times but because of the built-up nature of the tow n and its
quality there is no scope to alleviate this by any alternative routing.
The town is situated in the attractive rolling landscape of the River Cam, two
miles east of the main road and rail corridor between London (about 40 mile s)
and Cambridge (about 15 miles). T he Jacobean mansion of Audley End and it s
associated parkland is immediately to the west of the tow n.
The current character and scale of the town is doubtless influenced by the fact
that the station is some distance from the tow n and it does not have ready
access to the M11, despite it s proximity (see below). However, the tow n has
seen significant residential development during the last 30 years w it h new
estates on greenfield sites, especially on its southern sid e, and the recycling and
in tensification of other uses. It remains the subject of on-goin g pressure for
further such development on both brow nfield and greenfield sites. The Further
Preferred Optio ns Consultation document for the Core Strategy suggested a scale
of growth of around 250 homes for Saffron W alden.
Population Profile:
The Mid 2007 Population Estimate for the 2009 Saffron W alden W ards is 14,659
Saffron W alden Audley (4,605), Saffron Walden Castle (4,818), Saffron W alden
Shire (5,236) (Source:ONS).
Pop u latio n o f SW Wards b y Ag e Gro up
80-84
70-74
A ge G roup
60-64
50-54
Saffron W al den S hire
Saffron W al den C astle
40-44
Saffron W al den A udl ey
30-34
20-24
10-14
0-4
0
1 00
2 00
30 0
No of Pe ople
40 0
50 0
Housing:
No of Households 2001:
6,297
No of Homes Completed 2001 – 2011:
388
No of Homes w ith Planning Permission
455
as at 1.4.11:
Existing No of Affordable Homes:
Local Authorit y Rented – 612.
Betw een 2001 and 2007 79 affordable
homes were built. A further 14 (10
rented and 4 shared ownership) were
built in 2007/8 and 25 in 2010/11 (13
social and 12 intermediate rent).
A further 57 are in the programme for
2011/12 (47 affordable rented and 10
shared ownership).
Housing Needs Assessment:
N/A
Potential Development Sites:
Sites assessed as being Suitable, Available and Achievable
Site Ref. Address
No. T imescale
SAF 1
Land south of Ashdon Road (w it h pp)
130 2011-2016
SAF 9
Kiln Court, T haxted Road (with pp)
23 2011-2016
9 2016-2021
SAF 14
Land to the east of the former Bell
86 2011-2016
Language school, Peasland Road (with pp)
SAF 16
Land at Friends School, Debden Road (w ith
76 2011-2016
pp)
SAF 17
8 Station Street (w ith pp)
10 2011-2016
SAF 19
Transco Depot, Radwinter Road (with pp)
9 2011-2016
SAF 20
Paxtons Depot, Thaxted Road (w ith pp)
12 2011-2016
346 2011-2016
9 2016-2021
Sites assessed as being Suitable, Available and
more conditional Y scores (Y )
Site Ref. Address
No.
SAF 3
Former Willis & Gambier
79
premises, Radwinter Road
SAF 4
Land south of Radw inter
Road, east of Shire Hill
Achievable but w it h one or
Reason for (Y ) Score
Loss of employment land,
highways, air quality and
school capacity
734 + Only suitable if developed in
conjunction w it h SAF6,
1 – 5 years
SAF 6
SAF 8
SAF 13
T otal
Land south of Rylestone
Way
Land rear of leisure
centre,
Thaxted Road
Ashdon Road Commercial
Centre
180
176
184
Highw ays, Air Quality, School
Capacity
T opography, Highways, Air
Quality, School Capacity
Highw ays, Air Quality, School
Capacity
Loss of employment land,
highways, air quality, school
capacity,
1,353
Source: Strategic Land Availability A ssessment, Uttlesford District C ouncil , 2010
It w ill be apparent from the above that in the absence of any significant other
potential sites coming forw ard, the scope for the reuse of previously developed
urban sites is largely lim ited to that of existing, or currently vacant, commercial
premises. T he redevelopment of such sites for residential purposes w ould, if
they were to be replaced, mean the allocation of greenfield sit es on the edge of
town or in or on the edge of other settlements.
The scope for greenfield residential develo pment on the edge of the tow n is
essentially limited to it s eastern side. T his is because:• the topography on the south, w ith the land beyond the built-up area
dropping aw ay, means that development there would have an intrusive
impact upon the landscape;
• Audley Park (i.e. the Audley End estate) to the north-west features both
Audley End and the Saffron W alden Golf Club where the prospect of
development would not be accepted because of its existing historic and
landscape valu e; and
• access constraints to the north w here the nature and layout of the
existing road system effectively prevents any development between
Ashdon and Little Walden Roads.
If there w as to be any significant development on greenfield sites, the preferred
lo cation in terms of the potential impact upon the landscape would be on the
eastern edge of the tow n.
A very similar conclusion is reached from an assessment of the quality and
general function of landscape in and adjacent to the tow n done as part of the
Saffron W alden Historic Settlement Character Assessment, 2007. It included a
broad statement as to the effect of develo pment in each sector. T he findings are
summarised below with what are considered to be the key conclusions in bold:-
(i) The Radw inter Road approach from Sew ards End.
Development in this lo cation would have no detrimental effect on the historic
core w hich is separated from it by modern development. T he general effect
would be loss of agric ultural farm land and to spread urban development onto
rising undulatin g arable farmland of visual quality, result ing in the loss of a rural
approach road to the town and narrow ing the already narrow gap wit h the
village of Sewards End.
“……it is consid ered development in this sector would significantly
dimin ish the sense of place and local distinctiveness of not only Saffron
Walden but potentially also that of the nearby small village of Sew ards End”.
“How ever it is acknowledged that the large buildings that introduce the
town in this location make this edge one of the least attractive….” .
(ii) Ashdon Road approach.
The general effect of development w ould be to spread urban development onto
undulating arable farmland of considerable visual quality resulting in the loss of a
rural approach road to the tow n in this location.
“It is considered development in the rural part of this sector beyond the
town edge would significantly diminish the sense of place and local
distinctiveness. However it is acknow ledged that the large buildings that
form the edge of the town in this location make this edge one of the
least attractive of Saffron Walden.“
(iii) T he Little W alden Road approach.
The effect of development would result in loss of open arable farmland and to
spill out into the open countryside beyond the clearly defined northern edge. “It
is consid ered development in this sector would significantly diminish the
sense of place and local distinctiveness of this part of Saffron Walden”.
(iv) T he approach via the B184 and W indmill Hill.
Development in this lo cation would have a seriously detrimental effect on the
historic core immediately adjacent to the south. The effect of development
would result in loss of w ell used allotments or woodlands and spill up the slo pe
destroying an enclosed approach road of great quality. “It is considered
development in this sector would very significantly diminish the sense
of place and local distinctiveness of this part of Saffron Walden”.
(v) The B1383 approaches and Audley End Road.
Development in this lo cation would have profoundly detrimental effects on this
part of the historic core and the general effect of urban development onto this
historic landscape would be highly damaging. “ ……almost any development
would very significantly diminish the sense of place and local
distinctiveness of an area most would recognise as being of the very
highest quality, not only of local, but also of regional and national
importance”.
(vi) T he approach from Wendens Ambo.
The general effect of development w ould be loss of agricultural land and to
spread urban development onto undulating arable farmland of considerable
visual quality and resulting in the lo ss of a particularly rural approach road to the
town. “…….it is consid ered development in this sector would significantly
dimin ish the sense of place and local distinctiveness of this part of
Saffron Walden”.
(vii) T he Newport Road approach.
The general effect of development w ould be loss of agricultural land and to spill
urban development down a visually prominent slope onto rollin g arable farmland
of considerable visual quality and resulting in the loss of a rural approach road to
the town.
“…… it is considered development in this sector would significantly
dimin ish the sense of place and local distinctiveness of this part of
Saffron Walden.”
(viii) The Debden Road approach.
The effect of development would result in loss of open arable farmland and to
spill out into open countrysid e beyond very clearly defined edges. “……..it is
considered development in this sector would significantly diminish the
sense of place and local distinctiveness of this part of Saffron Walden”.
(ix) T he T haxted Road approach.
The effect of development would result in loss of open arable farmland and spill
out into open countryside beyond very clearly defined edges of the tow n. “….it
is consid ered development in these locations would diminish the sense
of place and local distinctiveness of this part of Saffron Walden.“
“However in respect of land between the Kilns development and
Rylstone Way it is considered the effect of development would be
neutral.”
When the findings of the planning assessment of landscape, conservation and
access considerations are combined w ith findings of the Settlement Character
Assessment, the only potentially acceptable greenfield site for housing w hich has
not yet been formally allocated is that on the eastern side of Thaxted Road
between the Kilns development and Rylstone Way. T he site is identified as SAF
6 in the schedule of possible sites above with potential for some 180 dwellings
over the next 5 years.
However, this may have implications for the sewerage infrastructure which does
not have capacity for significant development (see below). This is despite the
waste water treatment works having sufficient capacity. It may be that the
sewerage capacit y may effectively place a limit upon the number and type of
units that could be built.
Town Council aspirations as set out in Town Plan/Design Statement:
The Town Council has in itiated the preparation of a Neighbourhood Plan which is
currently being progressed by a group of volunteers.
Town Council Representations on Further Preferred Options:
The Town Council accepted that Saffron Walden could take up to a maximum of
an addit ional 250 houses between 2010 and 2025 but that any further number
would be resisted because:• 3 air quality problem areas;
• lack of road infrastructure and problems of traffic w ithin the town centre;
• over-demand for places at County High School and it s in ability to extend;
• water and sewage problems.
Employment:
There are a number of industrial estates in the town the sites are shown on the
map below except the two Thaxted Road sites which are off the map to the
south on the eastern side of Thaxted Road.
Ashdon Road Commercial Centre
An important estate featuring large
units but currently experiencing high
vacancy rates in w arehousin g units.
Shire Hill
An important estate comprising
properties of mixed age and size
w hich functions well. Features several
“non employment” uses.
Saffron W alden Business Centre
Modern estate of small unit s which
functions well
Printpack Ltd
Single-occupancy site which functions
well
W illis and Gambier
Vacant former w arehouse/distribution
depot suitable for re-use. Adjacent to
hospital which may inhibit future uses.
Live-work units, Thaxted Road
New development made up of live
work units on part of larger
redevelopment site.
Granite Site, T haxted Road
Vacant former single user site. Re-use
for employment would complement
adjacent commercial uses.
The town’s key industrial areas are situated on it s eastern side. This means that
road traffic seeking access to or exit from the sites has to cross or effectively
bypass the town centre to get to either the M11 or the A14.
It w ill also be apparent from the assessment of housing sites above that there is
little or no scope for the development of further greenfield sites on the edge of
the town for commercial uses w ithout having an adverse impact upon the
landscape so full regard should be given to the potential consequences of
releasing any existing under- or unused commercial sites for other uses.
Existing major industrial/commercial sites/estates
The commercial property market in Saffron W alden is currently slow w it h little or
no churn for the follow ing reasons:•
difficulty in gaining access to/from the M11 as the nearest junctions to the
north and south are 9 and 13 miles aw ay respectively. A low bridge to
the south of the tow n (at Newport) results in high vehic les either having
to find an alternative, roundabout route or go to the northern junction (at
Duxford) in order to travel south tow ards the M25 and London;
•
all of the industrial sites/estates (i.e. Shire Hill, Ashdon Road, Printpack
and W illis and Gambie r) are situated on the eastern side of the town (see
map), the structure of which is such that HGV traffic heading to the M11
has to travel either through the town centre or via a predominantly
residential route around it; and
•
75 – 80% of the industrial stock is 20 or more years old and no longer fit
for purpose.
The upshot of these accessib ility issues is that the tow n’s industrial estates do
not meet the modern day requirements of large, national firms. This is reflected
in the rents currently achievable and the majority of the occupiers of the estates
are local businesses rather than major national companies. There are
nonetheless exceptions to this w ith the Ridgeons depot on Ashdon Road being
one of over twenty in the eastern region and the Printpack plant on Radw inter
Road being part of an international organisation.
There is also the issue of vacant premises and the scope they offer for eit her
reoccupancy or redevelopment for other commercial users. This must be the
preferred option unless the market demand is such that this is simply not viable
within a reasonable period of time.
There is a shortage of good quality office accommodation but the cost of
providing it is potentially problematic given the cost of construction and the rate
of return over a reasonable period.
View s recently expressed by local agents as to the need for, and prospect of,
commercial development and redevelopment in and around the town were as
follow s:• there is currently an oversupply of industrial and w arehouse
accommodation at all levels of quality;
• there will continue to be local companies that want to grow ;
• there is a lack of available commercial land supply in and around the
town;
• there should be more employment land opportunit ies as the existing
estates are fully developed and a supply of land would create the demand
for it;
• an extension of Shire Hill, if there w as the opportunity, w ould be taken
•
•
•
•
up, even though it may take time;
existing large vacant buildings do not lend themselves to refurbishment
and sub-division;
redevelo pment of the vacant w arehousing at the Ashdon Road
Commercial Centre for commercial units would not be viable at today’s
le vel of demand but this could change in the future w hen the market
recovers;
there is no quality business park which is considered necessary in order to
accommodate offices or research and development premises to meet the
needs of those core office services already in the tow n that wish to
expand but have no suitable accommodation by w ay of space, room size,
lighting, adequacy of parking as well as accessibility. Whilst the existing
in dustrial estates are suitable for industrial and warehouse uses, they
would not attract the office users who require a different type of
environment, particularly if it is for a headquarters building; and
the viability of office provision may be problematic, even on a greenfield
site, because of construction costs and the associated rental requirement
together w it h the attraction of nearby Cambridge to prospective
occupiers.
Conclusions:• there is an acute lack of modern office accommodation to meet the needs
of Saffron W alden although potential sites in and around the tow n are
both very limited and less than ideal and prime rental values may mean
that it is not viable to build them;
• there is a current surplus of industrial and particularly warehouse unit s
resulting from a combination of the recession and, more importantly, the
town’s relative remoteness from access to the M11;
• the surplus of commercial flo orspace may well dissipate in the foreseeable
future when the economy recovers although the older, large warehousing
units may w arrant regeneration if they continue to remain vacant;
• the release of any existing under- or unused commercial sites for other
uses for whatever reason may well mean that it w ill not be possible to
replace them on new greenfield sites on the edge of the tow n because of
the excessive adverse affect that this w ould have upon the landscape.
Infrastructure
Education:
School
Net Capacity
2010/11
No. on
roll 2011
Net
Capacity
Katherine Semar
Infant School
Katherine Semar
Junior School
R A Butler Infant
School
R A Butler Junior
School
173
172
173
Forecast No.
on roll at
2016
147 (152*)
237
198
237
219 (225*)
270
222
270
225 (243*)
300
303
300
298 (322*)
St Mary's C of E
Primary School
180
133
180
117 (120*)
210
210
1,882
1,998
(2,029*)
St T homas More
210
205
Catholic Primary
School
Saffron W alden
1,882
2,002
County High School
* Forecast including adjustment for new housing.
Source: Commissioning School Places in Essex 2011-2016, Essex County Council
There are tw o private schools in the tow n:• The Friends’ School is a co-educatio nal, Quaker day school for pupils aged
between 3 and 18 w it h boarders from age 11; and
• Dame Bradbury’s School – a co-educational prep school and nursery.
The nearest other state secondary school is the Newport Free Grammar School
which is 3 miles aw ay but has little capacity to accommodate additional pupils.
School
Net Capacity
2010/11
No. on
roll 2011
New port Free
Grammar School
1030
1018
Net
Forecast No.
Capacity on roll at
2016
1030
1002
Source: Commissioning School Places in Essex 2011-2016, Essex County Council
Shopping: The main shopping facilities in the tow n comprise the tow n centre,
which features a W ait rose food store, and a Tesco superstore w hich is on the
eastern edge of the tow n on the Radw inter Road.
The core of the shopping centre includes King Street, Market Place, George
Street, High Street and Hill Street. Market Place has a high concentration of
banks and building societies w ith national retaile rs dotted along King Street and
High Street. T he centre provides a good mix of multiple and independent
retailers and is w ell know n for its specialist shopping. T he bulk of convenience
shopping is provided by the W aitrose supermarket of 1,470 sq m net, which has
15 checkouts and integrates well with the tow n centre.
A recent retail study undertaken by consultants described the town centre as “an
attractive and vibrant historic centre” whic h incorporates “a reasonable
comparison goods offer inclu ding a range of national multiples supple mented by
a bi-w eekly market”. According to the report, the centre “exhibits low vacancy
rates, improving yields, increasing retail rents and a high environmental quality”
such that it is concluded that “it is evidently a centre in good economic health”.
The edge-of-tow n Tesco store is open 24 hours a day, has a sales area
floorspace of 2,359 sq. m., w ith 16 checkouts, a 389 space car park and a petrol
filling station. Only a small proportion of floorspace is devoted to non-food
goods. A proposal to extend the Tesco store by 1,274 sq.m., to provide 338
sq.m. of convenience and 886 sq.m. of comparison floorspace, has recently been
approved by the Council (subject to the possibilit y of it being “called in” for
determination by the Government Office).
A proposal to build an out-of-town Sainsbury’s superstore w as recently refused
permission and an application to extend the existing Waitrose store, by of the
order of 40% whilst retaining the same number of spaces in a new car park, has
recently been submitted.
Two other stores of signif icance are Ridgeons Build ing Merchants, located w ithin
the Ashdon Road Commercial Centre, and Homebase w hich are both on the
eastern edge of the tow n. Ridgeons is open to the public and offers shoppers a
range of DIY products. T he store has a net sales area of approximately 2,100 sq
m as well as further sales areas for build ing trade professionals. Homebase is
approximately 1,452 sq. m. in size and offers a relatively sm all se lection of bulky
goods given the store’s lim ited size.
Leisure and Community Facilities: T here is an extensive range of leisure and
communit y features comprising:The Common
Jubilee Gardens (+ day centre ‘The Garden Room’)
Bridge End Gardens
Pubs/restaurants
Cinema (Saffron Screen)
Snooker Club
Lord Butler Leisure Centre (incl. swimming pool, squash courts, badminton
courts, tennis courts, 5 a side football, indoor bow ls, fitness gym. + skate-board
park)
Herbert’s Farm Playing Fields
Football Club
Golf Club
Ridgeon’s football field
Sports facilities at Saffron Walden County High School
Grove Tennis Club
Castle Tennis Club
Bow ling Club
Hockey and rugby clubs (based in New port and Henham respectively)
Library
Museum
Town Hall
Golden Acre Community Centre
Audley End is an English Heritage property w here visitors can explore the house
and gardens and outdoor concerts are held in the summer.
8 churches
Health: There is a Community Hospital but the nearest Accident & Emergency
Department is in Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge 15 miles to the north.
There are 3 doctors’ surgerie s and 3 dental surgeries.
Water, Drainage and Flood Risk:
Water: Veolia W ater Central (VW C) supply the District w ith water. Water
companies have a duty to supply drinking w ater (i.e. ‘potable w ater’ – w hich is
free of harmful chemicals and pathogens) to customers under Section 52 of the
Water Industry Act 1991, and are hence obliged to connect developments to the
network. Veolia are confident that adequate supply can be provided through the
existing netw ork and local borehole s. Connection of a site to the potable netw ork
will probably require the rein forcement of certain areas of the local netw ork. It is
assumed that this need w ill be addressed through the developer requisition
process.
Drainage: Saffron Walden is predominantly served by a separate surface water
and foul w ater sewerage system. The foul w ater sewerage system operates
primarily by gravity, conveying w aste w ater to the w aste w ater treatment works
(WwTW) on the northw est edge of the town.
Regarding the scope for additional development, the view has previously been
expressed that capacity for expansion/intensification is limited mainly to the
south and east of the town – w hich is at the opposite side to the WwTW .
Anglia Water Services (AW S) have indicated that the existing sewerage network
within the town is near capacit y, and that the potential development sites would
therefore require extensive upgrades to the network through the town. Not
only would this be likely to be highly disruptive but, due to the relatively narrow
streets, it may not be feasible to upsize the sewers through the tow n. T hat
would result in the only viable sewerage solution being the creation of new
strategic sewers linked directly from the potential development sites to the
WwTW. This w ill require some netw ork modelling in order that the constraints
are fully understood .
(1)
Analysis has shown that the predicted total Dry Weather Flow received by the
Saffron W alden WwTW w ill not exceed its volumetric discharge consent, even for
the worst-case scenario. According to AWS, the existing WwTW should be able
to accommodate the increased flows from the new developments associated w it h
all of the 3 options identified in the consultation on the core strategy. T his is in
line w ith their phasing and actual build rates, and providing that the flow s remain
within the current discharge consent limit.
The potential for expansion/intensification is limit ed mainly to the south and east
of the tow n - the opposite side of the town to the WwTW. T he existing
sewerage network is at capacity such that extensive upgrades, or new direct
sewers to the WwTW, may be required if significant development is proposed.
Whilst the shortest route is approximately 2 km, a new sewer may be
considerably longer dependant on the preferred route.
(Source: UDC W ater Cycle Study , Stage 1 – Scoping and Outline Strategy , Hyder Consulting,
2010)
Flood Risk: The Uttlesford District Strategic Flood Risk Assessment notes
several sewer flooding incidents within the tow n.
(Source: Uttlesford Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (JBA C onsulting, March 2008)
(1) DWF - an estimation of the flow of wastewater to a WwTW during a period of dry weather
based on the 20th percentile of daily flow through the work s ov er a rolling three year period.
Transport
Road: Saffron W alden is at the focus of a radial road pattern w ith the most
important routes being the north-bound B184 to Cambridge and the south-bound
B1052 linking w ith the B1383 to Stansted Airport and Bishops Stortford. T he
M11 linking London to the south with Cambridge and the A14 to the north
passes w ithin a mile of the town on its western side. The nearest junctions are
at Duxford for north-bound traffic and Bishops Stortford for south-bound traffic
which are 9 and 13 miles away respectively.
However, HGVs have additional difficulty in gaining access to/from the M11 not
only because of the distance on ‘B’ class roads, and therefore the time involved,
but also because:•
a low bridge to the south, at New port, result s in high vehicles either
having to find an alternative, roundabout route or go to the northern
junction (at Duxford) in order to travel south towards the M25 and
London; and
•
all of the industrial sites/estates (i.e. Shire Hill, Ashdon Road, Printpack
and W illis and Gambie r) are situated on the eastern side of the town (see
map), the structure of which is such that HGV traffic heading to or from
the M11 has to travel either through the tow n centre or via a
predominantly residential route around it.
In 2007, the Council designated 3 Air Quality Management Areas in Saffron
Walden in relation to air pollution resulting from traffic congestion at the
follow ing points:1. an area centred on the junction of the High Street and George Street and
extending 75 metres from that poin t (see map below);
2. an area centred on the junction of the High Street and Castle Street and
extendin g 50 metres from that poin t (see map below);
3. an area centred on the junction of the T haxted Road and East Street and
Radw inter Road and extending 50 metres from that point (see map
below );
The 2010 Air Quality Progress Report found the follow in g:• Air Quality in AQMA no. 1 (High Street junction wit h George Street) has
dipped but is still at the exceedence level and continued monitoring is
required.
• Air Quality in AQMA no. 2 (High Street junction wit h Castle Street) is
above the exceedence level and continued monitoring is required.
• Air Quality in AQMA no. 3 (Thaxted Road junction w it h East Street and
Radw inter Road) is substantially above the exceedence level and
continued monitoring is required.
Rail: The nearest railw ay station is at Audley End, 2 miles to the south west.
There are 2 trains per hour direct to London (Liverpool Street) w ith a fastest
journey time of just le ss than an hour. There are from 3 to 5 trains in the
opposite direction to Cambridge wit h the average journey time being 20 min utes.
There is one train per hour direct to Stansted Airport with an average journey
time of 20 minutes. Some of the north-bound services are on longer routes to
Kings Lynn or Birmingham.
The station has recently been improved by the provision of a bridge w hich
features a lift to enable those people w it h mobilit y difficulties easier access to
and from the north-bound platform. The station car park has also recently been
subject to a sig nificant extension.
Access to the station is addressed under ‘Bus’ and ‘Cycle/Footpath Routes’ below .
Bus: There is an extensive range of bus routes radiating into the town.
However, these appear to serve the surrounding villages, rather than the tow n,
by providing access, if often relatively slow and infrequent, to the town as a
place to work and shop. This is illu strated by the heavy reliance upon school
buses to bring pupils from the villages to the County High School and the relative
slow ness of buses to Cambridge despite it being a major employment centre.
The railw ay station is poorly served by bus from Saffron W alden, w ith a very
limited half hourly service during peak times w ith travel time of approximately 15
minutes.
Cycle/Footpath Routes: T here is no specific provision for pedestrians and
cyclists other than that which w ould normally be associated with a town of this
scale. T hat result s in a specific need for a designated cycleway from the tow n
to Audle y End Station in order to:• separate bikes from traffic to improve safety;
• provide a more gentle gradie nt, if possible, than the existing roads; and
• attract more usage, to provide a healthier, cheaper and more sustainable
option for train travellers living in the town.
Minerals and Waste:
The Essex County Council Minerals Local Plan, the policies of which have been
‘saved’ for an indefinite perio d, features no proposals which have a direct impact
upon Saffron Walden or its immediate environment.
The Essex and Southend Waste Local Plan is the currently approved policy
document to guide waste development and determine w aste related planning
applications within Essex and Southend. It too features no proposals w hich have
a direct impact upon Saffron W alden or its immediate environment.
Historic Environment
Listed Buildings: There are about 400 in dividually listed build ings in the parish
of Saffron W alden the great majority of which are in the designated conservation
area. About 10 are listed Grade 1 in cluding Audle y End House, the former Sun
Inn, the 11th century Castle Keep, St Mary’s Church and St. Mark’s College.
Some 30 are listed Grade 11* and these include houses in the village street at
Audley End and the 19th century bank (now Barclays) on the Market Place. T he
majority of listed build ings (40%) are from the 19th century although the 16th
century is well represented w it h about 20% and the 17th century w it h about
10%. Other buildings of earlier dates are also represented as are several 20th
century listed buildings including the w ater tower on Debden Road.
Conservation Areas: T here are three conservation areas in the town - the
Town Centre, Mount Pleasant and Audley End House and gardens including the
hamlet of Audley End.
The unique aesthetic qualitie s of the tow n centre, together w it h it s strong
historical associations, have long been recognised and it w as first designated as
a conservation area in 1968. T he Historic Buildings Council accorded the
designation ‘Outstanding’ status and its boundaries have since been enlarged to
in clude addit ional areas of aesthetic qualit y.
Mount Pleasant and West Roads together form the Mount Pleasant Conservation
Area. It comprises an area of substantial 19th-century villas/houses and the
Friends School built ¼ mile to the south overlooking the town.
Audley End house and gardens are ow ned, conserved and managed as a vis itor
attraction by English Heritage. Surrounding the house and gardens is a park
landscaped by 'Capability' Brow n from around 1760. The park is adorned with
monuments and temples. The highlight of the gardens is the 19th century
parterre.
Conservation Area Appraisal: The 3 will be carried out during 2012.
Uttlesford District Historic Environment Characterisation Project, Essex
County Council 2009 divid es Saffron Walden into the following zones w ith the
follow ing characteristics:
HECZ3.1 - T he historic tow n core was on the crest of a spur of chalk, w here the
castle and church are sited, before expanding downhill. T he historic core of
Saffron W alden, contained within the earthworks of the late 11th to 12th-century
castle and the subsequent enclosed planned town laid out in the early 13th
century, covered an area of c. 20 hectares. T he settlement grew up around the
castle with two paralle l streets, Castle Street and Church Street to the north and
south respectively. The castle and the repell ditches are scheduled monuments.
A major feature of the historic core is the number and quality of surviving
medieval and early post-medieval timber framed buildings built during a marked
period of prosperity (c. 1400-1700) founded on the w ool trade and the cultivation
of saffron. T he main concentrations of historic buildings lie on the eastern side
of the High Street toward the initial town enclosure around Bury Hill (castle) and
in the area of the present market place. T he survival of historic buildings along
Castle Street, Church Street and the High Street is impressive as is the number
of listed later post-medieval commercial, industrial, public and domestic buildings
in the core area. The his toric buildings , town layout, s cheduled m onum ents and
archaeological deposits are all highly s ensitive to change.
HECZ3.2 – Includes the common, the turf maze and two discrete areas of post
medieval housing (The Grove and Castle Hill House). The turf maze is the largest
surviv ing example of its kind in England. The Common has historically served as
an important open space used for the grazing of the livestock, recreational
activities and the hold ing of fairs – a tradition which continues today. T he
Common and the Maze have a high sensit ivity to change.
HECZ3.3 - Bridge End Gardens is a series of seven interlinked gardens laid out in
the 19th century whic h form a zone of public open space and compartmentalised
themed gardens to the north and outside the medieval planned tow n. T he
gardens w hich are within the conservation area are included on the English
Heritage register of parks and gardens, contain a number of listed buildings
in cluding a summerhouse, pavilion, gates and garden walls. Saffron W alden’s
second maze – a yew hedge maze can also be found in the gardens. T he
registered park is highly sensitive to change.
HECZ3.4 - T his zone to the south of the historic core and toward the former
railw ay station contains 19th-century and later residential and commercial
development with important historical industrial complexes T he 19th-century
development is located along both T haxted and Radw inter Roads and includes an
area of substantial 19th-century villas/houses built overlooking the town along
Mount Pleasant and West Roads. Together they form the Mount Pleasant
Conservation Area. It also includes some earlier interwar, post-w ar and modern
housing and infill. T he zone has later 20th-century residential redevelopment on
the site of the former 19th-century industrial zone around the station and along
the route of the railway line. Saffron W alden Cemetery is located w ithin the zone
and originally w as on the edge of the built -up area. Public buildings in clude tw o
19th-century schools, Friends School (1877) and Bell Language College (1882),
the Hospital (1864), now Uttlesford Distric t Council offic es, the former Saffron
Walden Union Workhouse (1835) now residential apartments, and the present
Saffron W alden Community Hospital.
HECZ3.5 T his zone on the eastern edge of Saffron W alden is dominated by
in dustrial development, in the form of modern factories and depots. Until the
1930s when industrial development began this zone remained open countryside,
bisected by the 1865 Saffron W alden Branch railw ay line. Industrial
development began in the 1930s with the construction of a very short railway
spur to a fuel storage mound on the site of the modern fuel storage depot. T he
developed area of the zone is now covered by industrial structures dating to the
20th century.
HECZ3.6 - T his is an area dominated by post-w ar and late 20th-century housing
estates. It w as largely under farmland until the second half of the 20th century.
There was some small-scale late 19th-century development along Ashdon Road,
but this w as very limited in extent. T he remainder of the area comprises postwar residential development in the southern half of the zone, and a late 20thcentury housing estate in the northern half.
HECZ3.7 - T his zone is located on the southern and western edge of Saffron
Walden. It is an area dominated by late 20th century housing estates and the
town’s public car-park. It was largely under farmland until the late 20th
century. T here w ere a few isolated buildings, including the Pest House and a
windmill, w ith the remainder of the area subdivided into strip-fields. T he area
was
developed in the late 20th century, largely under housin g estate, but also
in cluding the High School and the Sw an Meadow car-park.
Green Infrastructure
Open Space/Allotments: As w ell as the Parks and Gardens that comprise
Bridge end Gardens, Jubilee Gardens and T he Common, all of which are
described as being in”good” condition, the recently-completed Uttlesford Open
Space, Sport Facility and Playing Pitch Strategy identifies a range of sites that
provide amenit y greenspace and natural and semi-natural greenspace. Beeches
Close, Elizabeth W ay and the Museum grounds and castle ruin are Protected
Open Spaces of Environmental Value and T he Green is a Protected Open Space
for Informal Recreatio n. However, Greenw ays is considered to have a very poor
variety of vegetation and be poor in relation to fly tippin g.
Audley End House and grounds are also available to the immediate west of the
town. Saffron W alden also features 5 allotment sites.
Source : Uttlesford O pen Space, Sport Facility and Play ing Pitch Strategy , The Landscape
Partnership, January 2012
Landscape Character: Saffron Walden is a key feature of the Cam Valley in
which it is located. The area is characterised by a rolling, open landscape with
dispersed settlements in a dow nland featuring a rectilinear field pattern w ith low
hedges and few trees mainly in small copses. As outlined above, the Historic
Settlement Character Assessment of 2007 concluded that, w ith the exception of
a site on the Thaxted Road and that currently allocated on the Ashdon Road, the
visual effect of development in all locations on the edge of the town w ould be
damagin g and w ould diminish the sense of place and local distinctiveness in their
respective locations.
Agricultural Land: Most of the land around the town is grade 2 and in arable
use.
Biodiversity: T he River Cam is a UKBAP (U.K. Biodiversity Action Plan) prio rity
habitat, w ith important habitats and species identified dow nstream, and is
currently failing to comply with W FD due to phosphate and dissolved oxygen
le vels. It may be beneficial to w ater qualit y to limit development here (Optio n 4).
There is a risk that tig hter consents may be required in future cycles of the RBMP
(post 2015).
All around Saffron Walden are groups of woodlands some of which are ancient
woodlands. Many of these are also Local W ildlife Sites and there may be an
opportunity to link these w oodlands and other sites to form wildlife corridors.
Summary
Opportunities:
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high quality, historic built environment making an attractive market town
within a rural setting;
potential to develop tourism;
administrative and commercial centre of district;
attractive shopping centre with low vacancy rate, good range of
in dependent and high street stores and twice weekly market;
good access to green space w ithin/adjoining the tow n centre e.g. the
common, Bridge End Gardens etc;
motivated community w ith focus on makin g things happen, e.g. saffron
screen, skate park etc.;
Audley End station giving rail access to London and Cambridge;
sites for around 1400 homes identified as suitable, available and
achievable w hich could be delivered w ithin first 5 years of plan period;
scope to engage existing residents and businesses in formulation of a
Neighbourhood Plan which reflects their view s on the needs of and
aspiratio ns for the tow n.
Key Issues:
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lo cation, character and scale of growth;
the provision of adequate “affordable” housing to meet local needs;
development of brownfield sites for homes v’s potential loss of
employment land;
in dustrial estates do not meet modern day requirements of large national
firms resu lting in surplus;
Shortage of good quality office accommodation;
competition from nearby centres like Cambridge, Haverhill;
access to the M11 motorw ay at nearest junction is lim ited to southward
bound only;
railw ay station at Audley End is remote from town centre and public
transport and footpath and cycle lin ks are poor;
traffic congestion leading to;
poor air quality at key junctions;
sewerage infrastructure capacity is very limited;
lo calised flooding incidents;
there is very lim ited spare capacit y in the existing state schools;
the population is likely to feature an increasing proportion of the elderly
which will have particular needs;
shortage of play space.