South Norwood Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan

Open gallery (2)

The key aims were to:

• Undertake the review and reappraisal of the Conservation Area boundary, and the Appraisal and Management Plan
• Contribute to the wider aims of the HSHAZ’s engagement strategy
• Promote the protection of the two historic high streets within South Norwood (an unusual feature of the area)
• Champion the historic and architectural significance of South Norwood, and
• Ensure the legacy of the project by creating a bespoke heritage walk within the Conservation Area, to fit in with the existing style of heritage walks already found within the Borough.

The project kicked off in 2021 with baseline research to explore the special interest of the Conservation Area. Our team worked closely with the Regeneration team, local community, and key stakeholders from an early stage in the project. We met with local historians and attended the South Norwood Festival to hear from locals about what they felt contributed to the Conservation Area and where the opportunities for enhancement were.

Our team then undertook research into the history of the area to draw out the elements which make it unique, such as its association with the Victorian philanthropist William Stanley, its impressive Stanley Arts Centre (Grade II listed), and its two high streets on both Portland Road and the High Street. Throughout this stage, our team worked closely with local historians and groups including the Croydon Archives. This ensured a wide range of sources were considered, with all datasets captured, and the final historic baseline was holistic and a true reflection of the wealth of local knowledge in South Norwood.

Our built heritage and historic landscape specialists undertook two site assessments to gain an understanding of the area at varied times. The site visit was crucial for the review of the boundary and to establish proposed boundary changes. Our team made recommendations for boundary alterations, informed by Historic England guidance, which were mapped using GIS. We delivered a presentation at this stage to key stakeholders and Members to present the proposed boundary, alongside analysis behind the recommendations.

Following this, we produced the Appraisal which considered architecture and built form, materials, relationships with open spaces, distinct character areas, key views, positive/neutral/negative contributors, and designated heritage assets. Many of these elements were plotted, created in GIS, and included within the final report.

Our team also produced a tailored Management Plan. The opportunities we identified were shared with the Council as part of the regular progress updates we provided, so that they were transparent throughout the project. We focused specifically on the management and improvement opportunities of shopfronts, due to the nature of the HSHAZ, and the Management Plan included bespoke illustrations and guidance on key shopfront elements.

Throughout the six-week public consultation period, our team delivered two online talks to the local community on the history of South Norwood and the Conservation Area, as well as launching the Heritage Walk with a guided walk, led by our team with the assistance of a local historian. A public consultation event was held in partnership with a local business on the High Street and was well attended by members of the public, representatives of local history groups and national bodies, and local Councillors.

The final document was created using Adobe InDesign, which created a high-quality, navigable and visual document.

It was a pleasure to work alongside the passionate team at Croydon, and we are happy to hear that the Appraisal and Management Plan was adopted in July 2022.