Building of Local Interest Merryvale Farm La Rue Vegueur St Ouen

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A Decision made (20.03.2006) to review the registration of Merryvale Farm, La Rue Vegueur, St Ouen. Building of Local Interest.

Subject:	Review of Registration of Merryvale Farm, La Rue Vegueur, St Ouen on the Register of Buildings and Sites of Architectural, Historical and Archaeological Importance as a Building of Local Interest.
Decision Reference:	MD-PE-2006-21	Exempt clause(s):
Type of Report (oral or written):	Written/oral	Person Giving Report (if oral):		Historic Buildings Officer
Telephone or e-mail meeting		Report File ref:		3/04/02/01/Ministerial Reports
Written Report Title:	Register of Buildings and Sites of Architectural, Archaeological and Historical Importance in Jersey - assessment of Merryvale Farm, La Rue Vegueur, St Ouen	Written report – Author:		Curator of Historic Buildings – Jersey Heritage Trust
Decision(s): The BLI registration for Merryvale Farm should be amended to include only the two-storey, five-bay farm house with glazed porch to the south elevation; the grand conservatory in the garden; the granite pigsty; and the single storey, five-bay granite cottage to the west of the main house. Other buildings on the site should be removed from the BLI registration.
Reason(s) for decision: In accordance with the strategic objective ‘to protect the best of the Island’s architectural heritage’ of the Island Plan 2002, and policy HB1 of the Interim Policies for the Conservation of Historic Buildings only those buildings of the group continue to satisfy the published criteria for registration as a Building of Local Interest.
Action required:  Notify the Planning Applications Panel, as successors of the former Planning Sub-Committee, of the decision
Signature: (Minister/ Assistant Minister)			Date of Decision:

Building of Local Interest Merryvale Farm La Rue Vegueur St Ouen

		Item No:
		Date:

PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT

Historical Importance in Jersey - assessment of Merryvale Farm,

La Rue Vegueur, St Ouen

Purpose of the Report

The purpose of this report is for the Minister to review the existing BLI registration for Merryvale Farm, having regard to the States strategic objective ‘to protect the best of the Island’s architectural heritage’ and a key objective of the Island Plan 2002 to protect and promote Jersey’s built, cultural and archaeological heritage.

Background

This report has been prepared by the Jersey Heritage Trust as part of its responsibility under a Service Level Agreement to provide reports and recommendations to the Minister for Planning and Environment on the registration of buildings and sites. It incorporates the views of the Jersey Heritage Advisory Panel (JHAP) - a group established to provide independent, expert advice on matters relating to the protection of buildings and sites of cultural interest.

The former Planning Sub-Committee reviewed a planning application relating to an outbuilding at Merryvale Farm in November 2005; members felt that the incremental change that had occurred to the entire building group since its registration has diminished its architectural and historical interest. Consequently, the Sub-Committee requested the advice of JHAP as to whether the farm group should remain on the Register in part or in its totality.

Merryvale Farm is an early nineteenth century farm group with earlier origins. It was included in the first Historic Buildings Register, published in 1992, and was confirmed as a BLI by the Jersey Building Heritage Sub-Committee during its review of registered buildings in St Ouen in 1997.

Discussion

JHAP made a detailed evaluation of Merryvale Farm during a site visit on 9 January 2006. Members agreed that the two-storey, five-bay farm house with glazed porch to the south elevation; the garden conservatory; the granite pigsty; and the single storey, five-bay granite cottage to the west of the main house retain their historic form, detail and architectural integrity. As such they make a significant and positive contribution to the scenic value of the area and to the architectural and historical character and appearance of Jersey. The Panel concluded that these parts of Merryvale Farm merit inclusion on the Register as part of the Building of Local Interest.

Members noted that other parts of the property - some of the farm outbuildings and the dower extension to the main house - have been subject to incremental development and alteration that has resulted in a significant erosion of their historic and architectural character. It was agreed that these buildings should be removed from the BLI registration.

Recommendation

The BLI registration for Merryvale Farm should be amended to include only the two-storey, five-bay farm house with glazed porch to the south elevation; the grand conservatory in the garden; the granite pigsty; and the single storey, five-bay granite cottage to the west of the main house. Other buildings on the site should be removed from the BLI registration.

Reason(s) for Decision

Only those buildings recommended for retention within the BLI continue to satisfy the published criteria for registration.

The amended registration of Merryvale Farm is in accordance with Interim Policy HB1 which states ‘Historic buildings which contribute positively to the distinctive character or appearance of Jersey’s built-up areas or countryside, particularly where they are of ‘group value’, will be identified and included in the Register of Buildings and Sites of Architectural, Archaeological and Historical Importance in Jersey.’

Action Required

 Notify Planning Applications Panel, as successors of the Planning Sub-Committee, of amendment to registration

Written by:	Roger Hills Curator of Historic Buildings - Jersey Heritage Trust

Approved by:	Fiona Smith - Historic Buildings Officer

Endorsed by:	Kevin Pilley Assistant Director: Planning and Building Services

Attachments:

Location plan indicating the buildings to be retained within the BLI

Historic building survey form

Photographs

Extract from J Stevens Old Jersey Houses

22 February 2006