6.5 Recommended Actions by Area

6.5 RECOMMENDED ACTIONS BY AREA These recommendations are specific to each area and should be read in conjunction with the themed actions that apply across the site, set out in Section 6.2. These actions provide guidance for when considering future development and are informed by conservation best practice.

AREA ACTIONS

Wider Landscape Character Areas and Structures

Bath Wood 1 Retain the intimate wooded character. Consider replacing the commercial spruce crop in the southern part of the wood with more deciduous species.

2 Restore footpaths through the wood, carefully cutting back fallen trees and rhododendron. Occasional large spruce firs and sequoia follow the route of the path and could be made features.

3 Restore listed structures, including the Bath House, bridges and ice house as part of a viable development scheme. The Bath House should become a focal point of interpretation for its original use. The Cottage has great capacity to accommodate new facilities to support this.

4 Consider how these woods could form part of the visitor offer, for example as an arboretum, ‘retreat’ or ‘paradise wood’ experience.

5 Diversify the understorey planting alongside the paths to create greater all-yearround interest and to contrast with the evergreen Rhododendron backdrop.

6 Additional parkland tree planting along the northern edge would allow the woodland to merge gently into the surrounding park when seen from the Castle as shown on the 1st edition OS 1860.

7 Remove over-mature beech which are a safety issue.

8 The size of the woods gives potential for a split use (north and south). Consider the redevelopment potential of Bath Woods in conjunction with the full Estate offer.

9 A limited amount of disabled or staff parking to the south could be provided within a clearing in the woods without adversely affecting significance. AREA ACTIONS

North Wood 1 Consider restoring the setting of the Folly, including greater visitor access with restored pathways.

2 Manage this area for wildlife, with lower levels of access, due to its more remote location and limited historic features.

3 Promote a woodland ground layer with the character of ancient woodland including

Bluebell, Snowdrop, Wood anemone, Lesser celandine, Primrose.

4 Consider any viable new uses the Folly may be put to within a wider scheme to increase visitor access to the Estate. Providing eye catchers, sculptures or other points of interest along the routes may be beneficial.

Kennel Wood 1 Additional parkland tree planting along the eastern edge would allow the woodland to merge gently into the surrounding park as shown on the 1st edition OS 1860.

2 Consider reinstating more appropriate historic planting within the Nursery and making use of this enclosed space as part of the visitor offer, for example as a

‘discovery’ or sensory woodland for families.

3 Retain Kennel Woods Cottage in residential use associated with the Estate.

4 Retain Kennel House in residential use associated with the Estate.

5 Access to the Laundry (currently via Kennel Woods Cottage) may need to be reconsidered if additional access is required.

Lady Close Wood 1 Improve the horticultural interest by selective thinning and planting suitable trees and shrubs to extend the season of interest.

2 Retain the public access through the woods as an important connection to Staindrop.

3 Assess the suitability of the South Lodge in its current use as a tenanted residential dwelling, particularly if new vehicular routes are being considered.

North Pasture 1 Consider removal of fence lines to enhance views towards North Wood.

2 Replant parkland trees as shown on the 1st edition OS 1860.

AREA ACTIONS

Inner Park 1 Restore roundels and clumps in the parkland, softening the edges of these where they have become angular.

2 Continue parkland tree planting to ensure that, as older trees die, there will be an adequate community of trees reaching maturity.

3 Consider replacement of the fences in the southern part of the park with Estate railings to enhance views from the drive.

4 Restore the avenue along the Terrace Walk and the route along this to the Bath

House. Modern planting in this area should be softened and fencing removed to provide public access.

5 Manage trees along the eastern boundary to maintain strategic viewpoints from the

A688 whilst screening vehicles along the majority of this boundary.

6 Consider recreating the Coach Road, which provided delight and anticipation on the journey towards the Castle. This could be for vehicles or pedestrians.

7 Consider recreating a Boat House on High Pond and providing clear paths around the water for visitors.

8 Carry out an assessment of suitable locations for parking within the Inner Park that are less intrusive than the current parking area (for example, north of the stables area).

9 Consider ways of making the Inner Park more accessible to all visitor types, including those with children, those with specific access requirements and those looking for a more adventurous route.

10 Consider future sustainable uses for the vacant gas house. This is a large listed structure with limited visual links to the inner park. AREA ACTIONS

The Laundry 1 Make internal access safe for inspection.

2 Carry out a condition and structural survey on the Laundry building. This should be costed for urgent holding repairs to prevent further loss and repair costs to bring it back to a usable structure.

3 Assess the Laundry as part of the wider Estate offer to visitors. There is capacity for this unlisted structure to be developed to provide a high-end accommodation, distinct from the offer within the Castle and Walled Gardens.

4 Review access to the Laundry via Kennel Woods.

5 Carry out market and business viability testing to provide a viable new use.

Castle 1 Carry out an audit of spaces to assess those that have potential to be put to new uses, such as additional visitor route spaces, accommodation or other uses.

2 Carry out the actions set out within the 2018 Quinquennial Inspection to ensure the

Castle remains in good condition overall.

3 Consider carrying out repairs to redundant spaces that are in poor condition. Consider the requirement of improvements to infrastructure and services.

4 Evaluate the visitor offer of the Castle, including interpretation (on site and online), education resources and access (physical and intellectual).

Wider Estate Structures

Beyond the Registered Park and Garden 1 Retain Raby Hill House in residential use associated with the Estate.

2 Carry out an historic building appraisal of Home Farm to understand its significance and capacity for change. There is potential for Home Farm to take on new uses within redundant structures that are currently accommodated within the stables area.

3 Carry out a basic audit of historic structures across the Estate to assess their capacity for redevelopment and use. There appears to be several redundant structures scattered across the landscape, which are beyond the scope of this report.

4 Make use of current understanding of historic routes across the wider Estate and the possibility of them being reintroduced to re-route agricultural traffic to Home Farm.

Possible options include reopening a track to the north (via Keverstone Lodge), or investigating a new route onto Moor Lane (via Old West Lodge).

AREA ACTIONS

Walled Garden and Stables Landscape and Structures

1 – Gardens

Sub areas A–D, L, J 1 Research historic planting and use this to inform future designs.

2 Consider commissioning a landscape designer/architect to produce proposals for contemporary garden spaces.

3 Improve the visitor flow between and across the gardens including opening up gates at the east and south west corners to provide circulation past the fig house.

4 Provide garden interpretation for visitors as part of the improved future offer.

5 Assess key designed views prior to development within these areas.

6 Seek to bring relevance back to Duchess' Walk (Avenue) by creating a through route or terminus to the west as part of any future development.

2 – Garden ancillary

Sub areas F–G

3 – Stables

Sub areas H–I, P, Q 1 Consider new uses for these areas as part of a wider redevelopment of the Walled

Gardens and stables area.

2 Use the location of previous structures and glasshouses as starting points for new structures. The two barns in this area should be provided with new uses.

3 Consider replacing the current, low-quality, glasshouse with something more appropriate.

1 Request feedback from visitors to ensure the facilities currently on offer are meeting their needs.

2 Carry out the actions set out in the 2018 Quinquennial Inspection to retain the stables in good condition

3 Ensure key designed views are protected as part of development within these areas.

4 Seek to improve the hard surfacing of the roads in these areas, providing a more historically appropriate surface, and improving inclusive access.

5 Improve the visitor flow between and across the gardens and stables structures.

6 Seek new uses for the stables that are currently redundant. AREA

4 – Farmstead

Sub areas M–O

5 – Residential

Sub areas E, K, S

6 – Boundary

Sub areas R, T ACTIONS

1 Carry out a basic condition survey of these spaces to better understand repair costs in the future.

2 Seek to remove storage and ‘meanwhile’ uses from these spaces to enable later redevelopment.

3 Use the location of previous structures and glasshouses as a starting point for new structures. The structures in this area have great potential for redevelopment.

4 Confirm capacity at Raff Yard House to remove more recent fabric to facilitate reuse and a more functional internal plan form and circulation route.

1 Retain as tenanted residential dwellings associated with Estate use where viable.

2 Where redevelopment is proposed, seek to improve the internal appearance of the structures, which have been thoroughly modernised.

1 Improve the horticultural interest by selective thinning and planting suitable trees and shrubs. Thin self-seeded ground cover to provide safer access to structures from the north.

2 Continue tree planting to ensure that, as older trees die, there will be an adequate community of trees reaching maturity.

3 Carry out an assessment of suitable locations for parking that are less intrusive than the current parking area (for example, north of the stables area).

The character areas and sub-areas referenced here relate to those shown on page 19.