Conservation Area: Beeston Conservation Area (117)

Description Beeston is a small estate village dominated by Beeston Castle reached along hedgerow lined country lanes. The castle is a historic and landscape feature with wooded slopes, stone outcrops and ruins occupying the majority of the conservation area. The main agglomeration of development is to the south east of the castle around the junction of Tattenhall Lane and Peckforton Road. Brook Farm and the garage are the obvious features with the smaller vernacular dwellings and more recent pre-war council houses providing a small scale grouping. The property opposite the garage on the junction addresses the street well marking a point of arrival from the east·. There is no particular centre to the built form but the garage site has the potential to become the village focus. It is currently visually offensive and has a severely detrimental effect on the character of this part of the conservation area. The remaining development consists of three large agricultural units located around the castle mound which are included within the conservation area. The main building material is brick, though there are some timber frame properties of note within the conservation area. The dominant roofing material is slate with timber window frames in the facades. The exposed feeling created by the large open areas within the conservation area is a crucial component of its character. The landscape elements and castle dominate the dispersed built form and this relationship should be maintained. It is therefore considered that there is no scope for further development within the conservation area.