Appendix 5: Identifying and using local building styles

Contents

Introduction

Identifying and using local building styles helps to strengthen local distinctiveness and identity, whilst adding value to the design to ensure that it responds appropriately to its historic and contextual settings. Applicants undertaking a Local Character and Context Assessment (Code C1.2 and Guidance G1.2) should take account of Appendix 5, as listed under Guidance G1.3 and G3.19 within the Wakefield District Design Code.

The Wakefield District Design Code sets key foundations and principles for designing new buildings and places. Ensuring that the surrounding local context and existing parameters are taken into full consideration. By understanding the character of the place, new developments can feel like a natural part of their surroundings. There is no single style or formula that always works, whether that is trying to imitate historic styles or provide a contemporary contrast. What matters most is taking the time to understand the local context and making thoughtful design choices to improve design quality.

The character of different areas across the district is recognisable through the area’s built and natural environment. This is important in people feeling a sense of connection and identity with the places they live and work in. It also fosters a connection with the area’s heritage, through an appreciation of its historic character, industry and people.

The challenge for designers and builders of all scales, often working across many towns and regions, is to identify the key qualities for each place and to use these in a way that is appropriate to a modern development.

Historically, the abundance of local quarries, brickworks and timber yards meant most building materials travelled short distances to reach a development site. Using local stone or clay led to a universality of colours and local craftsmen supplied their own flair or individual way of doing things which again brought distinctiveness to a place. In contrast, a modern red brick is now factory made and is very different to the handmade bricks of the past. Other materials may be sourced from across the UK and abroad. It can therefore be more difficult to provide new places with the same richness and diversity of the past.

This appendix aims to help demonstrate the variety of materials, architectural details and building forms that have traditionally been used in different parts of the Wakefield district.

These differences can be subtle but are essential in making up the varying local character of settlements across the district. When combined carefully and meaningfully, these elements will assist all new developments in making a positive contribution to the places in which they sit.

Illustrates a map that demonstrates a broad study of local historic character areas identified across the district of Wakefield which have been divided by character area, consisting of four colours, including numbered areas, with additional letters for identified sub-areas.

Figure 267: Map illustrating a broad study of local historic character areas, Wakefield district (2025)

The provided map illustrates a broad study of local historic character areas identified across the district. An area description has been provided for each area identified within the study, along with details of the typical materials and architectural forms you will find there. This has been detailed in the next section of this appendix as follows:

  • Area 1: Wakefield City Centre and Northern Suburbs

  • Area 2a: Gawthorpe, Ossett, Horbury, Middlestown, Netherton, Overton, and Durkar

  • Area 2b: West Bretton, Woolley, Chapelthorpe, Newmillerdam, Sandal, and Notton

  • Area 2c: Walton, Crofton, Sharlston, and Ryhill

  • Area 3a: Castleford, Normanton, Whitwood, Altofts, Sharlston Common, Featherstone (Northern Coalfield), and Sub-Area 3a1: Pontefract

  • Area 3b: Ackworth, Thorpe Audlin, Wentbridge, Badsworth, East Hardwick, Nostell, and Featherstone (Went River Basin)

  • Area 3c: Hemsworth, South Hiendley, South Elmsall, South Kirkby, Kinsley, and Havercroft (Southeast Coalfield)

  • Area 4: Limestone Ridge: Knottingley, Darrington, and North Elmsall

Area 1: Wakefield City Centre and northern suburbs

Area Description

Wakefield has grown from an important and wealthy medieval market town and inland port trading initially in wool and tanning products and later in grain. The waterways and large coal fields enabled Wakefield to thrive during the Industrial Revolution and many of the City’s familiar landmark buildings were constructed during this period for governmental, administrative, and commercial uses. Historically separate villages such as Wrenthorpe, Alverthorpe and Outwood have gradually joined with residential development in the 19th and 20th centuries but retain a core where the historic character can be appreciated.

A detached stone house with three windows to the first floor and a central door with windows either side on the ground floor. In front of the house is a garden surrounded by a stone wall and hedging.

Figure 268 (left): a high-status house in coursed sandstone with stone detailing.

A close-up photo of the first floor and roof of a terraced house. The house is made of red brick, with white sash windows. There is a line of brick detailing just under the slate roof.

Figure 269 (right): red-brick terraces in Outwood, with stone detailing and brick corbels to the eaves.

Materials

  • Pennine coal measures sandstone for high status and, visibly older buildings

  • red brick with stone detailing for the majority of building

Form and architectural details

  • tends to be coursed stonework, rather than rubble or irregular coursing

  • simple terrace forms for housing

Stand-out area: St John’s

In formal urban areas residential squares can be found and can offer quite high-density development around the edge of the square contrasting with a green, landscaped centre.

Stand-out area: Eastmoor estate

Materials: Red brick and render

Form and architectural details: Primarily semi-detached, garden city inspired layouts.

Further detailed research on the Eastmoor estate can be found via the Harrison Architectural Heritage website.

Area 2a: Gawthorpe, Ossett, Horbury, Middlestown, Netherton and Durkar

Area Description

This area in the far west of the district is a combination of rural areas, small towns and villages which include early industrial remnants. There was significant expansion in the industrial revolution particularly around Ossett, Horbury and Horbury Bridge. The wealth of these areas in the 19th century is evident in features such as attractive Victorian villas, ornate commercial buildings and Ossett’s impressive market square.

A row of three terraced houses. The houses are built of stone and are of two storeys with a small dormer window to each house. In front of the house are small gardens with a stone wall to the front and a hedge behind.

Figure 270: an example of distinctive slim coursed sandstone with stone dressings on the houses and regularly coursed squared sandstone to the boundary wall with gate piers on Prospect Road, Ossett

Materials

  • late 19th Century factory made smooth, dark red brick reflecting mining heritage

  • Pennine Coal Measures sandstone

  • regularly coursed, tooled sandstone blocks

  • sandstone boundary walling with flat, half round, triangular and half octagonal coping

  • rubble boundary walling

  • stone flag roofs and Welsh and Westmoreland slate

  • slim coursed sandstone walling often with red brick gables

  • ashlar sandstone

  • handmade red / orange brick predating 19th century

  • pre-industrial timber framing (Horbury)

Form and architectural details

  • stone eaves detailing, door hoods, door and window surrounds and window heads and cills, often elaborate

  • use of stone quoins

  • stone bay windows

  • stone gate posts, half round tops and carved stone

  • legacy of former chapels, mills, warehouses, co-operative societies, schools, pubs often with landmark value

  • high status buildings: keystones, stone cornicing, string courses, projecting chimney stacks

  • corner entrances, pediments (segmental and triangular) on commercial buildings

  • uniformity of terraces often with building line onto the pavement

  • some pre-industrial surviving farmsteads

  • medieval street pattern (Horbury)

  • there remains a number of working and renovated mills in Ossett forming an important part of Ossett’s economy and character

Area 2b: West Bretton, Woolley, Chapelthorpe, Newmillerdam, Sandal, and Notton

Area Description

Although located in the southwest coalfield landscape character area, the majority of the historic buildings and villages in this area are of a primarily agricultural/ rural character. There are also a number of estate villages such as West Bretton and Woolley, with a high-status hall, parkland, home farm and estate cottages. Sandal has a slightly different character to the rest of the area as a result of more extensive residential development in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

The entrance to the visitor centre at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park has a large metal and glass entrance. To the right hand side is a two storey sandstone wall and to the left is a modern style wall with metal, timber and glass.

Figure 271: New development referencing local stone used in the locality

A close-up photo of a dry stone wall with grass in front and a blue sky above.

Figure 272: Yorkshire Sculpture Park Drystone walling, West Bretton

To the left of this image is a historic stone barn which has been converted to a dwelling. The barn is two storeys and have a steep pitched gable on to the road. To the right is a new house which is of a similar stone and two storeys. This building has the roof line parallel to the road so the tiled roof can be seen.

Figure 273: Contextual development with a former farmstead, Applehaigh Lane, Notton

Materials

  • red handmade brick with stone dressings in pre-mid-19th Century buildings

  • Pennine Coal Measures sandstone

  • dry and mortared stone walling

  • sandstone walling with stone window and door surrounds

  • squared sandstone, often varying course depths within one elevation

  • rock faced sandstone in later Victorian and Edwardian buildings

  • stone flag and Welsh and Westmoreland slate roofs

Form and architectural details

  • estate village (West Bretton)

  • historic farmsteads

  • stone mullions in pre-industrial era buildings

  • use of kneelers and quoins

  • use of stone quoins, often with slim stone coursing or coursing of varying depths

  • mature tree cover

  • rustic, simple stone detailing to window heads, jambs and cills

Area 2c: Walton, Crofton, and Sharlston

Area Description

This part of the district is also located in the southwest coalfield landscape character area. It is a combination of pre-19th century rural settlements and remnants of industrial activity, particularly coal and metal extraction. Important early industrial sites at Sharlston Common are protected as a scheduled monument.

A long, historic barn building. The left-hand part of the building is of red brick and two-stories. It has very narrow slit windows and a large cart opening which has been glazed to create a window. The right-hand part of the building is of stone and is one storey.

Figure 274: Handmade brick and coursed stone converted farm buildings, The Green, Sharlston

A long row of terraced houses, viewed from the opposite side of the road. The houses are red brick, with some narrow stone bands running through. The houses have small front yards with a combination of stone walls and timber fences in front.

Figure 275 (left): late 19th-century red brick terraces, with stone detailing in Crofton.

A pair of stone, two-storey houses. The stone is a dark grey colour and the houses have blue-grey slate roofs. The houses have a gravel driveway in front, behind a stone wall with hedging above.

Figure 276 (right): a variety of 18th and 19th-century stone buildings in Walton.

Materials

  • stone for early and pre-19th century buildings

  • late 19th Century smooth red brick in former mining areas

  • stone flag roofs

  • welsh and Westmoreland slate roofs

  • tooled, squared sandstone

  • mortared stone boundary walling with squared and half round coping

  • handmade red brick (Sharlston)

  • pre-industrial timber framing (Sharlston)

  • rock faced sandstone in later Victorian and Edwardian buildings

Form and architectural details

  • use of stone kneelers

  • stone detailing

  • brick chimney stacks on stone buildings

  • projecting flues on gables

Area 3a: Castleford, Normanton, Whitwood, Altofts, Sharlston Common, Featherstone (Northern Coalfield), and Sub-area 3a1: Pontefract

Area Description

As a result of the Convergence of the Rivers Aire and Calder Castleford became an important roman station, however, much of the rich heritage is now buried around the centre. The town’s character is, for many, that of a mining town. In recent years economic growth has been achieved through its retail and distribution centres.

Normanton and Featherstone grew from agrarian beginnings, primarily around mineral extraction. The arrival of the railways and the opening of large collieries in the area led to a large growth in population in Normanton and in the surrounding towns.

Featherstone’s population grew greatly during the Industrial Revolution and like many surrounding areas, was based around coal mining. The town has an interesting history and is well known as the place where two striking miners were killed by soldiers in 1893, following the very last reading of the Riot Act on mainland Britain.

A close-up view of a semi-detached house, built of red brick with stone detailing around the windows at ground and first floor.

Figure 277: Showcases two properties located on High Green Road, Altofts, which show arched detailing and stone banding.

A view of a red brick house with an arched front door and stone detailing around the windows and door. The ground floor has a bay window.

Figure 278: Showcases two properties located on High Green Road, Altofts, which show arched detailing and stone banding.

An oblique view of a row of new-built terraced houses. The houses are red brick with stone headers and cills to the windows and front door. The houses look similar in style to the historic examples in figures 277 and 278.

Figure 279: Demonstrates a good example of contemporary terraced housing by referencing simple brick and stone detailing and vertical proportions to the windows, Pope Street, Altofts

Materials

  • majority of buildings are red brick, with individual (either older or higher status) buildings in stone or render here and there.

  • brick patterns abound in Normanton, and the use of different coloured bricks is particularly notable.

  • brickwork with feature stone banding

Form and architectural details

  • arched window and door heads are a common feature in Altofts, Castleford and Featherstone in particular. A pride in skilled workmanship is apparent.

  • terraced forms are common, especially in the larger settlements, but also along main roads through the area.

  • brick patterns and detailing give depth and interest to residential as well as landmark buildings.

  • shallow pitch slate roofs punctuated by stone chimney stacks make up the roofscape

  • characterful housing developments have small, shared greens in addition to small front gardens - a pattern to be celebrated and enhanced in new developments

Sub-Area 3a1: Pontefract

Area Description

The market town of Pontefract grew from a medieval settlement on the strategic site of the Castle. Pontefract’s Castle grew over many centuries, before destruction in 1648. Today, the castle site consists of only evocative remains. The buildings are organised around a complex sequence of market squares and streets.

Materials

  • red brick prevails, with stone detailing for lintels, sills, keystones and pilasters.

  • stone slate and welsh slate are the vernacular roofing materials

Forms and architectural details

Pontefract has a dense urban grain and the medieval street pattern of Burgate plots and medieval yards (e.g. Mauds Yard) are still evident in the centre.

Area 3b: Ackworth, Thorpe Audlin, Wentbridge, Badsworth, East Hardwick and Nostell (Went River Basin)

Area Description

This largely arable landscape is dotted with small agricultural settlements and farmsteads. Villages include historic farmsteads, many of which have been converted to residential use. There are also elements of historic parkland associated with large houses, most notably at Nostell Priory. Historically development is located along main roads that run through the area.

A two-storey historic building of red brick with four windows to ground and first floors. To the right is a single-storey stone section, with one window. Directly in front of the house is a narrow pavement and then the road.

Figure 280: Shows a dwelling of historic handmade brick located in Wragby

(page 314) A group of modern stone buildings around a courtyard. The buildings are of a traditional style, and various heights, including a double garage. Two of the buildings have grey tiled roofs and the other buildings have clay pantiles.

Figure 281: Shows a contextual modern development in historically agricultural village, in Badsworth

Materials

  • red and brown handmade brick with stone dressings in pre-mid-19th Century buildings

  • sandstone, incl. ‘Ackworth Rock’ (medium-brown fine-grained sandstone)

  • stone roof tiles; Grey and, or blue roof slates, red pantiles

  • late 19th Century red brick, especially in former mining areas (such as Featherstone)

  • render consisting of white, off-white, and neutral colours

Form and architectural detailing

  • brick corbelling

  • brick chimneystacks, including on stone buildings

  • low-medium boundary walls with flat and half-round copings

  • stone dressings, including pre-industrial window/door surrounds

  • red pantiles esp. seen in east

  • boundary walls

  • strong mature hedging and trees in more rural locations, hedging behind low boundary walls (Ackworth)

  • in agricultural villages, agricultural buildings remaining in village centre; characterised by limited/small/random openings and differing heights/forms (as shown in Figure 14, Badsworth)

Area 3c: Hemsworth, South Hiendley, South Elmsall, South Kirkby, Kinsley, and Havercroft (Southeast Coalfield)

Area Description

The majority of settlements in this area are small towns and villages that remained as farming settlements until the Industrial Revolution. Much of the housing was built for the mining workforce using a mixture of stone and brick. Many old buildings associated with old industry and agriculture still exist as a reminder of the area’s history.

(page 315) A large, decorative building with an arched central section. The building is mainly of red brick with high-quality stone detailing. A sign on the arched section says "Billiard Hall".

Figure 282: demonstrates a smooth (factory-made) red brick public building with stone dressings, (South Elmsall)

In the foreground is an historic stone wall constructed of large stone blocks. Behind the wall is a modern red brick building with large floor to ceiling windows.

Figure 283: A historic stone boundary wall retained amongst 20th Century red-brick development, (Hemsworth)

An oblique view of an historic bank building showing the side elevation of red brick and front elevation of high-quality ashlar stone.

Figure 284: An ashlar fronted red-brick former bank building, (Hemsworth)

Materials

  • factory-made smooth red-brick on majority of dwellings and public buildings, reflecting mining heritage in area

  • sandstone for pre-19th-century dwellings

  • some use of render, typically on Victorian onwards buildings. Often hard, modern render (likely cement). Often textured

  • predominantly slates, grey clay/concrete tiles

  • red clay pantiles, stone slates are limited, primarily on pre-19th-century buildings

  • ashlar sandstone for public buildings

Form and architectural details

  • window arches

  • corbelling and detailing

  • houses tend to have small front gardens or front directly onto the street.

  • low-medium boundary walls with flat and half-round copings

  • historic boundary walls remain around newer buildings

Area 4: Limestone Ridge: Knottingley, Darrington, and North Elmsall

Area Description

The easternmost part of Wakefield district sits on the southern magnesian limestone ridge. This has influenced the distinctive building style of creamy-yellow limestone with clay pantile roofs. Much of the area consists of rural villages and hamlets interspersed with farmsteads. In the north, Knottingley has a historic core of limestone buildings and boundary walls, centred on St Botolph’s church. This has expanded as a result of later industrial development, resulting in a more mixed palette of materials and building styles.

A two-storey, historic building built of limestone with a gable on to the front elevation. The building has one window at ground floor and one at first floor. To the right is a single-storey building of the same stone with a clay pantile roof. In front of the buildings is a sweeping country lane.

Figure 285: A limestone cottage with clay pantile roof, North Elmsall

Two new-build houses which are a mirror-image of each other. The houses are two storeys with a dormer in the roof. The walls are of light stone with red brick detailing around the windows and on the corners of the building. The houses both have window frames in a mint green colour. The houses sit behind a historic stone boundary wall, in front of which is a pavement and main road.

Figure 286: A new build development in Darrington referencing historic stone and brick detailing of a previous building on the site limestone boundary walls were also retained.

Materials

  • magnesian limestone, clay pantile roofs

  • magnesian limestone outer walls with irregular brick quoin and window surround details

  • limestone in ashlar blocks for higher status properties, random coursing for more humble buildings

Form and architectural details

  • earlier buildings gable-end on to the road

  • magnesian limestone boundary walls are an important characteristic