NW CA cover:Layout 1 - North Norfolk District Council

North Walsham Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Planpaved area are some wooden planters, resembling half-barrels. These fit in well with theother wooden furniture. Less successful is a curiously shaped metal post with multiple armsfor hanging baskets, placed just to the east of the Cross. Nearby is an older piece of streetfurniture, an attractive stone drinking fountain of 1911. Sadly, the light on top of this is disused,and electrical cables have been carelessly stuffed into the lantern.After all the work to improve the area around the Market Cross, the railings around the edgeof the path by the HSBC bank are a great disappointment. They are a very plain, utilitariandesign. A modern glass and metal phone box next to the railings is equally inappropriate inthis historic environment.The second main group of street furniture is centred around a rectangular area of plantingin St Nicholas Court. This presumably dates from the later 1960s or early 1970s, when theCourt was new. The benches are unremarkable, with concrete supports holding woodenslats. The litter bins are cylindrical, with a rough concrete casing, an unsuccessful and datedattempt at “modern” design. The planting consists of two small trees with some shrubs, andappears overgrown and uncared for.Figure 46 : Town sign inNew StreetAt the junction with Yarmouth Road, New Road and the entrance to Market Place, there areareas of planting set into the pavement, some flint cobbles and the town sign. Although thereis a lack of coordinated design here, these are relatively pleasant features at the meetingpoint of two otherwise unappealing entrance roads to the town.LightingWithin the centre, along Market Place and Market Street, most of the street lights are attachedto the upper floors of the surrounding houses. As a result, they are fairly unobtrusive duringthe day. The lights are, however, of a common “highways” type, and make no concessionto their historic surroundings.Along the roads outside the centre, the lights are freestanding, both small scale on narrowaluminium posts, such as along Yarmouth Road, or larger versions as can be seen in VicarageSt. Again, these are of a common “highways” design.North Norfolk District Council51