Some of the photos show that some buildings are still quite grubby. I think if they were done too black, even if this was correct, the models wouldn't look right.
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01451/The-Crown-Inn-Grea_1451670c.jpg
http://s0.geograph.org.uk/photos/46/24/462435_56f52b32.jpg