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STATION (MIDDLESBROUGH HISTORIC QUARTER) CONSERVATION AREA REVIEW

EXECUTIVE MEMBER FOR REGENERATION–

COUNCILLOR DAVID BUDD

DIRECTOR OF REGENERATION – TIM WHITE

Date 19th October, 2007

PURPOSE OF THE REPORT

  1. The purpose of this report is to seek endorsement of the draft Station Conservation Area (Middlesbrough Historic Quarter) Appraisal and Management Plan, which will be used as the basis for consultation. Subsequently, a further report will be made to the Executive on the outcome of the consultation exercise and to seek final approval of the appraisal and management plan for the conservation area.

BACKGROUND AND EXTERNAL CONSULTATION

  1. Conservation areas are areas of special architectural or historic interest, the character of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance. Local planning authorities have a duty under The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 to:

a)designate conservation areas;

b)review these areas from time to time; and,

c)formulate and publish proposals for the preservation and enhancement of conservation areas.

  1. The Best Value Indicator (BVPI 219b) for conservation areas measure the success of local authorities in preparing character appraisals for their existing conservation areas. There is a requirement for these plans to be kept up to date and reviewed within five years. To fulfill this duty, the Executive on 23rd March 2005 resolved that an appraisal and review of the Station Conservation Area should be carried out.
  1. The draft conservation area character appraisal and management plan have been prepared following guidance contained within Planning Policy Guidance Note 15: Planning and the Historic Environment (PPG 15) and English Heritage guidance.
  1. The aims of the character appraisal are to:

a)review and justify the boundary of the conservation area and if necessary recommend amendments to the designated area;

b)appraise the special architectural and historic interest of the conservation area and identify what makes each distinctive; and,

c)improve the understanding of the historical context.

  1. The appraisal is supported by a management plan, which puts forward proposals for the preservation and enhancement of the conservation area. The management plan will provide the Council with a valuable tool to inform the future care and development of the area. It will provide stakeholders and property owners with a clear idea of the buildings and spaces within it and the enhancements that could be made to the conservation area.

Station (Middlesbrough Historic Quarter) Conservation Area

  1. The Station Conservation Area was created in 1989 after two separate conservation areas, Queen’s Square and Middlesbrough Station, were combined. The area is a high quality Victorian townscape that was the nucleus of the town’s expansion during the second half of the 19th Century.
  1. An initial character appraisal of this area was completed in November 2001 as part of the stage 2 bid for the Heritage Lottery Fund supported Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI). The THI scheme was initiated to promote a coordinated programme of assisted investment in building improvement and to enhance appreciation of the special character of Middlesbrough Historic Quarter. Under this scheme, key properties in the area have been identified and a programme of repair work is underway to restore these buildings and promote confidence in the area.
  1. The conservation area forms an important gateway between Middlehaven, a flagship regeneration project covering an area of approximately 100 hectares, and the town centre. The area involves important public spaces (Quuen’s Square and Exchange Square) and inter-connecting routes - Bridge Street West running parallel to the railway line towards Bridge Street East entering into Middlehaven, and on the north-south axis, Albert Road through Queen’s Square and Cleveland Street.

Character Appraisal

  1. It is proposed to rename the Station Conservation Area as the Middlesbrough Historic Quarter Conservation Area, both to link it with other regeneration initiatives in this part of the town, and also to reflect more accurately the historical and social importance of this area as the original core of Middlesbrough. A review of the conservation area boundary should be undertaken and the name should be changed to Middlesbrough Historic Quarter to tie in with other regeneration initiatives such as the Greater Middlehaven.
  1. As a part of the appraisal, a review of the conservation area boundary has been undertaken. It is recommended that the boundary of the conservation area should be amended as shown on the attached Plan A. The two main changes to the boundary are as follows.

a)The former Cathedral and the adjoining presbytery have been demolished and so this part of the conservation area no longer retains any features that enhance its character. New developments, including the Cleveland Police headquarters and proposals for the BoHo Core structure, have introduced modern buildings that are alien to the character and affect the setting of the conservation area. It is therefore proposed to exclude this part of the conservation area (Area 1 shown in Plan A).

b)Albert Road is an eclectic mix of modern and historic buildings, including two listed buildings at numbers 36 to 40 that provide a unique character at the southern end of the conservation area. The quality of these listed buildings makes a significant contribution to the character and it is proposed to extend the conservation area boundary to include these buildings (Area 2 shown in Plan A).

  1. The conservation area lies at the junction between the town centre, Middlehaven and St Hilda’s, three areas that are the subject of comprehensive regeneration programmes. Important ongoing projects in the conservation area include the following.

a)Under the THI scheme, the former Ayresome Park Public House was recently repaired and refurbished with grant assistance of £179,000. Improvement schemes for a further three properties have been agreed: 17-27 Queen’s Terrace; Commerce House; and, 4 Exchange Square. A total of £200,000 of grant assistance on repair and reinstatement works has been submitted to Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for approval, following which, a grant award will be made to property owners. There are ongoing discussions with other property owners to bring forward further such works of improvement.

b)Zetland House was demolished in February 2006, and a scheme to fill in the gap site is due to be completed by August 2007, with financial support from the Railway Heritage Trust and English Heritage. The design reunites the façade of the station and improves considerably the appearance of the conservation area and the Grade II listed building.

c)The repair and conversion of the Edwardian Fish Quay and Red Parcels Depot is due to start soon after the completion of the scheme described in (b) above. It is being funded by One North East, Northern Arts and Network Rail along with a THI grant of £170,000 towards building repair and reuse of the vacant space. It is proposed that Platform Arts Ltd. will occupy the building, providing reasonably priced studio space for self-employed artists.

d)As part of the Middlehaven development, the public realm along Bridge Street East is set to be transformed as the main entry point from Albert Road and the town centre. Discussions are ongoing with One North East regarding the potential of funding to undertake further public realm improvement along Bridge Street West to complement the Bridge Street East and BoHo schemes.

Management Plan proposals

  1. The Management Plan takes the form of generic guidance, allowing for changes that will occur under regeneration programmes, without compromising the historic character. This approach is intended to preserve and enhance the character and appearance of the conservation area.
  1. The plan recommends a presumption against demolition of any building that makes a positive contribution to the conservation area. The reuse of these buildings should be encouraged to ensure future maintenance and protection. Any alterations should be sympathetic to the historic built form, character, architectural detailing, materials and setting of the area.
  1. Public realm improvements should be implemented, including the managed introduction of more appropriate, sympathetic forms of street lighting, bollards and signage into the area. A streetscape audit should be conducted followed by a street-clutter clearance programme. Where bus shelters are proposed they should not have advertisement panels and be subject to careful consideration in terms of siting and design.
  1. The Strategic Plan for Greater Middlehaven envisages Albert Road to Queen’s Square as a major route for public transport. Queen’s Square is one of the oldest and most attractive streets in the conservation area and should receive special attention in terms of the design of public realm, highway and traffic management. Particular care should be taken to control on-street parking, road markings, signage and lighting. It is anticipated this will be supported as part of the second phase of the Middlehaven development.
  1. There should be strict control over advertisements and hoardings especially along the main public transport route. As development pressure in the area increases, because of initiatives such as Middlehaven and BoHo, further controls may be required to increase planning control of advertising. The Council may then need to consider a Regulation 7 direction that will remove the benefit of deemed consent advertisements. However, this would require Secretary of State approval.

Consultation process

  1. If the Executive Member approves to the appraisal and management plan then this will be subject to a four-week process of community consultation. A leaflet will be prepared summarising the appraisal and management plan that will be circulated to property owners, occupiers and other stakeholders with an interest in the area. Arrangements will be made for a public meeting to be held by October 2007.
  1. Following this consultation period, the draft of the appraisal and management plan will be amended according to the responses received, and the final document will be submitted to the executive for approval.

OPTION APPRAISAL/RISK ASSESSMENT

  1. The appraisal and management plan for the conservation area provides the opportunity to identify what is special about the area and identify ways of protecting its special character.
  1. The process demonstrates that the Council is carrying out its statutory duty to protect historic areas. The subsequent adoption of the report will identify clearly those elements to be protected and where appropriate change can take place.

FINANCIAL, LEGAL AND WARD IMPLICATIONS

  1. There are no significant budgetary implications at this stage. Advertising and publishing costs can be met from existing budgets.
  1. Local planning authorities have a duty under The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 to review their conservation areas from time to time and to formulate and publish proposals for the preservation and enhancement of conservation areas.The character appraisal and management plan discharges this duty.
  1. Grant assistance under the THI scheme will enable high quality refurbishment schemes in the conservation area, as described in paragraph 12 (a) and (c).
  1. The Station (Middlesbrough Historic Quarter) Conservation Area is situated in the Middlehaven ward. Ward members will be engaged in the community consultation process.

RECOMMENDATIONS

  1. It is recommended that the Executive Member approves the following:

a)the renaming of the Station Conservation Area as Middlesbrough Historic Quarter Conservation Area;

b)the amended boundary of the conservation area as shown on plan A; and

c)the draft Station (Middlesbrough Historic Quarter) Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan as the basis for public consultation.

After the consultation a further report will be made to the Executive on the outcome of the exercise to seek final approval of the appraisal and management plan for the conservation area.

REASONS

  1. The above recommendations are supported by the following reasons:

a)the conservation area appraisal and management plans identify what is important about the area and set out proposals to preserve and enhance the area; and,

b)the report demonstrates the Council’s commitment to fulfil its statutory duty to protect the historic environment.

BACKGROUND PAPERS

The following background papers were used in the preparation of this report:

a)Draft Station Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan, January 2007.

b)Executive Report of 23rd December 2005.

AUTHOR: Nairita Chakraborty

TEL NO: 729507

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Address:

Website:

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