REPORT FOR DECISION

7th September 2011

Report of the Head of Planning and Regulation Services

Proposed Designation for the Enlargement of Rochdale Town Centre Conservation Area

Wards affected: Milkstone and Deeplish Report Authors: David Morris, Kerrie Smith and Mathilde Guerin

Telephone: (01706) 924331

To recommend the designation of an enlargement to the Rochdale Town Centre

Conservation Area in the vicinity of Drake Street and other areas

1. It is recommended that the Township Committee;

1.1. Considers the architectural and historic interest of the proposed conservation area enlargement, as delineated by the boundary on the Plan in Appendix 1 and outlined in this report;

1.2. Determines there is special architectural and historic interest, the character and appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance; and

1.3. In the light of 1.1 and 1.2 above, resolves to designate the enlargement of Rochdale Town Centre Conservation Area taking into account other relevant factors, including the consequences of designation (see Appendix 2).

Reasons for recommendation:

1.4. The proposed enlargement to the Rochdale Town Centre Conservation Area

is an area of historic and architectural interest worthy of preservation and enhancement.

1.5. Some buildings located in this proposed enlarged area are in a poor condition and are at risk of being demolished with the loss of important local heritage.

1.6. The Rochdale Town Centre Conservation Area is part of the regeneration strategy for the town centre.

1.7. The revised boundary would replace an existing boundary that is irrational in

places, for instance dividing buildings and omitting several cherished buildings.

1.8. The proposals have been warmly received by the Drake Street Traders Group. 2. Alternatives considered: 2.1. Not designating the conservation area would result in the potential loss of

historic buildings which are at risk.

3. Consultation undertaken/proposed: 3.1. The proposal has been discussed in two meetings with the Drake Street

Traders and was warmly received. 3.2. Between the writing of this report and the Township Committee, the Rochdale

Conservation & Heritage Work Group (RoCH) will have had their first meeting (25th August). The proposed designation of the enlarged conservation area is on the meeting agenda.

3.3. If the enlarged conservation area is designated, the Council will inform the

owners and the occupiers of local businesses of the decision.

4. Report:

Introduction

4.1. The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 imposes a duty on local planning authorities to survey and keep under review their district for areas which are of special architectural or historic interest, the character of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance, and to designate those areas as conservation areas. This duty is an on-going requirement of local authorities.

4.2. The Rochdale Town Centre Conservation Area is part of the regeneration strategy for the town centre, which recognises both the intrinsic value of the town’s heritage assets and capitalises upon their economic value as image and place-making tools to benefit the local community and attract investment.

4.3. It is important to research the architectural and historic significance of the local

area, its buildings and wider heritage to understand the historic resource. The next step is to safeguard that resource, particularly the important historic buildings that contribute to the town’s identity. The historic resource can then be used as outlined above. This approach has led to the Conservation Area being appraised and assessed and associated proposals to enlarge the conservation area being brought to this committee.

Conservation area appraisal 4.4. Conservation area appraisals are living documents that will evolve as more is

learnt about the area’s history and significance. The full conservation area has been appraised and assessed for its historical and architectural interest. Below is a summary of the findings.

4.5. The Rochdale Town Centre Conservation Area encompasses the history of

the town from medieval to modern times in five distinct historical character areas. These are introduced below and subsequently explored in more detail in the appraisal which is available for Members to view:

1. The Old Town

Rochdale was one of the largest parishes in England, administered via four extensive parishes, three of which converged on the town centre which subsequently became the fulcrum for an otherwise rural industrial economy. The old town lays either side of the river crossing, its Georgian brick buildings replacing the stone and timber-framed structures of earlier generations. The five-phase Rochdale Bridge, likely to date from C13th, survives hidden from view under a concrete platform. Its two earliest phases appear to be medieval and are likely to date to the thirteenth century. The focus is The Butts on the north side of the river where a natural space is formed by the slightly wider valley. However, with the Roch and its bridge covered over, the buildings enclose a poor and somewhat inexplicable space. An S-shaped route comprising Church Lane and Yorkshire Street, was needed to navigate the river valley slopes, the bridge and adjacent ford located in the centre of the ‘S’. This shape created a spine around

which Rochdale developed. In the medieval period it was mostly north of the bridge, aligned to narrow pathways or ‘ginnels’ which allowed the passage of stock to and from the ford. South of the river, development was restricted by glebe land.

2. Rochdale Parish Church of St Chad Overlooking the river to the south is the thirteenth century church of Saint Chad (listed grade II*) situated in an ancient sub-oval enclosure which incorporates a peculiar revetment known as the ‘Saxon wall’ (listed grade II) and includes the medieval stocks (listed grade II) and other listed monuments. Around the church is an attractive green space comprising the church yard, vicarage garden and slopes down to the valley bottom. There are several monuments and features of special interest, including a sundial and the town stocks. Running around the south and east are Church Stile and Church Lane, part of the ancient highway to the river crossing

3. Regency Drake Street

This is the largest new area of the conservation area and as such a detailed report has been written on its significance which is contained in Appendix 3.

The Rochdale woollen industry grew rapidly in the post medieval period and by the early 1700s, merchants’ houses, public houses and warehouses began to be built in the Georgian style. The Regency period saw the rapid expansion of industry and trade so that wider roads and bigger buildings were needed. Church Lane was by-passed around 1810 by a new wide street named after the then Vicar, Rev’d Drake which connected the town centre to the Rochdale Canal at the top of the valley slope. The road was a significant achievement for the period and allowed rapid development south of the river.

Larger twentieth century buildings intermingle with more modest

Regency properties in a traditional street scene. Drake Street was the principal shopping street of Rochdale until the 1980s when shopping developments north of the river led to a dramatic decline in its fortunes.

The area has a variable quality mixed townscape characterised by warehouses, newspaper publishing buildings, a Methodist Central Hall (Champness Hall), various retail shops, including the Rochdale Pioneers’ first bespoke Co-operative shop (arguably the first modern Co-operative store in the world) and an early Co-operative Department Store known as ‘Fashion Corner’. In between there are gap sites and buildings of poor quality. Overall, Drake Street is well-recognised and greatly cherished with many buildings of local importance to Rochdale’s history and identity. There are high levels of vacancies along Drake Street indicating market failure and some buildings are now in a very poor state of repair, notably the former Iveson’s furniture store and warehouse, a much loved Rochdale building.

4. Rochdale Town Hall, Square and Esplanade (Architects: W. H.

Crossland and Alfred Waterhouse). South of the river, the Town Hall Square and The Esplanade (1864-71)

was an artistic creation of the highest order with set-piece buildings in an expansive layout planned according to romantic and picturesque principles. At the heart is Rochdale Town Hall (Grade I listed), designed by W. H. Crossland with a huge freestanding clock tower by Alfred Waterhouse (1886). They are set in the middle of Town Hall Square overlooked by St Chad’s Church, itself enlarged by Crossland in the same flamboyant gothic as the town hall. The scheme is completed by a ceremonial parade, The Esplanade, and romantic gardens created on the valley slopes (registered park grade II). Excessive parking dramatically lowers the quality of the scene and the functionality of the plaza. Rochdale Town Hall and the clock tower rise sublimely from a very large plaza connected to Manchester Road by a ceremonial way.

5. Cenotaph and Memorial Gardens (Architect Edwin Lutyens) Opposite the Town Hall, north of the river, Dearden’s ‘Manor House’ was redeveloped in 1922 by Edwin Lutyens as a cenotaph (listed grade II) and garden formally set between two large buildings. Lutyen’s pale granite, white Portland stone and classical symmetry formed a brave counterpoint to Crossland’s dark asymmetric, romantic scheme. The first of the classical buildings became the Post Office (listed grade II). The second of the two white classical buildings framing the Cenotaph has yet to be built; but the site has been faithfully retained for 90 years. After the Second World War, the memorial garden was extended northwards with a sunken Italian garden creating a shaft of space framing the Town Hall when viewed from the north. The 1970s Police Station, Magistrates Courts and Newgate House frame the Gardens and maintain the white limestone theme.

The Proposed Enlargement of the Conservation Area

4.6. Township Committee approved a prioritised work program for designating new conservation areas in 2007 (Appendix 3). The conservation area candidates being investigated at that time were, in order of priority, Castleton South, Maclure Road, Spotland Bridge and Birtle, all of which have been designated in whole or part. This designation is the next priority, consisting of an enlargement to the Rochdale Town Centre Conservation Area.

4.7. The proposed, enlarged boundary or Rochdale Town Centre Conservation

Area is drawn in Appendix 1. This takes in 4 areas of enlargement:

• Drake Street, up to Wet Rake Gardens

• Part of Baillie Street and Yorkshire Street to include the Regal Moon, Marks and Spencer and 5 Baillie Street, a grade II listed warehouse.

• The buildings framing the memorial gardens.

• Sparrow Hill and Church Stile.

4.8. Drake Street is the largest extension and forms an additional character area. As such, a study of the buildings and their significance was carried out and this is contained in Appendix 3.

4.9. The three remaining areas are small inclusions that make the boundary coherent.

4.10. The study in Appendix 3, shows that Drake Street has high architectural and

historic significance. However, the character and appearance of Drake Street is under threat due to the state of dereliction affecting Iveson’s Trafalgar Building, a landmark building on Drake Street. With time, the deterioration would have a significantly detrimental impact upon the character and appearance of the surrounding area and there would be a significant risk to this area’s potential/future designation as a Conservation Area.

Adopted Principles 4.11. There are five adopted principles guiding the Council's actions concerning the

above duty with regard to making new conservation areas. These are set out below. Principles 3 and 5 specifically underpin the reasoning of this report, which tries to square the need for public consultation with that of an urgent response to a particular circumstance. 1. Only areas and buildings of special architectural or historic interest should

be made conservation areas. Areas or buildings without such special interest should not be designated, no matter how strong other reasons might be.

2. The designation of conservation areas should be consistent with the policies of the Unitary Development Plan and good planning practice.

3. The process of making of conservation areas should be open and fair. It

should be responsive to local opinion and allow local people and other interested parties to comment

4. The process should be efficient and practical. It should encourage the

making of good decisions within available resources and practical time frames.

5. The process should be flexible to respond to the range of heritage and

planning contexts that may arise. In particular, the process should be able to cater for urgent situations where the special interest or character of an area is under immediate threat.

5. Personnel Implications:

5.1. No extra staff resources are required in the designating of the Conservation Area.

6. Financial Implications:

6.1. A decision to designate a conservation area carries no immediate significant financial implications though there may be some financial implications in the long term.

7. Conclusions:

7.1. The proposed enlargement of Rochdale Town Centre Conservation Area is considered an area of special architectural and historic interest, the character and appearance of which it is desirable to preserve and enhance and consequently should be designated as a conservation area.

For further information and background papers: For further information about this report or access to any background papers please contact David Morris in the Development Control Service, Planning and Regulation Service, Telegraph House, Baillie Street, Middleton, OL16 1JH or ring (01706) 924331.

Peter Rowlinson Head of Planning and Regulation Services, Telegraph House, Baillie Street, Rochdale, Lancashire. OL16 1JH

APPENDIX 1- Proposed boundary of enlarged conservation area

APPENDIX 2 - What are Conservation Areas?

What are Conservation Areas?

1. A conservation area is an area of special architectural or historic interest, the character and appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance. Areas are assessed from a local perspective where the aim is to conserve the familiar and cherished local scene. The most important conservation areas may also be of national importance but there is no separate designation for this.

Conservation areas are for areas, not individual buildings. However, what constitutes an area is very wide. For example, the smallest conservation area might be a house and a garden, or perhaps a church and associated vicarage, while the largest conservation area might cover a substantial rural landscape. Many are town or village centres while others cover unique areas, such as model housing estates. The designation of long lengths of canal and railway is common, as is the designation of the best of a particular urban type such as terraced housing or industrial buildings.

Most conservation areas support the social cohesion of the particular area through the encouragement of local pride and the care of the environment. Conservation area status is an official acknowledgement that an area has special heritage value. This eventually works its way through the developmental and ownership structure of a place and encourages a virtuous cycle of improvement. For example, it can become easier to achieve better design quality or successful grant applications to outside bodies.

How are Conservation Areas made?

Conservation areas are normally made or “designated” by the local planning authority under powers contained in the Planning (Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas) Act 1990. The local authority can alter the boundary of an existing conservation area or cancel it altogether. The Council is free to establish its own designation procedure and criteria. The procedure should normally include the consultation of affected properties and interested groups and bodies by letter.

Conservation areas should have a strong local flavour and interest and, for this reason, are designated by the Township Chief Planning Officers rather than a borough-wide Chief Planning Officer at Middleton MBC. Nevertheless, it is important to see conservation areas as part of the wider planning of the Borough. They should be consistent with other aims and policies of the UDP and complement other Council initiatives.

Urgent Designation Procedure

Occasionally, a proposed development or demolition will have major implications for a possible conservation area. There may not be sufficient time for the normal consultation procedure to take place and the proposal would effectively prevent the conservation area being considered for at least part of the area. In these circumstances, it is appropriate to use the urgent designation procedure under the scheme of delegation.

In such circumstances, the Development Control Manager, after consulting the Borough Solicitor, arranges for a meeting of the Delegated Sub Chief Planning Officer of the appropriate Township Chief Planning Officer, to designate a conservation area of the minimum size. A report, within one year of designation, is subsequently presented to the Township Chief Planning Officer, allowing it to consider the matter following reflection, consultation and resolution of any particular planning problems.

The Consequences of Conservation Area Designation

These can be summarized as follows. a. The local planning authority is under a general duty to ensure the preservation and

enhancement of conservation areas and has a particular duty to prepare proposals to that end.

b. The local authority may be able to take steps to ensure a building is kept in good repair.

c. From time to time, limited financial assistance may be available for the upkeep of buildings in the area.

d. The details as to the limits of what works may be carried out without planning

permission are different (in particular, more limited permitted development rights for householders).

e. The planning authority is to take into account the desirability of preserving and enhancing the character and appearance of the area when determining planning applications and there is extra publicity for applications to this effect.

f. Conservation Area Consent is required for the demolition of any unlisted building in

the area and the local authority can take enforcement action or institute a criminal prosecution if consent is not obtained.

g. Notice must be given to the local authority before works are carried out to any tree in

the area.

h. The display of advertisements is more restricted than elsewhere.

APPENDIX 3 - Drake Street Study This area contains a high number of buildings of significance that relate to the history of Rochdale. Indeed, the majority of buildings of significance that need to be preserved are situated along Drake Street, which is the historical shopping street of the town, developed in the early 1800s. Drake Street was named after Rev Thomas Drake who was vicar of Rochdale for 29 years and died in 1819 at the age of 71. He is remembered as being a respected and amiable Vicar and magistrate. The street was created in the very early 1800s to bypass the steep and crowded Church Lane and to connect the town centre to the Rochdale Canal basin of 1798. At the canal basin, the street turned westwards to connect to a new road Manchester and, to this day, has two parts, a commercial part climbing the valley side to the canal basin (now hidden by later development) and a residential part running on largely flat land south of Broadfield Park. Drake Street is a typical late Georgian development responding to the growing population, industry and ambition of the Rochdale area. From its origins the street has positively contributed to the image of Rochdale, as a famous specialised shopping street. With the opening of the Manchester-Leeds railway in 1838, the street also became the strong link between Rochdale railway station and the centre of Rochdale down the hill. In the proposed boundary of the urgent extension of Rochdale Town Centre conservation area, the buildings with a high architectural and historical significance are:

- Butterworth jewellery shop, 14 Drake Street - Champness Hall, Drake Street - Iveson building-Trafalgar Building and adjacent warehouse, 42-46

Drake Street - Fashion Corner, 57-59 Drake Street - Deaf and Dumb Institute, 23 Church Lane - Hair Dressers building, 14 Nelson Street (formerly part of Ivesons) - Former Temperance Billiard Hall, Nelson Street (unfortunately altered) - Waterside House, Water Street - Gym Club, 10 Water Street - Drakes Public House, 34 Drake Street

Key landmark buildings

Trafalgar Building, Champness Hall and Fashion Corner are located at the strategic junction of Drake Street, Nelson Street and Water Street. They are the ‘raison d’être’ of the proposed conservation area and the most significant in terms of townscape. Iveson’s ‘Empire’ a. Originally built in the mid 1850s and located in the middle of Drake Street, the

Iveson building records part of a famous Rochdale trader’s history. Indeed, from the year 1818 and over more than one century, Drake Street was the

traditional shopping street of the town. During their 175 years of trade, Ivesons built their own Empire, possessing several stores in the town, the last closing in 1995.

b. The most famous Iveson’s shop has a dual history because it is composed of two adjacent buildings: the main Trafalgar Building shop and the adjacent Iveson Brother warehouse. Also the existing hairdresser at no. 14 Nelson Street was formerly owned by the Ivesons and used a supplementary warehouse.

c. The Trafalgar building is located at the corner of Drake Street at the junction with Nelson Street. It was built in the mid 1850s and remodelled in 1901. That year, the AI initials of Ann Iveson were engraved in the wall. The corner façade is high and dominates the streescape, symbolizing the success of the family in trade. The inscriptions left on the top of the tower, give information about the former sales of carpets, founding the reputation of the Iveson.

d. The adjacent warehouse was built in the 1920s when the Iveson Brothers

moved their other store from Oldham Road to no. 42-46 Drake Street. Although at first glance it appears as a modest warehouse building, it possesses interesting Art Deco architectural features. This building is a significant part of the street scene and it is made of a mix red bricks, faience, and mouldings on its façade and tall pilasters which frame the glass windows.

e. The Iveson family also possessed another warehouse on Nelson Street,

which was built between 1926 and 1932. This former premise was designed in the same architectural style of the Iveson Brothers warehouse. Indeed, the detailing on both frontages are identical.

f. The main issue and concern is that both buildings on 42-46 Drake Street are

facing problems of dereliction, due to almost 20 years of vacancy. At first glance the building seems to be in good condition, but it is now at substantial risk. For instance, a long crack is visible on the warehouse façade, and trees growing inside are damaging the structure. It is important to preserve such heritage buildings by including them in Rochdale Town Centre Conservation Area extension and by doing so, the Council is stating its position that they should be retained and introducing controls to prevent an ill-considered demolition.

Champness Hall g. Champness Hall is an Art Deco heritage building which takes advantage of its

strategic location in the middle of the shopping street while also facing down Water Street. It is an imposing structure in the urban landscape and a precious heritage building testifying to the history of Rochdale.

h. Inaugurated the 8th September 1925 by the mayor of Rochdale, the Hall was

named after Thomas Champness (1832-1905), a Methodist Minister. It was designed by Mr. A. Brocklehurst and Co. architect, an interwar practice based in Manchester which designed a number of chapels and central halls for the Methodist Church. The building was erected by R. & T. Howarth, the principal Rochdale building company of the time with a high reputation for quality.

i. Champness Hall was built to combine religious functions and social meetings:

it housed the Methodist Mission in Rochdale. It was not only a place of worship but also the headquarters of several organisations which served community as a whole.

j. The 2,000 seated Art Deco auditorium is the centrepiece of the Champness

Hall. The building has a secular almost ‘cinema’ character quite unlike a church. This was a deliberate design approach of the time, as Methodist halls were meant to appeal to both believers and non-believers alike. The large windows are one of the most impressive Art Deco features.

k. Champness Hall façade was built of Crossland Hill, Yorkshire stone and until 1957 it was dominated by a dome, which had to be demolished due to rot dry. It was replaced with a large stone pediment which, despite being well-built, is not particularly sensitive to the visual upward thrust of the design.

l. Despite appearing in a good condition, the Hall is losing visual attractiveness

and is suffering from deterioration since its closure in 2006. Nevertheless, its strategic situation along Drake Street and huge size make the building a great and positive asset for the town, capable of providing a mix of uses for the community. The strong character of this building and its relative importance in the history of Rochdale community justify its inclusion in the Conservation Area extension.

The Fashion Corner m. The Fashion Corner building is located at the junction of Drake Street and

Water Street, facing Champness Methodist Hall. Built in 1886, the building is mostly known in the town for being a former Co-operative shop founded by the Rochdale Pioneers and which opened its door to the public in 1922 as a drapery shop. Then it sold clothes and became the ‘Fashion Corner’.

n. The façade of the building is particularly impressive because of its soft

rounded shape. In spite of its location on a corner, the façade is not rectangular but drawn in a smooth and circled shape around the corner. The frontage is decorated by expensive sculpted stone architectural features that reinforce the strong character of this building. The original building possessed a dome which dominated the curved façade but this was demolished between the 1940s and the 1960s. The disappearing of the dome had a negative impact from a heritage point of view.

o. In 1983, the building was sold to Rochdale Council and became a ‘Project

House’ and then housed the ‘Poll tax house’. Today, the Fashion Corner houses departments of Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council.

p. This three storey building is a key landmark of the proposed extension of

Rochdale Town Centre Conservation Area. It is part of the identity of the historic shopping street.

Other landmark features in the Conservation Area

Billiard Temperance Hall is located in Nelson Street in front of the Iveson building and was built in 1909. Originally, it was a magnificent building dominated by an arcade as the main frontage and a dome in the corner. The façade of this former temperance hall has been extremely damaged, as much that the building has completely lost its original identity. Over time, it may be possible to reverse some of this however. The institute for the Deaf and Dumb was built in Rochdale and opened the 16th of October 1907. Located on Church Lane, it was designed by Messrs S. Butterworth and Duncan, excellent Edwardian architects who were established in Rochdale. The Deaf and Dumb institute has an Edgar Wood architectural style that gives it a great value and a unique contribution to the identity of Rochdale. Butterworth Bros shop was established in 1903 and is the property of the Butterworth family, one of the longest established in Rochdale. The building is prominently positioned at the junction of Drake Street and Church Lane and has a lovely shop front that reinforces the character of Drake Street as a historical shopping street. Waterside House marks the entrance of the conservation area to the east. This former warehouse located in front of the river Roch possesses a high architectural value that contributes to enhance the character the conservation area. The Gym Club building located in Water Street has a substantial contribution to Rochdale urban landscape and it should be included in the extended conservation area. Drake Pub is a key building located between two imposing ones, the Iveson building and the Butterworth Brothers shop. It was built in the 1820s and has Regency style architecture. Thanks to its good stucco façade, the building makes a positive contribution to the character of the area.

Photographs of key buildings Iveson’s buildings

The Iveson family, as shop owners in Rochdale, succeeding one another over five generations. Iveson’s empire was founded by Batty Iveson in 1814 and so lasted some 175 years. He is named for the first time in Rochdale Directories 1814-1815 as he worked as saddler in Yorkshire Street. In 1824, the original Iveson shop is closed and is relocated in the newly constructed in Drake Street to start a new life. At this time Batty Robert Iveson diversified the business to work both as saddler and collar maker. Timothy, their presumed son, is the third member of the Iveson’s family, commencing working in 1832. In 1837, the Iveson family opened their first shop in Drake Street, at no. 141 and another member of the family opened a new shop the same year at

no. 126 Drake Street. From the 1850s to the early 1900s Iveson’s extended their shops in several streets. The year 1851 was another important step for the family as Timothy Iveson moved to 42 Drake Street, the actual location of the well-known Iveson building. Some 60 years after their beginnings as traders, the reputation of the Iveson had taken root in Rochdale. The Iveson business reached its peak between the late 1900s and the mid 1950s, in its 42-46 Drake Street premises. In 1899, Ann Iveson started working and her initials were sculpted from terracotta on the façade of the building during the remodelling of the buildings. The reach of Ivesons was reinforced by the opening of a new shop on 2 Oldham Road in 1899 by the subsequently famous Iveson’s Brothers, John Eric and Donald. They worked as carpet dealers and warehouseman and in 1907, they moved to 42 and 44 Drake Street, which became the most important store of the family. A hard time of decline of sales started in the 1980s on Drake Street while the Iveson family celebrated their 175 years of trade. Because Drake Street has traditionally been one of Rochdale’s busiest shopping streets, many shopkeepers have tried new strategies to attract more shoppers. But the Iveson’s empire could not survive the recession and definitely in 1995.

Iveson Brothers warehouse

Iveson Brothers warehouse

Hair Dresser building – former Iveson warehouse Champness Hall

Fashion Corner

Other key landmarks

Institute for the Deaf and Dumb

Gym Club Waterside House

Butterworth Brothers shop Drakes Pub

Billard Temperance Hall

Nelson Street

Church Lane