Park Conservation Area Conservation Appraisal of Park Circus Study Area
Prepared for Park and Woodlands Heritage Group by Matthew Holloway of MAST Architects
mast architects 51 St Vincent Crescent Glasgow G3 8NQ
T 0141 221 6834 E mast@mastarchitects.co.uk W mastarchitects.co.uk
Park Conservation Area PARK CIRCUS STUDY AREA – Conservation Appraisal January 2016
Facing Page: Detail at Doorway – Park Quadrant Photograph, MAST Architects
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CONTENTS Executive Summary
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1.
Introduction
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1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6
Location Conservation Area Definition Conservation Area Status – what does it mean? Purpose of the Conservation Area Appraisal Designation Description of Study Area – location and parameters.
2.
Historical development
2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4
Early History/ Mediaeval 17th/18th Century 19th Century 20th Century
3.
Townscape Appraisal
3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14
Topography Gateways Study Area Boundaries and Edges Street Pattern Plot Pattern/ Density Open Space Circulation/ Permeability Views Activities/ Uses Architectural Character Building Materials Condition Townscape Detail Landscape and Trees
4.
Character Assessment
4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5
Introduction Key Features Key Challenges Positive Buildings and Areas Negative/ Neutral Buildings and Areas
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5.
Preservation and Enhancement
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5.1 5.2 5.3
Introduction Opportunities for Preservation and Enhancement Grants
6.
Article 4 Directions
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7.
City Plan
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7.1
Conservation Area – City Plan
8.
Bibliography
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View at Stewart Memorial Fountain Kelvingrove Park PHOTO COPYRIGHT Photographs by Paulina Brozek, Diagrams by MAST Architects, unless otherwise noted. All reasonable steps have been taken to respect copyright on the photographs and images reproduced in this document, which is intended for educational and information purposes only – not for profit. If, however, you are the copyright holder of any visual material reproduced here, please contact the writer. Author: Matthew Holloway Editor: Paulina Brozek
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Pleasure Gardens Park Quadrant 1897 Mitchell Library
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Executive Summary Park Conservation Area was first designated in 1969, classified as ‘outstanding’ since 1972, and extended in 1990. A Conservation Area is defined as “an area of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance”. This document relates to a defined ‘Character Area’ within the Park Conservation Area, which we have described as the Park Circus Study Area. Park Conservation Area and the Park Circus Study Area urgently require a completed Conservation Area Appraisal to allow for a detailed explanation of the historic, architectural and social significance of the area to be presented, and to provide a statutory framework against which any development proposals can be fairly assessed. This will ensure that the character of the Conservation Area can be maintained and enhanced. It is understood that proposals for the erection of residential properties on pleasure gardens at Park Quadrant are being developed. Local residents are concerned that without an adequate Conservation Area Assessment, the townscape, heritage, social, cultural and bio-diversity value of the open space at Park Quadrant has not been properly assessed. As a minimum, this review should reflect on the following issues: •
This site, although regarded as a ‘gap’ site, never having been built on, was developed as pleasure gardens, and contains an historic planting layout.
•
There is a historical precedent for unbuilt feus from the 1855 masterplan being used as open space, as described in section 4.2.9 of this document.
•
The reasons for the site remaining undeveloped are of historical interest, reflecting a period of turmoil and change in Glasgow’s past.
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The value of the site’s historical contribution to the amenity of residents and visitors should be understood.
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The potential value of and demand for the site as open space or land for community use should be understood. Useful precedents exist in the neighbouring Woodlands Conservation Area, where Woodlands Community Development Trust have worked in partnership with Glasgow City Council to develop two vacant sites on West Princes Street as a Community Garden and site for small scale temporary studio workspaces.
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The site’s biodiversity value should be understood.
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The position that the Park Circus development is ‘unfinished’ should be tested. The scale of the mature trees could in fact be considered as fulfilling the massing of the terraces. The potential visual impact of the loss of the trees, particularly when seen from Woodlands Road, should be carefully assessed.
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Professor David M. Walker advised the 2002 Public Inquiry that ‘in scenographic terms enough of the Quadrant had been built to create a balanced architectural composition to either side of Park Gate as seen from Kelvingrove Park and Gilmorehill.’ The massing of the mature trees on the site means the same is true from Woodlands Road or Great Western Road at Kelvinbridge. •
The potential impact of overshadowing and scale to properties at Lynedoch Place should be assessed. As noted hereafter, it is understood from evidence given by Professor David M. Walker to the 2002 Public Inquiry that Lynedoch Place was developed after it became clear that the remainder of Park Quadrant was not to be built on.
View of Lynedoch Place and corner of Park Circus Lane
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1.0
Introduction
1.1
Location
Park Circus Study Area is located within the ‘Park’ Conservation Area. Park is a predominantly tenement and terraced townhouse suburb located to the west of the city centre, and including the Kelvingrove Park, Art Galleries and Bandstand. Park Conservation Area is bounded at the north and north-east by Glasgow West and Woodlands Conservation Areas respectively. We have identified an area within Park Circus which we believe constitutes a ‘Character Area’, which has been selected for study in more detail. This Character Area is defined by the terraces erected from the 1850s onwards around the summit of Woodlands Hill, on the edge of Kelvingrove Park.
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1.2 Definition of a Conservation Area Conservation Areas were first introduced by the Civic Amenities Act 1967. The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Area) (Scotland) Act 1997 provides the current legislative framework for the designation of Conservation Areas. A Conservation Area is defined as “an area of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance”. All planning authorities are required to determine which parts of their areas merit conservation area status. Glasgow currently has 24 Conservation Areas varying in character from the City Centre and Victorian residential suburbs to a rural village and former country estate. 1.3 What does Conservation Area Status mean? In a conservation area it is the buildings and spaces between them that are of architectural or historic interest. Planning control is therefore directed at maintaining the integrity of the entire area and enhancing its special character. Conservation area status does not mean that new development is not acceptable, but care must be taken to ensure that the new development will not harm the character or appearance of the area, or the settings of listed buildings within the area. Conservation area designation automatically brings the following works under planning control: • Demolition of buildings • Removal of, or work to, trees • Development involving small house extensions, roof alterations, stone cleaning or painting of the exterior, provision of hard surfaces, and • Additional control over satellite dishes. Where a development would, in the opinion of the planning authority, affect the character or appearance of a conservation area, the application for planning permission will be advertised in the local press providing an opportunity for public comment. Views expressed are taken into account by the local planning authority when making a decision on the application. In order to protect the conservation areas, designation requires the City Council to formulate and publish proposals for their preservation and enhancement. These documents are Conservation Area Appraisals, and are developed and finalised after a process of public consultation. At the time of publication of this appraisal document, no such similar statutory appraisal has been completed. Local residents and property owners also have a major role to play in protecting and enhancing the character and appearance of the conservation area by ensuring that properties are regularly maintained and original features retained.
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1.4 Purpose of the Conservation Area Appraisal Conservation Area designation should be regarded as the first positive steps towards an area’s protection and enhancement. Planning authorities and the Scottish Executive are required by law to protect Conservation Areas from development which would be detrimental to their character. It is necessary therefore for planning authorities, residents and property owners to be aware of the key features which together create an area’s special character and appearance. The purpose of this appraisal is to define what is important about the character and appearance of the Park Circus Study Area. It identifies the area’s special features and changing needs through a process which includes researching its historical development, carrying out a detailed townscape analysis and character assessment. It is important to note that Glasgow City Council are in the process of developing a pre-consultation draft Conservation Area Appraisal for Park, however no public consultation has been undertaken and the document is therefore incomplete. This appraisal document has been prepared by MAST Architects for Park and Woodlands Heritage Group in order to highlight the significant aspects of the architectural and cultural heritage which should be protected. A Conservation Area Appraisal informs consideration and context for the assessment of development proposals within the area. It identifies opportunities and priorities for enhancement, and sets out the policy framework for the determination of development proposals. In the absence of a completed statutory Conservation Area Appraisal, this document sets out a framework for consideration. It is recognised that the successful management of conservation areas can only be achieved with support and input from stakeholders, and in particular local residents and property owners, many of whom have grouped together to commission and assist in the preparation of this document.
View of 22 Park Circus from Park Street South
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1.5
Designation
Park Conservation Area was first designated by Glasgow City Council in 1969, and extended in 1990. Glasgow City Council is in the process of preparing a draft Conservation Area Appraisal (as at January 2016). No copies of this document have been made available for public consultation or review at the time of writing. 1.6
Description of Study Area – location and parameters.
This report is intended to examine a defined location or ‘Character Area’ within the existing wider Conservation Area. The Park Circus Study Area is centred on the Park Circus development, one of the most prominent and architecturally significant planned developments in Scotland and the focus of the wider Park area, considered one of the greatest achievements of Victorian town-planning.
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2.
Historical development
Section 2 compiled by members of Park and Woodlands Heritage Group.
2.1 Early History/ Mediaeval Geologically, the Park Circus Study Area is situated atop a glacial drumlin of boulder clay deposited as the Ice Age came to an end. Little or nothing appears to have been recorded about the early or mediaeval history of the study area but, given that there were Bakers' mills at Partick since as early as the 1570s, it is possible that at least some of the lower level land in the area may have been cultivated for grain production by this time. [The Glasgow Bakers and the Kelvin, 2007, Stuart Nisbet, http://www.fork.org.uk/the-lost-mills-of-the-kelvin/the-glasgow-bakers/]
2.2 17th/ 18th Century The section of Woodlands Road to the North of the Study Area was previously named South Woodside Road, connecting the village of South Woodside, where there were cotton mills from 1783 until 1835, and an earlier paper mill before that, to the City of Glasgow. [South Woodside, Glasgow’s oldest cotton mill, Stuart Nisbet, http://www.fork.org.uk/the-lost-mills-of-the-kelvin/south-woodside/]
In about 1783, Patrick Colquhoun built Kelvingrove House (south of the site of the present day skate board park in Kelvingrove Park). His estate consisted of two main parts: Nether Newton low down towards the river and part of Woodsidehill which was all the high ground in what is now Kelvingrove Park and the hill where Park Circus itself is now located. Two further subdivisions within Nether Newton were known as 'Woodcraft' and 'Berrie-dyke'. According to The Old Country Houses of the Old Glasgow Gentry (1878), these names indicate cultivation after clearing of woodland and being well known for wild fruits. In 1792, this estate of about 12 acres was sold to John Pattison. Woodsidehill is described (ibid.) as "covered by an old wood of natural growth, and was fenced off from Nether Newton by an ancient fog-encrusted, drystone dyke, running east and west." It therefore seems likely that most of the land in the study area was at this time largely undeveloped apart perhaps from a few smallholdings on lower ground.
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2.3 19th Century In 1803, John Pattison added to his estate by acquiring a further 12 acres or more from the trustees of Blythswood Estate. This additional part of his estate was also part of Woodsidehill and extended as far north as Park Terrace. Around the end of the 18th century, James McNayr, LL.D., the first editor of the Glasgow Herald, had built a house called 'Woodlands' on the very top of the hill. This stood near the western end of the current gardens within Park Circus and was regarded as of such a curious Gothic design and so absurdly remote from the City that it was nicknamed 'McNayr's Folly'. Present day Woodlands Terrace is named after this house.
Above: Woodlands House, painting by George Frederick Buchanan dated c.1850, owned by the Department for Culture Media and Sport.
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After two further changes of ownership, in 1806 and 1841, the entire Kelvingrove estate was acquired by the Glasgow Corporation between 1852 and 1854. This included Woodlands estate (purchased from the Glasgow, Airdrie and Monklands Junction Railway Company), part of the lands of Claremont and a few more acres of Blythswood. The GAMJ Railway Company had acquired the Woodlands estate to enable Glasgow University to relocate there from the old College Lands east of the High Street, which the GAMJRC could then develop as railway infrastructure. The GAMJRC were to finance the construction of the new University buildings, so keen were they to extend their railway line and build a terminus at the High Street, and the University had been wanting for some time to move to more salubrious surroundings. John Baird (1798-1859), an established Glasgow architect was appointed to draw up plans for the relocated University. Altogether, drawings were prepared for three separate schemes while the University continued to push for Treasury approval for additional funding. This was not forthcoming, even after review and amendment of the drawings by Pugin and Blore at the Treasury's insistence. The University's relocation was to have been completed within 4 years by Act of Parliament (College Removal Act 1846). The GAMJRC had effectively entered into an agreement from which they now sought to resile because of the lapse of time since the Act was passed on account of the Treasury's delay in reaching a decision. An iteration of the drawings which showed there had been little or no need to review Baird's design, did finally receive Treasury approval but, by this time, the University had raised an action against the GAMJRC which was settled out of Court. [Removal of the University of Glasgow to Woodlands Hill 1845-9 and Gilmorehill 1853-83, David Grant, Proc. Soc. Antiq. Scot. 135 (2005) pp.213-258]
From the 1830s onwards, residential development had begun on the lower slopes to the east and south of Woodsidehill, now Woodlands Hill. Lynedoch Street and Crescent and Woodside Terrace, outside the study area, had become fashionable places to stay being then as far west as the City extended. By the 1840s and 50s, the City's wealthiest merchants, the 'tobacco barons' and tea and sugar importers and others who had prospered from colonisation, slavery and access to favourable trade routes, wished to move westwards into ever grander houses. The City Fathers wanted to finish laying out what was then called West End Park, now Kelvingrove, and had already acquired Woodlands Hill following the abandonment of the plan to relocate the University there. The scene was set for the citizenry to benefit from their own Park designed and part funded from the proceeds of the sale of properties designed to attract the most successful businessmen in the City.
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Excerpt from map 1832 - Great Reform Act - Glasgow, National Library of Scotland
Excerpt from Map of Glasgow, drawn and engraved by J Raskin, 1854, National Library of Scotland
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“In 1851 a consortium of builders and financiers, including the Glasgow architect, Charles Wilson (1810-63), presented the town council with a proposal for a public park in the west end of the city, funded through a public-private partnership. When the private subscribers failed to raise their contribution, the city fathers decided to expedite their own plans for a park. In May, 1854, they purchased the 24-acre Kelvingrove estate from the trustees of Colin McNaughton for £30,000, the Woodlands estate from the Glasgow, Airdrie and Monklands Junction Railway for £21,300, and part of the lands of Claremont for £4,740. Other land purchases, including some Blythswood acres, were to raise the initial outlay on land to £77,800. It was planned that some of this expenditure would be recouped by disposing of part of the land acquired, and in 1854 the first sales took place in Park Gardens and Park Terrace. By 1855 it was estimated that, with only 30 out of 127 houses* on Woodlands Hill purchased, one third of the city's total outlay had been recovered. The two principal influences on the development of the West End, or Kelvingrove, Park, Glasgow's first park, ** were Wilson, whose 1854 plan for the residential development of Woodlands Hill contained the park outline and pathway network and Sir Joseph Paxton (180365), designer of the Crystal Palace in London, who was responsible for the design and internal layout of the park.” [verbatim from Shadows of the City: Glasgow's Lost Mansions and Houses, 2013, Dan Sweeney] [* Note: ‘houses’ in this context denotes building plots ** The first municipally designed for the general public, the first of all was, of course, Glasgow Green] In evidence given at the 2002 Public Local Inquiry which led to the refusal of planning permission for a residential development of 100 flats and 6 mews dwellings with associated car parking, landscaping, etc. at Park Circus Lane/Park Quadrant, Emeritus Professor of St Andrews University, David M. Walker, appearing on behalf of Historic Scotland who objected to the proposal, summarised the 19th century history of mostly residential development within the study area as follows:
In 1830 the proprietors of the lands of South Woodside and Clairmont produced a joint feuing plan for the area on the south-eastern slopes of Woodlands Hill. This comprised Newton Place, Woodside Place, Woodside Crescent, Woodside Terrace and Lynedoch Street, all laid out and designed by George Smith on the South Woodside estate, and Somerset Place, Clifton Place, Claremont Terrace and Woodlands Terrace, all designed by John Baird on the Clairmont Estate. The development of Clairmont Gardens and La Belle Place did not materialise until slightly later. In 1839 this joint plan was extended westwards into the land at the south end of the Botanic Gardens* (* the original Botanic Gardens at Sandyford) as Royal Crescent and Royal Terrace (originally planned as a crescent) to designs by Alexander Taylor. At about the same date the north side of Lynedoch Street was re-designed as a crescent. Except for Woodlands Terrace, all of these terrace developments were of unified neo-Greek architecture with private gardens between the northern and southern terraces.
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In 1846 the land at the summit of Woodlands Hill was reserved for the new University of Glasgow Building, but by the time Treasury sanction for its construction was received in 1849, the Glasgow, Airdrie and Monklands Junction Railway was no longer in a position to finance the removal of the Old College to that site. Following the breakdown of these negotiations, the magistrates acquired the site, together with the former Botanic Gardens and the remaining parcels of land on the northern and western slopes of Woodlands Hill.
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In 1851 Charles Wilson produced a scheme for the West End (Kelvingrove) Park with concentric terraces on the hill-top. Circa 1853-54 this scheme was revised to the present layout, with Claremont Terrace extended as Park Gardens and Woodlands Terrace extended into Park Terrace and Park Quadrant, encircling Park Circus and the approach terraces in Park Circus Place. Previous Page: Excerpt from Map - Plan of the Ground to be Feued Adjoining Kelvingrove Park, drawn by Thomas Kyle, 1855 Below: Excerpt from Map - 1857 Ordnance Survey Plan, National Library of Scotland
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In 1856-61 the scheme achieved its dramatic towered profile with the building of Charles Wilson's Free Church College in a late Quattrocento style and of J.T. Rochead's Park Church, the only Gothic element in the scheme. The design of the landscaping was revised by Sir Joseph Paxton in 1852-54, the final implementation being in the hands of Wilson from 1853 onwards.
Park Church, Photograph 1868, Mitchell Library
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Above: Herbert's Farm of Woodlands, with the rear of Park Circus in the background (approximately the site of the Burnbank Bowling Club) – Photograph c.1878, Mitchell Library
Above Right: Kelvingrove Park – Print, c.1870, Mitchell Library
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When designed in 1854-55 Park Terrace and Park Quadrant were strikingly novel to a degree difficult to appreciate now. John Baird had introduced canted bays to terrace house design at Woodlands Terrace in 1849, but in Park Terrace, Park Quadrant and La Belle Place Wilson developed the theme with far greater skill. [Inquiry Report P/PP/75/96/SL/81, 2002, §§ 4.2-4.4] An elevation was prepared in 1856, which included the continuation of Park Quadrant, but such large homes had already become less fashionable and the trend was to move into rapidly developing areas further west such as Hillhead, Hyndland, Kelvinside and Dowanhill.
Above: Elevation Drawing at Park Quadrant
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In addition, the City of Glasgow Bank had to suspend operations in 1857 and finally collapsed in 1877, affecting the construction financing and purchasing of new building projects. The southern part of Park Circus appears to have been still unfinished until into the 1870s, but nothing further was realised of Wilson's plans. The eastwards continuation of Park Quadrant was never built, but this is equally true for houses planned for Cliff Terrace and Cliff Crescent (south of present day Park Drive, then Eldon Street) [See Illustration Page 18 - Plan of the Ground to be Feued, Kelvingrove Park, belonging to the Incorporation of the City of Glasgow, 1855, Thomas Kyle, Surveyor].
What would otherwise have become a gap site at Park Quadrant was purchased and developed as pleasure gardens by the home owners on the north side of Park Circus and Park Circus Place.
Excerpt from Map - 1897, Site at Park Quadrant laid out as Pleasure Grounds
The eastern end of the site was later used as a recreation ground by children from Willowbank Primary School (now converted to student accommodation), Woodside Secondary School (now a public house) and Park School for Girls in Lynedoch Street (now converted to private residences), until its purchase. Since its acquisition by compulsory purchase in 1981 by City of Glasgow Corporation, the site has been closed to the public, and there has been a failure by the Local Authority to adequately maintain the site. By contrast, the other undeveloped feus at Cliff Terrace and Cliff Crescent lie on land now designated as sites of Special Landscape Importance, and are publicly accessible.
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These undeveloped feus at Park Quadrant, which were subsequently developed as pleasure gardens and recreational space, have now been subsumed into the character of the area and play an integral part in establishing the setting for the surrounding Category A Listed structures. The planting of the pleasure grounds is still clearly discernible, with mature lime trees and other species from the original historic planting arranged in two lines along the north and south boundaries of the site, reflecting the formal arrangement of the underlying paths.
Aerial View of Park Quadrant from North East
Street View of Park Quadrant
Street View towards Park Quadrant from Lyndoch Place
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2.4 20th Century
4 Park Circus, Photograph 1924, Mitchell Library
By the time of the two World Wars, such large town houses as in the Park Circus area had become increasingly unsuited to domestic use. Many of them were subdivided to become commercial or professional offices, or converted to student halls of residence (Kelvin Lodge in Park Circus, Maclay Hall in Park Terrace, MacBrayne Hall in Park Circus Place) or the YHA hostel in Park Terrace.
12 Park Circus, Photograph 1924, Michell Library
Gas Lighter, Photograph 1955, Mitchell Library
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There were still a few houses used in their entirety, perhaps most notably 22 Park Circus. This was built in 1872 for Walter Macfarlane, a wealthy industrialist and founder of the Saracen Foundry. After his death, it was taken over by his sons, who employed Salmon and Gillespie in 1899 to introduce additional embellishments in the Glasgow Style which included an Art Nouveau billiard room and cast iron conservatory. In 1934, the building was acquired as an Italian social club, known as Casa D ‘Italia, and after the Second World War was utilised as a regional Italian consulate. In 1994 it was leased to Glasgow City Council, which operated the building as the city's register office for civil marriages and it continued in this role until 2013. It is currently for sale at offers over ÂŁ2m, with suggested possible uses: "private dwelling house, Consulate, Embassy, Art Gallery and Library and a number of recreational uses". A consequence of some of the commercial uses was poor maintenance and the area had begun to look distinctly shabby from the mid-1970s onwards. However, whether through enlightened encouragement by the City Council's Development and Regeneration Services or on the initiative of developers themselves, an initially gradual and then accelerating reversion to residential use has taken place since the 1990s. The large influx of new residents into apartments resulting from the subdivision of town houses has probably now assured the maintenance of these fine houses long into the future. Little wholly new development has taken place during this period, mostly the repair and conversion of derelict mews cottages or the building of new ones where the originals have vanished altogether. Most of this has been carried out on a modest scale and in good taste. Despite objections, only the tower of Park Church remains following demolition of the rest of the church in 1968. There have also been further contemporary interventions, such as Bergius House at the junction of Clifton Street and Claremont Terrace Lane (currently being re-styled and converted to residential use) and a rear extension to the southern part of the former Maclay Hall at the corner of Park Gate and Park Terrace Lane.
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Above: Aerial View, 1937 – www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/spw053590
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3.0
Townscape Appraisal
3.1
Topography
Glasgow’s West End is set out across a number of drumlins; deposits of boulder clay left at the end of the last ice age, which have influenced the patterns of development. The Park Circus Study Area is located on and around the crest of one of these drumlins – Woodlands Hill. The coloured areas on the images below describe the distribution of these drumlins, with Woodlands Hill clearly visible in the centre of the image to the right.
Map Excerpts indicating topography of City’s west end, and detailed view of study area. www.topographic-map.com
This elevated position makes the study area highly visible from the surrounding areas, whilst the combination of the massing of townhouse terraces, church towers and mature trees with the distinctive topography creates a strong sense of place and identity
View of Study Area from Kelvingrove Park
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3.2
Gateways
There are a number of routes into the Park Circus Study Area. These connect the Study Area to the rest of the Park Conservation Area, but also to the adjoining Woodlands and Glasgow West Conservation Areas and to the rest of Glasgow. The principal gateways to the Study Area from the city centre are from the east along Woodlands Road, then Lynedoch Street and Woodlands Gate. The site can also be accessed on foot through Kelvingrove Park, while the topography of the area means that the site can also be approached by a series of monumental staircases from streets at a lower level, creating a unique urban experience.
Diagram of main vehicle access points (left) and pedestrian access points (right) Below: Access point on Woodlands Road. The extensive tree cover creates a sylvan character and dramatic sense of arrival to the Park Area hilltop townscape of Category A and B listed structures
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3.3
Study Area Boundaries and Edges
The boundaries and edges of the Study Area are shown on the plan below:
3.4
Street Pattern
Street patterns in Glasgow’s west end are varied, driven by the topography of the landscape and the pattern of incremental growth and development. The streets surrounding the Study Area were developed over a period of time and by a number of architects and developers to take advantage of the prominent location and unusual topography. It is clear, therefore, that the Study Area and surrounding streets are not the product of a single piece of grand town-planning; the impact of the Study Area is based on cumulative historical development. The earliest streets adjacent to the study area date from the 1830s, when the southern slopes of Woodlands Hill were laid out for development. Development continued through the 1840’s until Charles Wilson laid out the West End Park with Joseph Paxton, culminating in the prestigious residential development atop Woodlands Hill, comprising Park Circus, Terrace, Gate and Quadrant Aerial View, Google Maps
Curved terraces encircle the crest of the hill, creating a uniquely integrated townscape of park and street, while Park Circus itself occupies the centre, elegant, restrained and introverted around a small cluster of trees.
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3.5
Plot Pattern/ Density
The plots within the study area fall into three main categories – terraced plots occupied by townhouses, some with associated mews to the rear, tenement plots and a small number of irregular plots occupying either junctions between rows of townhouses, or spaces set into the wider park landscape. Density for the Study Area is predominantly a mixture of three storey townhouses, some with basements and attic dormers, with mews cottages of one and two storeys to the rear. This consistent datum level is punctuated by the towers of the former Free Church College, and the former Park Church.
Above: Image showing built form Below: Consistency of scale, massing and density (view from Park Circus Place towards Park Circus).
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3.6
Open Space
The provision of open space in cities is vital, providing benefits to health, physical and mental wellbeing of residents, enhancing the public realm and attracting new residents and visitors. Open spaces are also crucial in the environmental profile of a city, creating spaces for wildlife, absorbing and containing rainwater run-off, supporting plants and trees to increase biodiversity, and to sustain clean air and water The Park Circus Development represents the culmination of a grand scheme of unusual ambition and scale, creating an urban set-piece of striking scale and quality, where the layout is integrated completely with the topography and adjacent park. The townhouses occupy their narrow sites almost completely, with minimal set-backs which provide lighting and access to basements, and small external gardens to the rear, many of which have been lost or reduced as occupants have introduced additional car-parking spaces.
Above: Image showing open space Pleasure Garden shown in blue Public open space in light green Pleasure Gardens at Park Quadrant in dark green
A small pleasure garden for the use of residents at Park Circus occupies the centre of the Study Area. This pleasure garden, in common with other green spaces in and adjacent to the Conservation Area, has been designated in City Plan 2 (2009) as a site of Special Landscape Importance. It should be noted that the site of the pleasure gardens at Park Quadrant has no such designation.
Pleasure Gardens, Park Circus
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Undeveloped feus at Cliff Road and Park Drive have also been afforded designation as sites of Special Landscape Importance. As can be seen from the image to the left, these sites extend Kelvingrove Park’s atmosphere and character down as far as Woodlands Road.
It is known that the Charles Wilson plan was executed over a period of over 20 years, and that the proposed terrace along the remainder of Park Quadrant was never built, for reasons explained in Section 2.3 of this document. The resulting open space was jointly purchased by residents of Park Circus. The land was laid out as a pleasure garden for local residents and schools, and remained so until the grounds were purchased by Glasgow City Council in the 1980s, at which point the land was re-classified as being for residential and supporting uses. This dedicated outdoor space used by local schools has not been replaced, and as school rolls grow as families move back to the west end, it is likely that pressure on the available existing outdoor facilities will increase.
Top: View of undeveloped feus, from Woodlands Road
Above: Excerpt from Map 1897, Site at Park Quadrant, laid out as Pleasure Grounds
Left: Excerpt from City Plan 2 – Environmental Policy Designations (West) Sites of Special Landscape Importance are shaded in green
This pleasure garden has lain derelict and poorly maintained since the time of its purchase, to the detriment of the Conservation Area. During this period, while various options for the
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redevelopment and sale of the land as housing have been explored, the land has been fenced off and not publicly accessible. It has become a source of some nuisance to local residents, with fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour prevalent. It has been noted that the lack of landscaping maintenance has allowed Japanese Knotweed to become established on and adjacent to the site.
Left and Below: Views of open space at Park Quadrant (MAST)
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There are a number of very mature trees on the pleasure garden site at Park Quadrant. Many of these are from around the time of the original Park Circus development, and the creation of the pleasure gardens, or perhaps even pre-date the buildings, and may be the remnants of the original tree covering of Woodlands Hill. The open spaces in and adjacent to the Study Area should be considered in the context of their relationship to Kelvingrove Park, and adjacent streets, and the amenity that they offer local residents. The cover of mature lime trees to the pleasure grounds at Park Quadrant, and the impact on the setting of the surrounding buildings and streets is noteworthy.
Above: View at Lynedoch Place (MAST)
As previously noted, the 1855 masterplan for Park Quadrant and Cliff Road/ Park Drive was never implemented as originally conceived, however that masterplan was itself revised with the introduction of Lynedoch Place.
View of open space and Lynedoch Place
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Evidence given by Professor David M. Walker to the 2002 Public Inquiry stated that Lynedoch Place was only developed after it became clear that the remainder of Park Quadrant was not to be built on. (Lynedoch Place was not shown on the 1855 feuing plan) It could be considered that the success of the Lynedoch Place development is due in large part to its setting opposite the open spaces and pleasure gardens at Park Quadrant, which afford it a parkland outlook.
View at Lynedoch Place, c.1920’s
3.7
Circulation/ Permeability
The Study Area is, as has been discussed, well linked to the wider Conservation Area and city using pedestrian routes as well as public and private transport. The surrounding streets are all attractive pedestrian routes, with a variety of busy commercial streets and quieter residential areas, as well as the routes through Kelvingrove Park.
View at Woodlands Gate
The Study Area itself is unique in the surrounding area in that its unusual topography means that vehicular routes in and through are quite limited. It is not therefore widely used as a through route, and attracts only residents’ and visitor’s traffic. This creates a relatively pedestrian friendly environment, and contributes to the attractive, relaxed atmosphere of the Study Area.
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3.8
Views
The topography, together with the surrounding street pattern, creates a series of views onto the Study Area, which form a part of many people’s experience of the Study Area and the wider Conservation Area. Key viewpoints from surrounding streets and buildings within the Conservation Area are described on the diagram below. Additionally, the Study Area is highly visible from neighbouring areas. One of these key viewpoints is Great Western Road, at Kelvin Bridge.
10
8
1
7 5
9
4 2
3
Key viewpoints View no.1 Park Gate and Park Terrace View no.2 Kelvingrove Stairs View no.3 Trinity House View no.4 Lynedoch Street View no.5 Woodlands Gate View no.6 Lynedoch Place View no.7 Cliff Road and Park Drive View no.8 Kelvingrove Park looking towards Park Gate View no.9 Kelvingrove Park looking towards Park Terrace View no.10 Great Western Road at Kelvin Bridge
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6
View no.1 Park Gate and Park Terrace
View no.2 Kelvingrove Stairs
View no.3 Trinity House
View no.4 Lynedoch Street
View no.5 Woodlands Gate and no.6 Lynedoch Place
View no.7 Cliff Road and Park Drive
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Activities/ Uses The Study Area encompasses a number of uses, from public open space, to hotel, commercial and office premises, and homes. The diversity of building use is testament to the ability of the existing buildings to flexibly accommodate a range of occupants, whilst still retaining their architectural integrity.
Park Circus, Photograph 1974, Mitchell Library
3.9
Architectural Character
The architecture of the Study Area is largely domestic, but on a fairly grand scale; the buildings were originally constructed as townhouses and apartments for the merchant and upper classes of the mid 19th Century. Following a period where homes of this scale and in this location fell out of favour and the area took on a more commercial character; there has been a move back towards residential use in recent years, as described in Section 2.4 A significant portion of the Study Area forms part of the Woodlands Hill `A Group' including Park Terrace, Park Circus Place and Park Quadrant, Lynedoch Street and Lynedoch Crescent (as designated by Historic Environment Scotland). The remainder of the buildings within the Study Area are predominantly category B Listed. Such a concentration of listed buildings within a relatively confined area demands that any additions to the area should be of the highest quality. The predominant building form remains the terraced townhouse, which defines the urban scale, spaces and streets. View of Park Circus Area from University, Photograph 1930’s, Mitchell Library
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Broadly speaking, the Park Circus development can be characterised as a composition of horizontal terraces, with vertical counterpoints of towers to provide the characteristic ‘picturesque’ profile. The terraces respond in different ways to their setting – those of Park Terrace and Park Quadrant are bold, confident and outward looking, addressing Kelvingrove Park and the wider city. These curving terraces are punctuated at regular intervals by protruding sections, with steep mansard roofs in a French Renaissance style, and two storey bay windows.
Park Quadrant 2015
Park Terrace 2016
The inner terraces of Park Circus and Park Circus Place are much less flamboyant than the outer ring. These inner terraces have a restrained and refined character, appearing at first to closely follow the proportions typical of late Georgian terraces, although closer inspection reveals that there is a degree of great subtlety and invention evident, particularly in the careful planar articulation of the terrace facade, and the treatment of the ground floor masonry to form a plinth for the upper storeys. At the time of their construction, these terraces represented a new approach to domestic architecture of this kind.
Above: Park Circus, 2015
Right: Park Circus Lane, 2015
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It is interesting to note that despite historic changes of use and ownership, the terraces remain remarkably complete, fulfilling their original architectural intention through the sympathetic repair and retention of stone, cast iron railings and sash and case windows.
The rear elevations of the terraces and the attendant mews cottages have been much more freely treated, with a range of alterations and additions including bay and oriel windows, extensions, and conservatories, added in an ad-hoc manner and contributing to the richness and diversity of the Study Area. This relative informality, when coupled with the varying treatments of the former mews cottages, creates a unique sense of place.
Park Circus Lane
The principal exception to the above is the tower of the former Park Church, which provides one of the vertical accents previously mentioned. Sadly no longer with its church (demolished in the 1960s), this tower is in a Gothic style, in contrast to the prevailing classical language of the terraces. The concrete office extension added to the church in 1968 (since converted to flats and overclad in limestone) references the traditional Glasgow bay window in its form and massing. Park House, 2015
Buildings in the Study Area are generally constructed in traditional materials, with sandstone facades, slate roofs, and sash and case windows. Areas of formal landscaping or external private space are defined by decorative cast iron railings or fence panels. Notable exceptions to this include the aforementioned Park Church extension, overclad in a limestone cladding with metal panels at windows. Extensions and outbuildings are also more freely treated, with materials including timber boarding, glazed brick, decorative cast iron and glass panels, brick and render.
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3.10
Building Materials
The traditional building materials found in the Study Area are: • • • • • • • • • • • •
Sandstone – ashlar, dressed and rubble elevations, chimneys, boundary walls, paving. Caithness stone – paving Timber – doors, sash and case windows, gates, cladding. Glass – windows, conservatories, cupola glazing. Clay/ terracotta – chimney pots. Brick – outbuildings/ boundary walls. Slate – roofs. Lead – Flashings, glazing bars. Cast Iron – fences, gates, roof crests and conservatories. Setts – lane surface paving. Granite – monumental steps/ kerbs Bronze – Statues.
Modern materials are also found in the Study Area, although their inclusion below does not mean that their use is acceptable: • • • • • • •
Cast stone – cladding and loadbearing elements to building facades. Synthetic stone – inappropriate repairs to masonry. UPVC – windows and doors. Glass – frameless glass balustrades and planar fittings. Metal – Central heating flues, satellite dishes, flashings, wall and roof cladding. Concrete – Kerbs, roof tiles. Tarmacadam – Pavements and roads.
Above: Tooled masonry, iron work, paving to lanes, stone boundary walls, Following page: Decorative masonry, timber framed sash and case windows
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Corner of Park Circus
3.11
Condition
The condition of buildings within the Study Area is varied, although the recent tendency for the conversion of townhouses back to residential use is encouraging in terms of long term investments being made in the historic fabric. Many are maintained to an excellent standard, although it should be noted that the varied tenures and occupancies within the larger buildings can make the implementation of a maintenance programme difficult.
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3.12
Townscape Detail
The presence of the following adds significantly to the character of the Study Area: • • • • • •
Stone walls Traditional chimneys and chimney pots Traditional paving materials Mature planting Decorative cast iron Original sash and case windows
A broad range of details combine to define the character of the study area. Flamboyant, crested, slate covered mansard roofs and the vertical counterpoints of the church towers create its distinctive silhouette. A restricted palette of materials creates a sense of cohesion, with paving, boundary walls and buildings being predominantly of stone, whilst articulation, modelling and carved details create a richness of detail and interest. Bay windows are a particular feature of the Study Area, and in particular the canted bay windows of the grand tenements at Park Quadrant, believed to be among the earliest of their type. The rhythm of the placement of these windows, and their importance in the relationship between the solidity of the masonry walls against the voids of the large windows combine to create a dynamic piece of townscape that marches up to the crest of Woodlands Hill.
Park Terrace and Park Gate
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Park Terrace
The retention of much of the cast iron fencing (whether original or replacement) is a distinctive feature of the Study Area. This cast iron is integral to the relationship between buildings and public realm, defining a zone between the buildings and pavement. The extensive use of brattishing (decorative cast iron filigree panels at roof level) and cast iron finials also contribute greatly to the distinctive roofscape of the Study Area.
Detail of brattishing/ decorative masonry
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Park Circus
Individual entrances to buildings on the inward terraces are relatively restrained, as befits the character of these buildings, with simple openings, generally unadorned by projections or mouldings. However, entrances to those buildings which form the outer terraces are much more extroverted in character. Their locations are highlighted by either decorative cast iron or masonry panels flanking entrance steps which oversail the void between building and street. Entrances are generally repetitively detailed with decorative masonry scroll brackets and projecting cornices, and are often paired for effect, creating an opportunity for them to develop their own distinct counter-rhythm in the context of the streetscape, to be set against the rhythm already established by the bay windows, as can be seen in the images below.
Front elevation Park Quadrant
Park Quadrant at Park Terrace
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3.13
Landscape and Trees
The landscape and trees are essential elements of the Study Area’s character. Mature tree planting dominates much of the conservation area and provides a sylvan setting to the whole, particularly when viewed from Kelvingrove Park and Woodlands Road.
Above: View from Kelvingrove Park
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The Study Area in particular contains the original pleasure garden at Park Quadrant, with its mixture of mature trees and bushes offering not only a valuable urban wildlife habitat, but also an open green space to be enjoyed by those passing through or past the Study Area, as well as by the residents of Woodlands and Park Conservation Areas. This pleasure ground and recreation space was in regular use until the site’s compulsory purchase in 1982, since which time the site has been inadequately maintained. As previously discussed, the planting of the pleasure grounds is still clearly discernible in the image below, with mature lime trees and other species arranged in two lines along the north and south boundaries of the site, reflecting the formal arrangement of the underlying paths. These trees have now matured to the extent that their stature, massing and line could be said to present a ‘green’ resolution to Wilson’s original architectural design intent.
Aerial View - Photograph, Canmore
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4.0
Character Assessment
4.1
Introduction
Having examined the townscape of the Study Area it is now possible to use the findings to identify those features which contribute to its character and appearance as an area of special architectural and historical interest. This assessment will identify features which contribute positively and are worthy of retention as well as those features which make no positive contribution or which detract from the character and appearance of the Study Area. Listed below are:
•
Key Features Essential elements which define the special architectural and historic character of the area.
•
Key Challenges Inappropriate elements which detract from the character and appearance of the area.
•
Positive Buildings and Areas These are considered to be buildings or areas which contribute positively to the character of the Study Area, and which it is considered desirable to preserve and/or enhance. There is a presumption against the demolition and redevelopment of any area which is considered to make a positive contribution to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. Proposals for the alteration of such buildings and areas should be carefully considered in the light of the adopted policies of the City Council.
•
Negative/ Neutral Buildings and Areas These are considered to be buildings which do not contribute positively to the character or appearance of the Conservation Area. Neutral buildings or areas, while not forming part of the special character, do not detract from it. Negative buildings or areas, on the other hand, have a negative effect on the character and appearance of the area.
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4.2
Key Features
4.2.1
Topography
The Study Area’s Location within the Park Conservation Area is visually attractive, and provides green space and panoramic views in an otherwise densely populated urban area. The opportunities for outlook and open aspect are unparalleled in the city. 4.2.2
Architectural Quality
The buildings within the Study Area are generally of the highest architectural merit when considered in their own right, with a majority being Category A Listed. However, when considered in their setting and as an ensemble, it is clear that the Study Area is a uniquely important piece of Victorian town planning. The architecture displays the cultural aspirations of Glasgow’s professional and commercial classes, and leaves us with an invaluable physical embodiment of the legacy of physical and sociological heritage from a time when Glasgow was arguably at its wealthiest and most ambitious. 4.2.2
Street Pattern/ Density
The characteristics of the Study Area offer a wide range of urban environments, from single sided terraces with panoramic views across parkland and the wider city, to carefully controlled urban ‘rooms’. A further layer of interest is provided by the opportunities to move into and through the Study Area on foot. Visitors are able to enter the area via monumental staircases, moving through a series of carefully controlled urban spaces, but also to experience a more domestic and intimate scale, as the mews and lanes offer glimpses of the less formal and controlled rear faces of the terraces to pedestrians. 4.2.3
Open Space/ Views
The integration between the park landscape and the built form creates a strong sense of place. The Study Area’s hilltop location offers extensive views of the Park The maturity of the landscaping, whether in private or communal gardens, or formal public parkland, is integral to the character of the Study Area. The provision of this open space, whether in public park landscapes, communal pleasure gardens or private gardens, provides a valuable resource for residents, visitors and the wider community and forms a key component of the architectural and historical heritage and character of the Study Area. 4.2.4
Building Materials
The relative simplicity of the materials palette, especially the predominance of masonry as a material for buildings, paving and boundary walls, creates a sense of the Study Area as a cohesive piece of townscape.
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4.2.5
Townscape Detail/ Architectural Character
The character of the study area is broadly divided between the inner and outer terraces. Inwardly, a gracious and refined character persists. Outwardly, the combination of building form and materiality present a much livelier face to the Park and wider city. Charles Wilson’s treatment of the curving elevation not only recognises that one only ever sees a short section due to the curving plan, but exploits this to create a dynamic and inventive composition. The subtle play of building plane and height to relieve the uniformity of the gently curving terraces ensures that there is no suggestion of monotony here. The careful placement of the area’s distinctive canted bay windows and paired entrances further enliven the streetscape. The roofscape, which includes the ‘French Renaissance’ slate mansards topped with brattishing is also remarkable, particularly when viewed from the slopes of the Park below. This filigree element contributes to the Park Circus area having an instantly recognisable profile when seen from the Park or city.
Park Terrace – Postcard, Canmore
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As previously discussed, the Study Area is remarkable in its significance as a piece of urban planning. This is particularly the case when one considers the protracted period of its construction, and the various architects involved. This sense of cohesion is perhaps best summed up in a quotation from an article by Dr James MacAulay, author and former head of architectural history at the Mackintosh School of Architecture, which states: ‘Such excellent manners by succeeding architects resulted in each new terrace blending with the old, having the same scale and never exceeding four storeys in height. The outcome is unity and cohesion of spirit rarely met with.’ Dr James MacAulay – ‘At the Top of the Hill’, Scottish Field July 1965
The character of the lanes and mews is also of interest; domestic, intimate and in complete contrast with the grandeur and scale of the terraces. Many of the rear elevations are of interest in their own right, with a variety of oriel, bay and dormer windows added as the area has developed.
4.2.6
Landscape and Trees
The presence of the mature landscape of the park and gardens within the Study Area is of great importance, not only to the immediate environment, but also to the City of Glasgow. The importance of this landscape, and in particular those mature trees which are contemporary with the origins of the Park Circus Area, should not be underestimated. The landscaping has matured to the extent that it has become fully integrated into the overall architectural and townscape composition. It is interesting to note that Charles Wilson’s plans incorporated some of what had been designated as parkland for the new West End Park into the Park Circus development. Public outrage at the time is reflected in comments within the ‘Glasgow Reformers’ Gazette’, which described the proposed plans as follows: ‘The proposed public park at Kelvingrove has turned, in consequence of a vote of the Council, into a mere building speculation by which private individuals may benefit immensely but at expense of public convenience’ It is worthy of note that those feus at Cliff Terrace and Cliff Crescent, shown on the 1855 feuing plan, were never developed, instead being incorporated into Kelvingrove Park. As previously discussed, Park Quadrant was never fully developed as originally intended, but was developed instead as pleasure gardens, and its mature tree cover has become a key characteristic of the wider area, and the setting of the neighbouring listed buildings, collectively and individually.
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4.3
Key Challenges
Glasgow’s Park Conservation Area, in common with all Conservation Areas, is subject to the constant pressure of change, from the repair and reuse of traditional buildings, to redevelopment and new construction. These forces can be positive, and have a beneficial impact on the character of the Conservation Area, but unless they are properly managed they can have the potential to damage the character and appearance of the area. The paragraphs below set out the most significant challenges to preserving the integrity of the architectural and historical interest of the Study Area. 4.3.1
Loss of Original Architectural Detail
Original architectural detail makes a defining contribution to the character and appearance of any conservation area. Its retention and repair is therefore an important aspect of the preservation and enhancement of an area. By contrast, the incremental loss of original architectural features such as windows, metal work chimneys and roof coverings, and the proliferation of inappropriate new and replacement doors, windows, roof coverings and boundary treatments can erode the special character of the conservation area. The introduction of new and incongruous forms, such as flat roofing in an area of pitched or piended roofs, or the insensitive addition of building services, cabling ductwork and flues can also be damaging. 4.3.2
Use of Inappropriate Materials
The use of appropriate materials in any conservation area is another important element of its architectural character and appearance. The use of traditional materials provides a cohesive effect across the Conservation Area. Where the replacement of these materials occurs, there will normally be a loss of character. Inappropriate materials and detailing can be visually obtrusive. The uniform surfaces of modern materials are also at odds with the patina of traditional materials, and their comparatively poor weathering ability can mean that their long term appearance will deteriorate more quickly than their surroundings. Common examples of the above include the replacement of timber windows with modern plastic substitutes which lack the detailing and proportions of 19th Century timber windows, the use of concrete roofing tiles or metal roofing, the replacement of cast iron rainwater goods with plastic or zinc, the use of zinc or other metal cladding panels on building elevations, and cladding of buildings in thin stone panels. Modern materials, where used, must be well detailed and constructed to match the quality of the traditional buildings.
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4.3.3
Townscape Detail/ Architectural Character
The character of the Study Area is enhanced by the sense of unity of design and purpose of the existing buildings and spaces between. This cohesion has been created by the abilities of succeeding generations of architects to produce designs in the spirit of the original buildings, ensuring that buildings of different dates contribute successfully to the character of the area through adherence to simple design principles. The inner terraces of the Park Circus area are as carefully controlled and refined in character as any domestic interior, and this design, in its completeness and balance, is widely acknowledged as Charles Wilson’s masterpiece. However, the outward facing terraces, by virtue of their plan form and relationship to landscape, are more tolerant of variation; as demonstrated in the manner in which the subtle changes of building plane and height are exploited to enliven the streetscape. At the same time, the regular rhythms and counterpoints of canted bay windows, pavilion roofs and entrances, as well as the uniformity and richness of materials and detailing combine to create a dynamic piece of townscape at a local level, as well as a spectacular hill-top set piece of Victorian town planning when viewed from Kelvingrove Park and the wider city. The mews lanes have been largely redeveloped to provide smaller scale homes and offices, however the scale, materiality and atmosphere of these unique spaces has largely been retained. The introduction of new and incongruent forms and materials would have the potential to disrupt this carefully balanced and nuanced piece of urban design, to the detriment of the Study Area and Conservation Area.
View at Lynedoch Place
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4.3.4
Open Space/ Landscape and Trees
Loss of mature trees within the Study Area would be of great detriment to the Conservation Area, causing a significant weakening of the landscape character, the setting of the listed buildings and the biodiversity value. The maturity of the landscaping in and around the Study Area is one of the most significant character aspects of the area, playing a vital role in the wider area’s amenity, but also having come to play such an important and distinctive role in the architectural and townscape composition of the Study Area. The condition of the former pleasure gardens at Park Quadrant is of significant concern. In its current state it does not offer any valuable external amenity space; indeed, its neglected and overgrown appearance has led to its use as a space for anti-social behaviour in the area. These former pleasure gardens, which had subsequently been used as recreational space for local schools, were re-zoned for ‘Residential and Supporting Uses’ by Glasgow City Council at the time of their Compulsory Purchase (refer to City Plan 2). It is unfortunate that the site’s amenity potential has not been better exploited since this change. It should be noted that this site is currently for sale as a residential development opportunity. However, the possibility remains that this space could, as its designation suggests, be allocated for a ‘Supporting Use’ to improve the amenity of the existing area, such as the provision of ‘social or recreational facilities and areas of green/ open space’, as described by Glasgow City Council’s Development Policy Principle DEV 2.
View towards Cliff Road and statue of Lobey Dosser from 1992
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4.4
Positive Buildings and Areas
Base OS Plan – Digital Issue 1995 Built form – highlighted in grey Pleasure Garden shown in blue Public open space in light green Pleasure Gardens at Park Quadrant in dark green
Highlighted above are those buildings and spaces considered to enhance the character and appearance of the Study Area through their scale, quality, massing, materiality, character and historic importance. Their classification as ‘positive’ is not a statement on their current state of repair – significant improvement is required to enhance and fulfil the potential of the Study Area in a number of instances. It should be noted that the general inclusion of the mews buildings is in recognition of their cumulative effect on the character and townscape of the Study Area. The condition and quality of these structures varies widely, and these lanes would benefit from separate study in order that a comprehensive understanding of their heritage value can be developed.
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4.5
Negative/ Neutral Buildings and Areas
Buildings and Areas identified as negative or neutral to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area are identified on the attached plan:
Base OS Plan – Digital Issue 1995 Built form – highlighted in grey
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5.0
Preservation and Enhancement
5.1
Introduction
Detailed analysis of the Study Area’s character has highlighted opportunities for its preservation and enhancement. Park Conservation Area is relatively complex, with a variety of stakeholders, including Glasgow City Council, sharing responsibility for its care and maintenance. The City Council has a statutory duty to protect and enhance the historic environment, and should strive to ensure that all proposed changes or developments within the area recognise and exploit the opportunities to provide preservation and enhancement. The Conservation Area would benefit from an overall management plan, which would assist in the prioritisation and coordination of preservation and enhancement actions and resources. The management plan would allow for the most effective use of available resources by • • • • • •
Identifying potential funding and other resources Prioritising projects and other actions Identifying management issues and any problems with control of works, and seeking to resolve them. Encouraging discussion and collective action among stakeholders Ensuring appropriate advice about practical conservation and planning issues is available Identify ways to promote awareness of and interest in the significance of the area through education, interpretation, activities and events.
The application of heritage policies, use of Article 4 directions (refer to Section 7 of this document for more details) and provision of information and advice encouraging sympathetic maintenance and repair are important tools in the preservation of the area’s unique character and are dealt with in the following pages. 5.2
Opportunities for Preservation and Enhancement
5.2.1
Maintenance
The best means of preserving the character and appearance of any area is through the routine maintenance of buildings. Roofs, chimneys, windows, doors, guttering, stonework, pointing, paintwork, wall finishes, paving, gardens and boundary treatments all require regular maintenance and repair to prolong their life, ensuring the long term future of the buildings and enhancing their setting. Regular planned maintenance can serve to reduce the requirement for major repair projects, and associated costs.
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5.2.2
Development
Park Conservation Area and the Park Circus Study Area urgently require a completed Conservation Area Appraisal to allow for a detailed explanation of the historic, architectural and social significance of the area to be presented. This will ensure that their character can be maintained, and that they are protected from inappropriate development. Without statutory guidance of this kind, a consistent approach to assessing proposals for the area cannot be guaranteed. The relative density and completeness of the built fabric would suggest that opportunities for development within the Park Circus Area would appear to be largely confined to internal works within existing buildings, or relatively small scale interventions on small areas of undeveloped ground or small cleared sites. However, the site of the pleasure gardens at Park Quadrant does remain, which has been the subject of a number of proposals for new residential development since the site’s compulsory purchase by Glasgow City Council. Earlier proposals for this site have resulted in a previous Public Inquiry, which in 2002 recommended that the proposals be refused. In each instance of development being proposed for this site, there has been an assumption that construction is key to the successful fulfilment of the original Park Circus masterplan. It should be noted however that the original masterplan contained those feus at Cliff Terrace and Cliff Crescent, but did not include Lynedoch Place. The former do not exist, (and have since been designated as sites of Special Landscape Importance), while the latter was only developed when it was clear that Park Quadrant had reached its limit of development. Evidence given by Professor David M. Walker to the 2002 Public Inquiry into an earlier proposal for the pleasure garden site stated that ‘if the original design of Park Quadrant could not be acknowledged in the same material, then the 1857 decision which made this section of the Quadrant garden ground should stand’ There has been no exploration or demonstration of the townscape, heritage, social, cultural and bio-diversity value of the open space at Park Quadrant as it exists, or as it could be developed to improve the amenity of local residents, visitors and citizens of the wider city. As a minimum, the following issues should be considered: • • • •
This site, although regarded as a ‘gap’ site, never having been built on, was developed as pleasure gardens, and contains an historic planting layout. There is a historical precedent for unbuilt feus from the 1855 masterplan being used as open space, as described in section 4.2.9 The reasons for the site remaining undeveloped are of historical interest, reflecting a period of turmoil and change in Glasgow’s past. The value of the site’s historical contribution to the amenity of residents and visitors should be understood.
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•
• •
•
The potential value of and demand for the site as open space or land for community use should be understood. Useful precedents exist in the neighbouring Woodlands Conservation Area, where Woodlands Community Development Trust have worked in partnership with Glasgow City Council to develop two vacant sites on West Princes Street as a Community Garden and site for small scale temporary studio workspaces. The site’s biodiversity value should be understood. The position that the Park Circus development is ‘unfinished’ should be tested. The scale of the mature trees could in fact be considered as fulfilling the massing of the terraces. The potential visual impact of the loss of the trees, particularly when seen from Woodlands Road, should be carefully assessed. Professor David M. Walker advised the 2002 Public Inquiry that ‘in scenographic terms enough of the Quadrant had been built to create a balanced architectural composition to either side of Park Gate as seen from Kelvingrove Park and Gilmorehill.’ The massing of the mature trees on the site means the same is true from Woodlands Road or Great Western Road at Kelvinbridge. The potential impact of overshadowing and scale to properties at Lynedoch Place should be assessed. As previously noted, it is understood from evidence given by Professor David M. Walker to the 2002 Public Inquiry that Lynedoch Place was developed after it became clear that the remainder of Park Quadrant was not to be built on.
It should be noted again that a detailed Conservation Area Appraisal would provide a statutory framework for the assessment of any proposals for this site. The following points should be considered when making an assessment of proposals for construction on the Park Quadrant site: •
•
•
•
•
Proposals should demonstrate a thorough understanding of the historic patterns of development, including the development of the original masterplan, through revised designs, to the current ‘as built’ design. Proposals should demonstrate an appreciation of the key architectural features that define the Study Area, including; canted bay windows, entrance features, roofscape, scale, proportion, massing and density of dwellings. Proposals for should demonstrate an appreciation of the importance of scale to the character of the area, including an assessment of impact to Lynedoch Place and Park Circus Lane. Proposals for new construction should be of the highest standards of design quality and materiality, commensurate with their setting within the Woodlands Hill `A Group' of Listed buildings, and wider Park Conservation Area The density and number of dwellings should be considered in relation to the number of inhabited homes within each of the existing structures.
The previous Public Inquiry involving development of the Park Quadrant site also listed a series of considerations when recommending against the 2002 proposals, which are still of relevance. These included ‘building line, height, rhythm, plot width, use of materials, relationship to the street, scale, relationship to properties in Lynedoch Place, and views in and out of the conservation area.’ The list above should not be considered as exhaustive and additional statutory reports should also be provided, including an assessment of the impact on roads, parking and drainage capacity of any proposed development.
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5.2.3
Information and Advice
To promote the preservation and enhancement of the Study Area, the City Council should consider the publication of information leaflets explaining the history of the Park Circus area, and its significance. 5.2.4 •
•
5.3
Enhancement Opportunities New development Any proposed new buildings or landscaping areas should be developed to ensure that the character and appearance of the Study Area are enhanced, and that the needs of residents and visitors are understood and addressed. Design and massing should be sympathetic to the scale and use of surrounding streets and buildings, and materials should be traditional. Where modern materials are proposed, these should be of well detailed and of the highest quality. Repairs and Maintenance Repairs and maintenance works to the buildings in the Park Circus area would further enhance the character of the Study Area. Grants
Owners of historic buildings in the Study Area may get help with the cost of repairs from the Glasgow City Heritage Trust and Historic Environment Scotland. Owners of property within the Conservation Area can apply for grant funding, although only certain kinds of work are eligible, such as: • •
The restoration or repair of original architectural features, including the repair or reinstatement of original windows and railings. Repairs to the structural fabric including stonework, roofs and dry rot eradication.
Alterations, repairs to services and normal routine maintenance are not regarded as grant eligible.
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6.0
Article 4 Directions
Park Conservation Area is also subject to additional development controls, in the form of Article 4 Directions. Under Article 4 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992 and subsequent amendments, the planning authority can seek approval of the Scottish Ministers for additional Directions that restrict permitted development rights. These Directions control minor alterations that can cumulatively lead to the erosion of character and appearance but do not otherwise require permission. Typical minor works covered by the Direction include the replacement of doors and windows, the erection of gates, walls and fences, sheds, garages, porches, etc. Where an Article 4 Direction is in place, planning permission will be required for these works. For further information and advice please contact: Development and Regeneration Services Planning and Building Control 231 George Street Glasgow G1 1RX Phone: 0141 287 8683
7.0
Conservation Area – City Plan
The quality and character of Park Conservation Area will be maintained through the implementation of policies contained within the adopted City Plan 2 (2009). The Development Policy Principles and the Design, Residential, Retail and Commercial Leisure and Environment Policies and accompanying guidance are of particular relevance.
8.0
Bibliography
The following texts and publications were used in the preparation of this document:
Buildings of Scotland – Glasgow
Williamson, Riches and Higgs
Central Glasgow – An Illustrated Architectural Guide
McKean, Walker and Walker
Scotstyle - 150 years of Scottish Architecture
Fiona Sinclair
Glasgow at a Glance
Doak/ Young
The Park Circus Area
Lucy Parr and Graeme Shearer
Glasgow – a hundred years ago
Molendinar Press
A History of Scottish Architecture
Glendinning, MacInnes and MacKechnie
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