Belle Vue Conservation Area

Introduction

The Town and Country Planning Act 1990 requires planning authorities to determine which parts of their area are "of special architectural or historic interest the appearance and character of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance, and shall designate those areas as Conservation Areas."

The Act also provides that when a Conservation Area has been so designated special attention must be paid to the desirability of preserving or enhancing its character or appearance in the exercise of powers under the Planning Acts and Part 1 of the Historic Buildings and Ancient Monuments Act 1953.

The Boundary of the Conservation Area

Belle Vue Conservation area lies immediately south east of Shrewsbury town centre on the opposite bank of the Severn. The area is defined on the map in the centre pages of this brochure. It is contiguous with the town centre conservation area and includes the part of Coleham lying outside existing conservation areas and all the suburb of Belle Vue that lies to the west of Betton Street and to the north of the abandoned tract of the "Potts Railway." The western boundary is drawn to include all properties in Oak Street;

The nineteenth century properties in Oakley Street and the early twentieth century properties in South Hermitage. The boundary then follows Raby Crescent to return to Longden Coleham. Properties in Pound Close, School Lane and Fairford Place are excluded.

The Appearance and Character of the Conservation Area.

The nineteenth century development of the area was essentially piecemeal and was not carried out to any grand plan. Very broadly the suburb grew in four ways;

1. the outward expansion of Coleham to provide accommodation for the workers' involved in the riverside industries of the area;

2. a growth of workers' cottages clustering about the public houses which developed along the coaching road at an early date, for example at The Boar's Head, The Plough and The Globe.

3. The promotion of upper and middle class villa developments throughout the area from the 1840s onwards.

4. The development of Shrewsbury as an important railway junction, locomotive maintenance and wagon building centre from mid century onwards which prompted a further surge in the construction of workers' terraced cottages particularly in the area closest to 'The Sheds' but also as infill in Belle Vue Road.

The precise pattern of development was determined by which small plots of land became available, and the results could at times be quite odd. On the western side of Belle Vue the first large scale developments are farthest from the town, Drawwell Street being built up before Oakley Street, which in turn was developed before the Hermitages.

These factors produced a socially mixed area, with workers' terraced cottages cheek by jowel with middle class villas, and villas surprisingly close to industrial undertakings. This contrasts strongly with Shrewsbury's other Victorian suburbs. Kingsland's villas were not tainted by more lowly housing, Castlefields, Ditherington and Cherry Orchard were primarily for the town's "labouring classes." In 1875 at the time of passage of the new Public Health Acts, Alderman Thomas Southam, a well known local brewer and four times mayor of the town commented that "in Belle Vue they have one of the finest sites to be found anywhere for building purposes almost utterly spoiled by the way in which the buildings have been put up. Every man has done according to the light of his own eye and has put his back door in front of his neighbours drawing room." Others were more forthright, making it clear that Belle Vue should be developed on the grand scale as an exclusive suburb for the upper ranks of Shrewsbury society.

Overwhelmingly the architectural character of the area is one of diversity, unified by common materials, such as local rustic bricks and slate roofs. Where development appears to have been carried out according to some overall plan it is often no more than an illusion. Besford Square with its parallel, and almost identical terraces, which face inwards upon a square of gardens, are in fact two developments separated by some twenty years. Similarly Broughman Square appears to incorporate the remains of earlier timber framed and pier, and panel industrial buildings in its easterly and northerly wings. The uniformity of detailing of Alton Terrace suggests it was built as one, yet it developed from two isolated villas which were linked soon after their construction by an infill terrace. After this a further dwelling was added to the terrace. Conversely some of the larger developments failed to reach completion, for example Burley Street was originally intended to comprise sixteen terraced dwellings yet only eight were completed.

Notable local architects such as Poutney Smith, A. B. Deakin, A. E. Lloyd Oswell, H. H. Treasure, J Randall, G. R. Griffith, S. G. Jones and E. Burley were involved in the design of many of the villa residences. The earlier villas were completed in Regency cottage style, which was later to give way to mid and early Victorian Palladian classicism. Villas built in the last quarter of the century demonstrate that era's preoccupation with architectural styles, and include Elizabethan Revival, French Revival, Queen Anne and Baroque. Often any one building will incorporate a number of styles. As the century progressed the term "Villa" came to be applied rather more broadly in Belle Vue developments. The term was no longer confined to the architecturally polite, prestigious detached property standing in its own grounds, for example "Oakley Villa," 53 Oakley Street (1877). It came to be applied to semi-detached properties both prestigious, such as Deaking designed Cleveland/Derwent Houses, 49/51 Oakley Street (1877), and more modest such as "Acorn Villa" and "Fern Villa," Oak Street. Prestigious Terraces such as Treasure's Lexden Gardens, Belle Vue Road (1881) were also originally described as "Villa" developments.

With the exception of Deakin and Treasure notable local architects do not appear to have concerned themselves with the design of workers' terraced cottages, although A. H. Taylor appear to have designed many such properties. Many adopt polite architectural details. Most feature a portico with Regency detailing and have well-proportioned multi pane sash windows. Earlier terraces such as Trinity Terrace, the southern side of Besford Square, and 151-165 Belle Vue Road feature distinctive herringbone brickwork in the window arches. With the exception of Montague Street, and properties in Old Coleham most terraces feature a front garden, sometimes enclosed with cast iron railings. The appearance is almost that of an agricultural labourer's cottage come to town, rather than a true industrial terrace. This impression is reinforced by the often-extensive allotment gardens associated with the terraces. The sunken gardens in front of Blendower Terrace provide a fine example and are the result of gravel extraction for building in the area.

The Historical Evolution of the Conservation Area

When Speed produced his Map of Shrewsbury in 1610 "Colam" (sic) was already a well established settlement dating back to mediaeval times. It comprised a densely packed linear settlement along both sides of the street that was to become known as Longden Coleham. By this date the line of Belle Vue Road was established and served as the principal route to Ludlow and Hereford. Known for some time as Meole Road it was not until the 1880's that it was named Bell Vue Road. Speed's map shows that the road soon left the urban envrons of "Colam" to pass through agricultural holdings.

The area was to remain little changed for the next 240 years. Settlement comprised cottages accommodating predominantly agricultural households employed on the surrounding farms. 92 Belle Vue Road is a small villa, which in its present form was built about 1820 possibly on the site of such a farmstead. In addition between the coach road and Longden Coleham there were large areas of allotment gardens for let to townsfolk, and several larger market gardens.

Prior to the arrival of the railway the nucleus of the area's industrial endeavours were concentrated along the Coleham riverbank. At the zenith of local trade was William Hazeldine's iron foundry, located on the riverbank at the north end of Coleham. The works were established in 1790 and continued in operation until after the First World War, although after Hazeldine's death in 1840 the scale of production was reduced. The foundry provided castings for many of Thomas Telford's engineering projects, particularly during the 1820s. River transport was used to move the castings until the 1840s when railways brought about a decline in water traffic. Small boat yards existed both in Longden Coleham and Coleham Head.

Charles Hulberts cotton mills were located on the river near Coleham Head and provided a source of employment for local people during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Trouncer's Brewery and Malthouse, at the top of Longden Coleham provided an additional source of employment from 1806 to 1955.

Many residents of Coleham also found employment in the substantial lead works located in neighbouring Kingsland. Other local industries included two timber yards, three brush making factories, and the provision of draught horses. The present day Co-op was occupied by stables, which housed animals employed in the haulage of castings to the railway yards.

To house the expanding industrial population, terraces were built on the agricultural lands between Coleham and the Ludlow Turnpike. By 1832 terraces had been constructed in Pound Close, School Lane, "Bakehouse Yard" and "Child's Row" (behind The Boars Head). By 1838 "Moreton Cottages" and "May Cottages" (Pound Close) had been added and by 1859, "June Cottages" had been built behind the Boars Head. "England Cottages" appear to have been built after this date. Large scale clearances have resulted in "Moreton Cottages" and "England Cottages" being rare survivors of this phase in the area's development. Moreton Cottages feature unusual cast iron chimney pots, possibly produced locally at Hazeldine's foundry.

Early in the nineteenth century housing began to expand outwards from Coleham along the Ludlow coach road, and to a more limited degree along the lane to Sutton that was to become Betton Street. The group of late Georgian townhouses comprising "Spring Terrace," 33-55, & 25 Belle Vue represents an early stage in this process, as does "Rosehill," 12 Betton Street. Further up the turnpike a small settlement began to grow about the substantial three storey late Georgian house known at "The Hermitage," 81-83 Belle Vue Road. By 1832 when this settlement is first associated with the name "Belle Vue" there were some eight buildings grouped on either side of a lane established along field boundaries that was later to become Havelock Road. These appear to have included the terraces of cottages now numbered 67-73 and 93-105 Belle Vue Road; the much modified Regency house numbered 89-91 Belle Vue Road, and the late Georgian House numbered 85-87 Belle Vue Road, By 1836 94-98 Belle Vue Road had also been built.

The popularity of Belle Vue as a site for villa development appears to have received an early boost when Hazeldine chose to build "Moreton Villa" as his family residence in the lower part of Belle Vue. A cut-off road Moreton Crescent, was constructed and his villa occupied the land between the new Crescent and the coach road. By 1832 villa developments were already underway in the more elevated areas of the district where they were later to concentrate. By this date "Besford Cottage" had been built, and was to be followed by similar early "cottage" style villas including "Lime Cottage" and "Oakley Cottage" set in spacious ground all these properties were to be extended into substantial houses later in the century.

By 1859 substantial changes had taken place in the area. Development centred about "The Hermitage" continued and spread into Havelock and Hawthorn Roads, whilst part of Belle Vue Gardens had been laid out, Developments began to feature more moderate early Victorian villas such as 10/12 and 44/42 Hawthorn Road 7/9 and 11/13 Havelock Road and 5/7 The Hawthorns, and the three groups of villas forming 51-61 Belle Vue Gardens which became linked to form a single terrace. Townhouse style terraces such as 54-58 Bell Vue Road continued to be built. The development began to feature substantial two storey terraces, for example Berwick Place, 15-19 Havelock Road. Villa developments also began on the area that was later to form Trinity Street for example the early Victorian house that became number 58 Trinity Street. One of the earliest and most complete examples of moderate villa developments took place on the Drawwell allotment gardens during the 1850s. The original part of "Oakley Cottage" was already built by this date and it was upon the estate of this property that Oak and Drawwell Streets were laid out. The area was developed by the Shrewsbury Land Society, and by 1859 Drawwell Street was complete with the exception of 16/17 and 11 Drawwell Street, while eight buildings had been completed on Oak Street. By 1880 Oak Street had been completed with the exception of numbers 22/24.

The land that was to form Oakley Street was sold in 1885 and was described as being of "unparalleled beauty and desirability as a site for elegant villa developments." In the following year the street was laid out, and become the site of some of the finest villa developments, including the Deakin designed "Cleveland/Derwent Houses" of 1877 and "Pengwern" of 1887.

"Oakley Manor" was built in the 1860s in an Elizabethan Revival style to the design of Poutney Smith for his private residence. This style was to become increasingly popular in the rebuilding of older cottage villas. Smith undertook the extension of his former residence, "Limes Cottage" in an Elizabethan Revival style apparently in the mid 1870s. Deakin extended "The Hermitage" in a similar style, and employed it once more in the remodelling and extension of Besford House in 1891, where he had added the sandstone entrance lodge on Belle Vue Road in 1882. John P Withers again used a similar style for "Twyford House" of 1897. "Oakley Cottages" were extended and rebuilt in Jacobean style in the early 1870s, however this style does not appear to have been popular in Belle Vue and the only other notable example appears to be Deakin's fine porch at Besford House.

The French revival style, mansard roofed villas, with Queen Anne detailing by Poutney Smith were added within the grounds of the Limes between 1876 and 1880. Randell appears to have favoured such a style for his works, adopting it for both "Glynne Villa," 125/127 Belle Vue Road of 1880, and "Holly House," 28/30 Belle Vue Gardens of 1889, which feature classical style towers. The two villas forming 22-28 Havelock Road were designed by Groves and built in 1880 in a subdued Victorian gothic style. "Highbury," 30 Havelock Road of 1881 is the work of S. G Jones, and is conducted in a more subdued classical style. "Strathearn," Belle Vue Road, was designed by Deakin and built in 1888 in Queen Anne Style.

The Hermitages were laid out in 1896 and development began immediately to be completed by 1905. This area mostly comprises moderate semi-detached villas in glazed bricks. Belle Vue Gardens was extended in 1888 and linked to Longden Coleham in 1895. It became a centre for villa developments from these dates and throughout the Edwardian era. Number 29 is by Oswell & A E Lloyd and was built in an arts and crafts style as St Saviours Girls' Home.

In the lower part of Belle Vue substantial changes had been brought about by the construction of the Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway in 1851. Thomas Brassey's line was carried over the Abbey Foregate by a viaduct and bisected the land to the east. Prior to the construction of the railway, Betton Street and Sutton Lane formed one continuous road, all of which was known as Sutton Lane. The line cut this road and the portion from Belle Vue was renamed Betton Street. The area of land to the west of Betton Street was divided up and Trinity and Bynner Streets laid out. Brassey chose a site to the east of Betton Street for the construction of his locomotive maintenance shed. Additional facilities were added in the same area by LNWR in 1877, and the GWR in 1882. Each phase in the development of the sheds appears to have been accompanied by a surge in house building in Belle Vue. Although initial developments were to include some small scale villas, for example 40 Bynner Street (pre 1859), 34 Bynner Street (which was the original "Prince of Wales") and 59/58 and 57/56 Trinity Street, most early developments in this area were to reflect the latter predominance of workers' terraces. "Trinity Place," 60-78 Trinity Street provide a particularly fine example of pre 1859 workers' accommodation. By this date also the southern side of Besford Square was in place. By 1876 the northern side of the Square had grown to its present extent, and "Brougham Terrace" and Square had been completed. The building of terraces in Bynner Street began in 1880 (numbers 16-22) and continued until 1894 (numbers 2-14).

From the 1850s there was significant infill of smaller terraced cottages along Belle Vue Road. Numbers 54-58, 64-72, and 84-88 were all constructed before 1859 just off Belle Vue the substantial "Alton Terrace," possibly by Smith, and featuring finely detailed brickwork had been completed before 1876. In addition to the terrace this small area appears to have been favoured for the building of villas set amongst orchard gardens. Villas included, "St Osbury," "Alton Fields," "Winnington/Rodwell Houses," and "Sutton Lodge." The character of this area changed considerably in 1888 with the construction of a substantial malting complex for William Jones. In addition to creating a further demand for workers cottages, like Hazeldine before him Jones chose to live close to his enterprise. He substantially rebuilt the original "Sutton Lodge," incorporating a rather idiosyncratic tower allowing the proprietor to survey his workforce as they entered the premises!

Occupying the "island" between the then recently constructed "Potts" Railway, and the existing lines Montague Place was built in 1878 and provides a fine example of planned terrace executed in a single style, to the design of H. H. Treasure. Subsequent building was on the more usual piecemeal basis and the street was extended in1896.

From 1882 Moreton Crescent, for long, leafy approach to Hazeldine's Moreton Villa" became a site for the development of substantial terraces. The western side of the Crescent was developed over three years from 1882 and included the Deakin designed "Wolesley Terrace," 16-26 Moreton Crescent. No building took place along the eastern side of the Crescent until the first decade of the new century. At this time developments also took place along the Old Coleham loop. Coleham Cottages were constructed in 1902-03, and Peace Cottages were added a little later.

Later terraces include the completion of Trinity Street with the construction of "Trinity Avenue" in Edwardian times, "Glendower Terrace," 2-20 Havelock Road in 1911-12 and "Nelson Terrace" 32-42 Havelock Road in 1910. Edwardian developments also feature prominently in the upper parts of Longden Coleham, culminating in the laying out and construction of the terraces in Lime Street, from 1911 on.

The pastoral and temporal welfare of the residents of Belle Vue was catered for by a variety of institutions. The Church of England established itself on the fringes of the developed area in 1837. The original Holy Trinity Church was a mission church ministering to the "labouring poor" of Coleham. Subsequent additions and rebuilds clearly indicate the rising status of the area. In 1861 a Byzantine style chancel was added, while in 1887 the nave was rebuilt in terra cotta to the design of A. E. Lloyd Oswell. In the late 1850s a church school was added in the grounds, and in 1862 the vicar penned an appeal to each of the shareholders of the Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway asking them as "representing the largest proprietary in the Parish" for a contribution to the cost of a new school room. The Methodist Chapel was built in 1879, and added a classroom in 1892. The Conservative Club occupying part of Spring Terrace added a recreation room opposite Alton Terrace in 1890 and provided purpose built reading rooms in Trinity Street as its junction with Brougham Square in 1891. In 1889 St Saviours Girls' Home was built at 29 Belle Vue Gardens.

Policy for the Conservation Area

The buildings within the conservation area embrace a diversity of architectural styles and show a wealth of individual detail. Mellow red brick predominates, although there are good examples of polychromatic brick and later glazed bricks. Roofing is of slate or clay tiles. Windows are predominantly multi-pane sashes. Doors are of various panelled patterns, later examples often containing stained glass. Some front gardens retain their original gates and railings.

The Borough Council will seek to retain and safeguard such special architectural features, and will control new developments to ensure that they complement their surroundings. New buildings should be carefully sited, and shall respect the scale, form, materials and architectural detailing of existing buildings. No demolition work may take place within a conservation area unless Conservation Area Consent has been granted. All proposals likely to have a "material effect" on the external appearance of any building in the conservation area will be published, allowing members of the public and other interested parties to examine the planning application and make representations to the Borough Council.

It will normally be unacceptable to submit outline planning applications for proposals within the Conservation Area. Detailed applications will normally be required to enable the full implications of a scheme to be seen from the outset.

Additionally where the Borough Council thinks it necessary to control particular classes of development otherwise permitted under the Town and Country Planning General Development Orders 1988, (for example, small extensions, new porches, replacement windows, and doors), then it may seek the approval for Article 4 controls.

Conservation Enhancement Grants are available in conservation areas, and may be used to retain or reinstate original external architectural features using appropriate traditional materials. Where renovation grants are being used to improve a property within the conservation area visual enhancement monies may be made available to ensure that the exterior character of the building is maintained. Conservation Enhancement Grants are also available for appropriate landscaping works.

The powers available under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements Act) Regulations 1990 will be used as necessary to prevent the display of inappropriate advertisements.

The Borough Council wish to promote the maintenance of the fine stock of trees and shrubs within the conservation area. It is necessary to give the Borough Council six weeks notice, in writing of any works proposed to trees within the Conservation Area. Until this period has expired the trees have the same protection as that afforded by a Tree Preservation Order, and it is an offence to carry out works to them. The same provisions do not apply to dead or dangerous trees, saplings or young trees with a trunk diameter up to 75mm measured 1.5m above the ground level. If there is any doubt, the Tree and Landscape Officer will advise you. The notice should give the location and species of the tree and state exactly what works are proposed. The tree will be inspected and an alternative approach may be suggested. If the tree has high amenity value the Borough Council may decide to protect it with a Tree Preservation Order, but if no order is made by the time the six week period expires, work may commence. A new notice is required if the work is not carried out within two years.