heritage statement - tamesideplandocs.tameside.gov.uk/anitepublicdocs/00136914.pdfoakwood house) are...

Heritage Statement

Former St. James School, Huddersfield Road, Millbrook – Meridian Healthcare

HERITAGE STATEMENT

In support of:

Proposed 45 Bed EMI Care Home on the site of the former

St. James' Primary SchoolHuddersfield Road

Millbrook. SK15 3ET

for

Meridian Healthcare LimitedEnterprise House

Grange Road SouthHyde

SK14 5NU

Prepared by

Quadrant ABS Ltd.28 Oxford Street

LiverpoolL69 7WX

11th December 2009

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Design and Access Statement


Contents

Section Page

Introduction 3

Millbrook Conservation Area 4

The Site 5

Existing Structures 6

Proposals & Design Approach 9

Photo Montages 11

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1. Introduction

This statement accompanies a planning application and application for conservation area consentfor the redevelopment of the Former St. James' Primary site on Huddersfield Road Millbrook withinthe Metropolitan Borough of Tameside.

The site lies within the Millbrook Conservation Area

The proposal involves the partial demolition of the existing structures, to the rear of the originalstructure facing Huddersfield Road, and their replacement with a stone faced two storey structure,connected to the historically significant front elevation via a subordinate, predominantly glazed, slateroofed link building.

The statement should be read in conjunction with the following documents:

I) drawings numbered:

6.076 DWG1 Existing Plans and Elevations & Location Plan6.076 DWG2 Site Plan6.076 DWG3 Proposed Ground Floor6.076 DWG4 Proposed First Floor & Roof Plan6.076 DWG5 Proposed Basement6.076 DWG6 Proposed Elevations6.076 DWG7 Proposed Sections6.076 DWG8 Indicative Landscaping

II) Streetscapes

III) Design and Access Statement

IV) Structural Survey Report (Acuity Consulting)

V) Archaeological Assessment (Archaeological Research Services)

This statement aims to provide the following:

• An Introduction to the Millbrook Conservation Area and the Schools' context within it.

• A description of the existing site and structures

• A description of the proposed new development and balanced design principles adopted.

• A photographic record of the existing structures

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2. Millbrook Conservation Area

The Conservation area was designated in April 1991 and encompasses the former industrial heartof the village of Millbrook.

The north western boundary of the area encompasses Staley Hall, a 14th Century Timber Framedmanor house, and falls close to the Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

The northernmost point forms an extension to the main body of the area to allow inclusion of thesubstantial stone building currently trading as Millbrook Bar & Restaurant.

Within the north of the main body of the area is St James' Church on Huddersfield Road,

At the heart of the conservation area is the derelict structure of Oakwood New Mill which togetherwith Old Mill and Staley Mill drove expansion of the village in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The Grove Road site of Old Mill is now occupied by modern apartments.

The site of Staley Mill sits on the southern boundary of the conservation area, and has now beendemolished and landscaped to form the entrance to Stalybridge Country Park.

The substantial residence of Oakwood House sits immediately on the northern boundary of the StJames' School site, and is presumed to have been the home of the owner of Oakwood New Mill.

Both properties appear at the same time in the mapping record of 1872.

A modern (1970's) row of shops set back from Huddersfield Road, lies to the south of the site as doseveral public houses.

Most of the remaining buildings within the conservation area are stone built houses and cottagesconstructed to accommodate the mill workers.

St James' School was opened in 1848, to provide an education to the children of the mill workers.The 1872 map of the area indicates that both Boys and Girls were educated at the site.

The eastern boundary of the conservation area passes along the public footpath to the rear of the StJames' School site.

The special character of the Millbrook Conservation Area derives from the community whichdeveloped to support the three industrial cotton mills.

Two of the mills have already been lost, presumably before the conservation area designation.

Apart from the loss of Staley Mill and Oakwood Old Mill, the special character of the conservationarea within the village itself is currently diminished by three notable issues:

1. Oakwood New Mill now lies derelict to the eastern end of Grenville Street.2. The shops on Huddersfield Road to the south of St James School are unkempt and

incoherent in appearance, with the 1970's shops beyond being out of character.3. The Former St. James' Primary School lies derelict at the other end of Grenville Street, and

has become overgrown and vandalised since it was abandoned as a community centreapproximately seven years ago.

The proposals seek to restore the significant elements of the special character of the primary schoolto their original condition before further deterioration in the site makes such a scheme non-viable.

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3. The Site

The site of the former St. James Primary School lies at the junction of Grenville Street andHuddersfield Road.

Bounded by stone walls, the site is broadly rectangular in form, being 74m long by 36m wide, a totalarea of 0.26 hectares.

The footprint of the existing school is approximately 641 square metres.

The existing floor level of the school is 2.0 metres above Huddersfield Road, with the rear boundaryof the site being between a further 1.7 to 3.9 metres higher.

Ground level within the site is approximately 1.6 metres above Grenville Street. The narrow footpathwhich runs from Grenville Street rises to match ground levels within the site.

Oakwood House, and the gardens of properties of Ivylodge Close (within the former grounds ofOakwood House) are behind the buttressed retaining wall which forms the Northern Boundary to thesite. The wall is 3.5 to 4metres high for much of its length.

Access to the site is currently via the entrance sitting centrally in the Huddersfield Road boundary.

The School building is set back 20 metres from the entrance. The ground forming the forecourt tothe school, and between the school and the northern boundary is heavily overgrown, until recentlycompletely obscuring the school building from Huddersfield Road.

The grounds to the south and east of the school buildings are laid to tarmacadam which is in verypoor condition.

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4. Existing Structures

Site Development

The Archaeological Assessment attached to this report has identified that St James's SchoolMillbrook opened on this site in 1848.

Please refer to the historic maps within the attached archaeological assessment - Appendix C.

1850-1872 (Phase 1)

The original structure shown in the 1850 and 1872 maps consists of the existing Huddersfield RoadElevation with a smaller 'forked' outrigger to the rear.

The structure is saw cut wall stone built under a slate roof with red pot ridge tiles. The roof pitch is36.6 degrees.

The gable ends to either side and the two front outriggers are capped by detailed overlappingcoping stones with stone tri-foil gablet finials at each base and apex.

Windows are rectangular in form with two stone mullions per window to the front outriggers andthree stone mullions to the side feature gable windows. Window heads and cills are stone ashlar, asare Quoins framing the sides. Mullions to the main front elevations smaller windows are formedwithin the frames.

1894-1910 (Phase 2)

The 1894 map shows that the forked outrigger has been demolished and replaced by the existingmain hall and a second smaller gable ended extension with Gothic arched window with stonemullions facing onto Grenville Street.

Both elements of the extension are of wall stone construction under slate roof. No ridge tiles remain.

The ridge to phase 2 is approximately 500mm higher that that of phase 1, and appears as a poorlydetailed rendered grey gable above the ridge of phase 1 visible from Huddersfield Road.

Windows to the main hall are rectangular with stone heads and cills, with no additional detailframing either side. Mullions are formed within the timber window frames.

UPVC gutters are fitted above a stone string forming the eaves. Barge boards finish the roof to thegable end of the main hall to the rear.

1910-1922 (Phase 3)

The 1910 map shows a further extension to the rear of the main hall consisting of a flat roofed link toa raised stone built structure under a pitched slate roof perpendicular to the main hall.

The link structure contains internal WC facilities and steps up to the new rear extension.

The rear extension contains two round arched windows to the southern gable and one larger roundarched window to the northern elevation. The rear elevation contains three windows, two of whichare tall face dormers.

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1922 – Present (Phase 4)

The present structure includes a flat roofed, red-brick extension to the phase 2 stucture to thesouthern elevation. The extension appears to date to the 1930's. The extension contains fourunframed windows and a timber sliding door. An internal staircase leads down to a basement boilerroom. The red brick structure detracts from the appearance of the elevation, and is out of characterwith the stone structures of the preceding works.

It is evident that as each extension to the original structure has been added, the attention to thearchitectural detail has diminished with each phase resulting in a confused and disjointed overallstructure.

Present Condition

The site was originally used as a primary school for local children. When a new alternative schoolopened, the building became a local community centre.

When the community centre closed, the building was abandoned (we believe approximately sevenyears ago), and allowed to fall into a state of substantial disrepair.

Externally:

• The building has lost approximately 20% of its roof covering, predominantly to phases 2 & 3.

• Gutters, fascias and barge boards, where present are loose and rotten.

• The condition of the flat roofs has not been examined, but the maintenance requirement offlat roofs and passage of time since the building was abandoned make it highly likely that fullreplacement would be required.

• Windows have been smashed, leaving only poor quality steel and rotten timber frames whichhave been boarded up for security.

• External doors are missing, and openings are also boarded up.

• External elevations have been vandalised, with graffiti to all elevations.

• All external timber elements are likely to be rotten.

• There is evidence of structural movement above the large arched window and to the columnbetween the two arched windows facing Grenville Street to phase 3.

• Iron lintels to the flat roofed section of phase 3 are corroding and will soon lead to structuraldamage as they expand.

Internally:

• Damage to the roof covering throughout has allowed ingress of rainwater, causingsubstantial deterioration in the internal condition of the building fabric.

• The long term exposure to rainwater leads to the assumption that much of the roof structureis compromised and would require replacement.

• In phase 1, the major elements of the roof structure (Queenpost trusses and purlins) mightbe saved given suitable reconditioning, but this would need to be determined by closerinspection and specialist advice.

• Roof coverings are falling away throughout due to damp penetration where the roof hasfailed.

• Where internal finishes remain, they are blackened, having the appearance of fire damage.

• All internal finishes to walls and ceilings have deteriorated rapidly in the damp environment,and require replacement.

• Window frames visible internally are either steel framed single glazed units or rotting timberframed units. All window frames require replacement.

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• The suspended timber floor to phase 1 has collapsed due to rotting structural elements. Thewhole phase 1 floor requires replacement.

• The parquet detail to the solid floor in phase 2 has broken up beyond repair.

• Phase 3 has suffered comprehensive fire damage and has lost its roof structure and wallfinishes. There is too much debris on the floor in phase 3 to ascertain its condition.

• It is unlikely that any elements of the existing building have a functioning damp proof course.Any works to reinstate floors and walls would require installation of a damp proof course anddamp proof membrane, to protect the new elements.

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5. Proposals and Design Approach

It is understood that it has been difficult to find a suitable, commercially viable use for the site thatwould enable preservation of the whole of the existing. The passage of time since the building wasabandoned and the subsequent serious deterioration in the fabric of the building makes the task ofretaining the whole even more problematic, made more difficult by a requirement from TamesideMBC's Highways Engineer that vehicular access should be via Grenville Street with the associatedissues caused by changes in levels.

The previous planning application in 2006 which sought to demolish the whole structure resulted inan appeal to the secretary of state which was refused.

In his decision, the secretary of state made reference to the special character of the school in termsof its Huddersfield Road elevation, as follows:

“I consider a sizeable element of the former school displays strong architectural integrity and identitythat is contemporary with the adjoining townscape to which it makes a very positive contribution. Itpresents and attractive symmetrical front elevation of a single storey range with two projecting fullheight gables and its position on the edge of the Conservation Area does not diminish itsimportance to the area, particularly given its prominent position on the main road through the area.”

he also advises that:

“Parts of the building complex are of poor quality'

Our client, Meridian Healthcare Limited, who have now purchased the site commissioned afeasibility study to establish the viability of the site for a residential care home for the elderly.

In undertaking the study, we were clear from the appeal decision above that the phase 1 structurefacing Huddersfield Road must be retained.

The potential for the adaptation of the phase 2 & 3 structures to the rear was examined, howeverthe width of the main hall is only 8m, insufficient for residential rooms and corridors. Also the phase3 structure is approximately 1m above the remainder of the school which presents access issues.

Retention of the phase 2 & 3 structures (Phase 4 was not considered for retention) was found torestrict numbers of potential residential bedrooms to such an extent that development as a carecentre was not financially viable. The threshold for viability is 40 No. bedrooms.

The next stage in the feasibility study was to seek to redevelop the rear of the site, retaining onlyPhase 1, and having minimal impact upon the Huddersfield Road elevation.

The following considerations drove design of the proposals:

• Vehicular access and car parking must be on the front apron, as Phase 1 is being retained,and no further development could obscure the existing structure from Huddersfield Road.

• Ramped vehicular egress from the site onto Grenville Street is required.

• Any new development to the rear should not be visible above the existing Phase 1 ridge line.

• Amenity Space within the development should be south facing.

• Servicing, deliveries, etc. should be physically separated from the main entrance

• The retained Phase 1 structure should be separated and distinct from any 2 storey structuredeveloped behind.

• Internal floor level should be raised to allow window cills within the retained Phase 1structure to be 900mm above FFL allowing elderly residents to see outside whilst seated.

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• The Phase 1 structure should provide communal space within the development to allow itsposition as the focus of the development to be emphasised, and to allow a full height ceilingand retention of internal architectural features, notably the queen post trusses.

• The new development should respect the architecture of the area, particularly that it shouldbe constructed in stone, the use of hardwood sash windows should be of correct proportionto local fenestration and hardwood external doors should be used throughout.

In addition to the above site specific considerations, the following design considerations wereincorporated.

• All new bedrooms will be ensuite with shower, and at 14m² in size will exceed the minimumstandard of 12m² set by the Care Standards Act 2000.

• The basement and first floor will be accessed by a 13 person lift

• The first floor will also be accessed by two staircases.

• Internal corridors to be a minimum of 1800mm wide

• Services, kitchen and laundry and staff facilities will be in a basement, separated from thedomestic environment within the home.

• The proposals should incorporate 13 No. parking spaces including 3no. disabled bays inaccordance with guidelines provided by Tamesides' Highways Engineer.

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6. Photo Montages

Montage 1 - Existing External Images

Montage 2 - Existing External Images

Montage 3 – Internal Roof Structure Images

Montage 4 – Internal Walls & Floor Images

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