Buildings at risk
Old Market Square
Upward creep of the City's skyline
Conservation Area at Sherwood Rise
The Nottingham "Clutter-Buster"
Developments at the Royal Centre and the Castle's flagpole
Members will be aware of the current spotlight on historical buildings in need of rescue and restoration; newspaper articles and television programmes have brought the plight of these buildings to the notice of a wider public than usual. By its very nature, the Society is already well aware of the threats which affect our older buildings, but we are also aware of the opportunities which these buildings offer as historical and aesthetic objects to be celebrated and as structures to be used by people for living and working in during the twenty-first century.
Among the buildings identified as being ‘at risk’ in the city are both small and large structures, some of which continue to 1anguish, such as Fothergi1l's Thurland Street bank; some looking very sad indeed, such as the Georgian house at the corner of Pitcher Gate; and some, fortunately saved, such as Colwick Hall which is now being restored and refurbished for its new use as conference centre, wedding venue and restaurant. Some buildings continue to trouble us considerably, such as the Wollaton Camellia House (although we understand that the Heritage Lottery Bid will come to the aid of this building in the not too distant future). Another building, which we feet needs some help in the near future, is the former Co-operative House store on Upper Parliament Street, where the frontage and rear elevation and aspects of the interior such as the ‘film star’ staircase deserve to be retained and celebrated in an imaginative use. 1t is encouraging to note that the City Council is currently considering extending the Old Market Square Conservation Area to include the Co-op's location, so this will provide this distinctive and well-loved building a measure of protection.
The Old Market Square itself is currently the subject of analysis, discussion and a bid to fund a design competition for its possible future appearance and use. There are clearly some very strongly-held views on the subject of the Square’s future, but one thing on which people are united is that it does need some serious tidying up and cleaning, with some of the accretions of ‘clutter’ removed, and certain features repaired or replaced, for example broken benches, cracked paving stones and the crudely repaired Coat of Arms mosaic. It would also be a good idea to study the impact of the tram on the Square before any very definite ideas or plans are developed. What do you think? Please do let me know what you think should happen to the Square and in the Square and what improvements or alterations, if any, should be undertaken. This is the city's heart, and all of us, as citizens need to express our ideas on it.
Members of the Committee continue to be very concerned
about what has been described as the ‘upward creep’ of the city's
skyline. There are regularly Planning Applications submitted for the addition
of storeys to existing buildings, very often to not particularly distinguished
twentieth century structures. While this may not in itself seem particularly
concerning, it is the effect on the skyline which is so damaging: two additional
storeys may not seem much on paper, but the impact of those two storeys on
the streetscape and vistas of the city’s core is intrusive and alters
the skyline ‘by the back door’, so to speak. We do, of course,
object to this type of development if we feel it will detrimentally affect
the character of the city.
Similarly, we comment on proposals for monolithic
new buildings, which are out of scale with their environment, and particularly
those which would affect the setting of a listed building or the character
of a conservation area We have been heartened recently by the City Council’s
decision to create a new conservation area around Sherwood Rise: this is an
area which has retained a lot of its ‘grain’ and which contains
a number of attractive Victorian Villas. While some of these have unfortunately
already been lost, it is hoped that conservation area status will protect
those interesting and impressive buildings which remain and which give this
part of the Victorian and Edwardian suburban development its distinctive flavour.
On a wider scale, members of the Committee have been involved in consultations
and discussions regarding the new ‘Big Wheel’
transport plans for Nottingham including an increased focus on the role of
cycling; discussions regarding the NET line planned to run towards Beeston
and Chilwell; and important consultations on the issues surrounding the A52
and the question of whether a fourth Trent crossing is needed and if so which
route it should take.
As well as offering our opinion and advice when sought, the Society has also been involved in providing concrete assistance to the well being of the city via financial support for projects. The Streetscape Guidelines mentioned in the last Newsletter are now reaching completion and already one of the issues dealt with is being addressed by the ‘Clutter-buster’ scheme whereby redundant and unnecessary street furniture, signs, etc. are being removed. The scheme has received national publicity, and the Council is to be congratulated on it.
Other current projects include the initiative to restore the Royal Centre Terraces to their original appearance and to make them more accessible by removing the existing defunct neon sculpture; and eventually to look at the installation of some new public art there, probably some form of lighting, possibly projected. We are also waiting to hear whether the proposals for the restoration of the Castle Rock (where the rock fall occurred) meet with the approval of Eng1ish Heritage, as we have offered to provide a new flagstaff to replace the original (1878), which had to be taken down. We are looking forward to seeing this ‘exclamation mark’ restored, and feel that it will also mark the Society's involvement in and commitment to the city and its historical and visual environment.
Hilary Silvester
September 2003
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