www.doncaster.gov.uk/conservationareas

Doncaster – Thorne Road

Conservation Area

Review

June 2017

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Doncaster – Thorne Road Conservation Area – Review Since the appraisal was finalised in February 2011, the general character and appearance of the area overall is much the same, however there have been some significant changes and it is important that these are noted. These are as follows: -

111 Thorne Road and housing adjacent to St. Mary’s Church, Beckett Road These building were unoccupied and in poor condition at the time of the original appraisal. These are now all fully occupied and their condition has improved.

111 Thorne Road

Housing on Beckett Road

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Unsympathetic Alterations Unfortunately alterations are still be carried out which are harmful to the conservation area. This includes the erection of tall fences and removal of front boundary brick walls. Some of these can be carried out under permitted development rights but the making of Article 4 Directions, as previously recommended would control this further.

Erection of timber fencing on frontages detract –

this is currently subject to enforcement action

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HiMOs Since the appraisal was undertaken there has been a steady increase in the number of Houses in Multiple Occupancy in the area, which is raising concerns of local residents and Doncaster Civic Trust. Where these are accompanied by physical changes to buildings and their grounds, such as inappropriate loss of front boundary walls and trees and/or unsympathetic alterations that are detrimental to the appearance of the area, these would be considered unacceptable. However where HiMOs have previously been refused in the area and there has been no significant physical changes to the buildings and their grounds, these have been allowed on appeal as they were not considered to impact on the character and appearance of the conservation area. The main concern in these appeals seems to have been about the behaviour of tenants and their perceived impact on the ambience of the area. Ensuring that measures are in place to regulate premises and their management could help offset concerns.

Potential ways for more effective control over HiMOs are being considering. These are Article 4 Directions (A4D) and an Additional Licensing Scheme. The A4D allows local authorities to withdraw Permitted Development Rights for specific development works or changes of use. In this case it would be the withdrawal of the permitted development rights that allow houses to be converted into HiMOs when they are to be occupied by 6 or fewer people. The Additional Licensing Scheme would allow the Council to proactively visit these properties and ensure they do not become a problem to the community rather than a reactive approach of responding to complaints of anti-social behaviour; fly-tipping, noise and other nuisances. Both proposed schemes are bound by statutory frameworks which set out obligations in relation to consultation and notification and timescales for this. Care will be taken to ensure the statutory obligations are met and consultation is carried out and monitored. Once a decision is taken to proceed with these schemes an expected timescale for getting them in place will be set out.

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Key Unlisted Buildings In the original appraisal several buildings were considered to be key unlisted buildings but there were no specific descriptions of the buildings. To remedy this, these are now described below. Auckland House, 1 Auckland Road This building is a detached dwelling which is rare on this street and is of two storeys in red brick and Welsh slate. Its design was approved in 1895 and whilst the architect is unknown it was probably G. Brownlow Thompson of Hull who designed properties nearby including houses opposite on Auckland Road as well as on Thorne Road. It has a projecting Gothic style tower with spire, which is in keeping with some of the buildings on Thorne Road. It retains its large paned vertically sliding timber sashes which is part of its architectural interest. The building is set within a large triangular shaped garden set behind boundary walls and is well treed which helps with its setting.

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Middle School (now Housing Authority and Wheatley Children Centre), Beckett Road The school originally opened on 4th April 1907. It was built because the Wheatley Board School, also on Beckett Road, was overcrowded so the West Riding County Council acquired the site and built this school. The architect is unknown. The wing to the rear was added in the 1930s. The original school to the front is in red brick with half-timbered gables and slate roof and timber windows. It was laid out with classrooms around the large central space of the assembly hall, this has been converted into flats using the large space in the centre as communal space.

That to the rear is of a more formal design being again in red brick but here with red clay plain tiles and terracotta detailing with timber windows.

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Primary School, Beckett Road Another well designed and detailed school. It was originally a Wheatley Board School and opened in May 1897. The architects were Athron and Beck and the builders were Mullins and Richardson, with extensions in 1900 and 1909. It is single storied, with the tall single storey elements forming a ‘H’ plan with gables to the end, which on the front face the road. Lower elements infill the spaces within the ‘H’ and to the rear of the building. The front element has a double hipped roof to the road to form the separate entrances for girls and boys. It is in red brick with Welsh slate roof with timber work within the gables. The roofline is elaborate with hipped dormers punctuating the eaves line and slopes, chimneystacks on the ridge and culminating with a decorative bell tower. It retains its timber windows. It is the home of Doncaster Youth Jazz Orchestra which has been established for more than 40 years.

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St. Andrew’s Methodist Chapel, Beckett Road This was designed by George Baines & Son of London and was constructed by Pattison & Sons of Lincolnshire in 1915. It was formally opened on 2 March 1916. It is Gothic in style, in red brick with dressed stone to the front window and Welsh slate roof, with leaded windows to all sides. Its detailing is simple but there is great use of form with its front gable and side projections, although further architectural interest is given by the stone spirelets to the front. It is fronted by a low wall topped with railings. The rear extension in grey brick is of no interest.

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105/107 Thorne Road This is a pair of semi-detached houses built in 1889. The architects were Blundell, Simmons and Blundell, who also designed 103, next door. It is of two storeys with projecting frontages to ends with Dutch inspired gables forming a further storey within the attic with additional curved dormers. It is in red brick with decorative detailing with one half in small plain clay red tiles (often referred to as Rosemarys) which is assumed to be the original roof material, the other half is in artificial slate. Unfortunately its original timber windows have been replaced in uPVC. Given that the left hand division looks more in keeping proportion-wise it is assumed that the main window windows were vertically sliding sash, with small panes to top and large single pane to bottom. To front decorative red brick boundary wall slightly altered with car parking behind which detracts – additional planting to front would help.

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Aucklands, 109 Thorne Road This is a substantial villa of 1894. The architect was J. G. Walker, who designed Clock Corner. It is red brick with stone detailing with corbeled eaves detail below Welsh slate hipped roof. There is a central door way with the ends slightly projecting with bay windows to ground floor and paired sash windows above with single window above doorway. Unfortunately the original timber sash windows have been replaced with uPVC although some thought has been put into these. The building is set behind brick walls with planting.

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Netherleigh/Belvedere, 111/113 Thorne Road These were erected in 1895 for a land agent, George Beall, to the design of G. Brownlow Thompson of Hull. They are a pair of semi-detached properties characterised by the two gothic towers with spires. The one on the right, 113, in recent times had its later paintwork removed from its brickwork which greatly improved the appearance of this pair and is to be commended. It has decorative brickwork with stone window heads and fretted bargeboards to the gables. The one to the right has its original timber windows but unfortunately that to left has replacements in uPVC of crude detail and also its roof is covered with concrete tiles (again the one to the right retains its original Welsh slate). Decorative brick wall to front boundary to left that to right recent rebuild of simpler nature. As noted above No. 111 was previously empty and in poor condition but is now occupied.

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123 Thorne Road

This and the neighbouring property are of similar design. The building was once the home of Sir Nigel Gresley, the famous locomotive designer, and is a detached Victorian Villa in red brickwork in Flemish Bond and. Its roof is covered with Welsh slate. It is of two storeys with attic storey and of three bays, with the central one being recessed, whilst the outer bays are wider and are surmounted with gables with fretted bargeboards. On the ground floor there are canted bay windows either side of the central doorway which are roofed with attractive ‘fish-scale’ slates. The doorway has a stone door surround with a curved head with a pierced parapet above. On the first floor above the bay windows are twinned windows, with one window in the centre bay. The window openings of the ground and first floor have segmented curved heads with stone sill and the windows are large paned timber vertically sliding sashes. The second floor is set within the pitched roof and has a single curved headed window in each gable. The trees within the site contribute greatly to the green character of the area.

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125 Thorne Road

The building is a detached Victorian Villa in red brickwork in Flemish Bond. Its roof has unfortunately been replaced with concrete pantiles although it is likely that this would originally been a Welsh slate roof as next door at No. 123. It is of two storeys with attic storey and of three bays, with the central one being recessed, whilst the outer bays are wider and are surmounted with gables. On the ground floor there are canted bay windows either side of the central doorway. The doorway has a stone door surround with a curved head with nicely detailed fanlight although the door itself is a crude brown uPVC replacement. On the first floor above the bay windows are twinned windows, with one window in the centre bay. The second floor is set within the pitched roof and has a single curved headed window in each gable with similar details to those below. The window openings have segmented curved heads with stone sill and the windows are large paned timber vertically sliding sashes to the front and side. The trees within the site previously contribute greatly to the green character of the area although some have now been removed. Unfortunately there is also a timber fence to the front boundary which is alien to the area and detracts as noted above in the section on unsympathetic alterations.

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The Cumberland Hotel, Thorne Road The Cumberland Hotel forms an important termination to the eastern end of the conservation area, and is believed to have at its heart one of the oldest buildings in Doncaster, older than its Victorian appearance. It has generally attractive elevations to two sides that overlook it large grounds. Recently the southwest elevation has been improved by the removal of a large add-on that previously spoiled its appearance.

Proposed Boundary Changes Within the original appraisal of 2011 it was recommended that the boundary of the conservation area be amended. As of yet the boundary has not been formally amended but after this review it is intended that the boundaries will be formally amended in line with the original recommendation.

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Consultation on Review

Involving the community and raising public awareness is considered an important part of reviewing conservation area appraisals. The review of Doncaster – Thorne Road Conservation Area as well as the adjoining conservation areas of Doncaster – Christ Church and Doncaster – Town Field were subject to public consultation from 30 January to 13 March 2017. This included the following measures:

The review was made available during this period on the Council’s website with comments being welcome

Site notices were erected in and adjoining the conservation areas on Thursday 26 and Friday 27 January publicising the review and also welcoming comments

Doncaster Civic Trust were contacted given their previous involvement with the original conservation area appraisal

Consultation Results

As a result of the above consultation twelve responses were received of which four concerned Doncaster – Thorne Road Conservation Area and which were:

Doncaster Civic Trust – added comments on key unlisted buildings, suggested adding the issue of removal of walls and raised concerns over HiMOs

Response – comments have been added. Furthermore an additional section has been added on HiMOs. The Council are looking at potential ways for more effective control over HiMOs.

There were also three responses from members of the public which highlighted concerns on:

Whether the consultation was just a paper exercise and queried if comments would be taken on board

Response – comments were welcome and have been taken on board

Beckett Road – amount of traffic, with flyover now opened this road is used as short cut and large stretch from Wentworth Road to Holmes Market with no crossings

Response – to work with Highway – Safer Roads on options

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Parking – visitors to DRI and residents on nearby resident parking streets seem to not wish to pay for parking/permits and are using Auckland, Avenue and Axholme Roads instead with these roads now being crammed with parked cars. It would seem that as residents on these streets are finding it difficult they are resorting to parking on their front gardens with loss of boundary walls and greenery, and the introduction of drop curbs in pavement which creates a mish-mash of materials. These are all damaging the overall appearance. Cars also parked on crossing corners and overhang pavements creating obstructions that force pedestrians into road to get around them

Response – to work with Highway – Safer Roads on options

Number of HiMOs

Response – a section on HIMOs was included as part of the review. The Council are looking at potential ways for more effective control over HiMOs.

There is no guidance on uPVC replacement windows

Response – removal of existing timber window and replacement with uPVC windows are not encouraged and so why guidance on uPVC is not considered appropriate. In addition as buildings throughout the conservation area are different guidance would need to be specific and therefore better to be on case by case basis rather than generic advice.

More sympathetic designs of solar panels should be championed

Response – again as there are so many different types of properties individual advice is thought to be more appropriate

Why only the western side of Axholme Road is in the conservation area

Response – as part of the original appraisal this was reassessed and houses on the eastern side of the top of the road (No. 2 to 12) were recommended to be included as they share the same character as those that are in the conservation area, being ‘Arts and Craft’ inspired buildings in red brick and render in spacious plot. Extending the conservation area to include the whole of the street was also considered but the scale and architecture of the rest of the eastern side of the street has less in common with the conservation area.

Why can’t a letter/guidance be send to all properties in conservation area highlighting what can or can’t happen in conservation area rather than on web

Response – this would be cost-prohibitive and against best practice of having information available on-line however this form of guidance is planned to be provided to Estate Agents so that new purchasers can be made more aware of what it means to buy a property in a conservation area.