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A free copy to each house on Tranmere Park

Tranmere Park Guiseley, LeedsNeighbourhood Design Statement October 2010

AcknowledgementsThe Tranmere Park Design Group is grateful to Nigel Lees and Steve Waterson, officers of Leeds City Council, for their help and advice in thepreparation of this document. Thanks also go to Ward Councillors who have supported the Group with grants towards costs incurred andDennis Murgatroyd who has taken most of the photographs in the document. We are grateful to Keith Appleyard, son of Prior’s architectL.Taylor Appleyard, who kindly offered free use of images from his father’s archive. This scrapbook of original drawings, press cuttings andadvertising material is a Tranmere Park treasure trove. The Residents of the Estate have been supportive, encouraging and forbearing duringthe time taken to produce their Neighbourhood Design Statement. To all those who have expressed views, supplied photographs anddocuments and given time to help with leaflet drops, the Group expresses appreciation and thanks.

Members of the Tranmere Park Design Group:Tricia Restorick (Chairman), Tony Sykes (Secretary), Jo Donnelly (Treasurer) Chris Bean, Graham Boardman, Sam Buckley, Simon Davy, Michael Dawson, Brian Dyson, David Marston, Dennis Murgatroyd, Cedric Wilks and several others who were able tocontribute for part of the time.

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The Tranmere Park Neighbourhood Design Statement has been produced in response to residents’ wishes toconserve the special character of the Tranmere ParkEstate. It follows the spirit of the Village DesignStatements first promoted by the Countryside Commissionin 1996 and echoed in the Government policy documentCreating Sustainable Communities (PPS1) published in 2005.

The Neighbourhood Design Statement closely follows theLeeds City Council document Neighbourhoods for Livingproduced in 2003. NfL is a response to much guidance ondesign provided by central Government and otheragencies in preceding years. This Neighbourhood DesignStatement provides further guidance at the local level fordevelopers and designers working on projects within theTranmere Park Estate.

The Estate affords ready access to leisure and shoppingfacilities, commercial and industrial centres, motorwaysand mainline rail connections whilst adjoining opencountryside to the west. This open land lends distinctseparate identities to the settlements of Guiseley and Menston.

The Leeds City Region continues to seek new businessfrom investors outside the region and Tranmere Park can

contribute to the demand for good residential suburbs.

The variety of house styles reflects a limited range ofarchitectural expression with a markedly cohesivecharacter. All the original properties were constructedwith quality in mind and a carefully considered,harmonious relationship between dwellings, gardens andopen green spaces. The mix of size of house ensures thereare homes suitable for all ages and thus re-generation ofthe Estate is sustained.

The Chief Planning Officer of Leeds City Council considersTranmere Park to be “a local area of special characterwhere particular attention needs to be paid for achievinggood design”. This echoes the view of Mr Prior whoconceived and constructed most of the Estate. Hedescribed it as “a beautiful semi-rural setting and a veryrare kind of garden estate”. In a detailed local consultationexercise, conservation of this character was the expressedobjective of residents.

Section 11 of the NDS explains in detail the Guidance forDevelopment which residents of Tranmere Park would liketo be observed whenever new build or alterations toexisting properties are being considered. Guidance forDevelopment is founded on the wish of residents of theEstate to conserve its character for future generations.

Summary

Tranmere Park Neighbourhood Design Statement

A Neighbourhood Design Statement builds on existing statutory planning policy to ensure that change contributes

positively to the sustainability of an area, its heritage, its design quality, its landscape, its accessibility, its facilities and its

social cohesion. This document presents an appraisal of the existing character of the Tranmere Park Estate which will help

guide development, large and small, so that this character can be protected. It makes suggestions for enhancing and

improving that character and will provide residents with a deeper understanding and respect for their surroundings.

Developers will also be made aware of the importance which local people attach to the Estate. At all stages, the writing of

this document has reflected the views of the residents it is designed to serve.

Foreword 2

Introduction: an Estate in town and country 3

Policy Context: background and status of Neighbourhood Design Statements 4

The Process: input from the community and constitution of the TPDG 4

Drivers of Change: national and local planning issues 5

Restrictive Covenants 6

Neighbourhoods for Living: the Leeds document which has shaped the NDS 6

Description of Tranmere Park: city and countryside meet 7

Defining the Character: the residents’ view 8

Defining the Character: a sense of place 9

Getting About: movement on the Estate for pedestrians and drivers 13

Guidance for Development: the future of Tranmere Park 14

For Better or Worse: scope for improvement 16

Appendix 1 A History of Guiseley and Tranmere Park 18

Appendix 2 A Wildlife Survey conducted by children on the Estate 20

Appendix 3 (a) The Residents’ Questionnaire and (b) Results Summary 21

Appendix 4 The Enforcement of Restrictive Covenants 25

Acknowledgements Back Cover

StatusThe Tranmere Park Design Statement was adopted by Leeds City Council on 16 October 2010 as a documentof material consideration in considering development proposals including domestic planning applications andthus will subsequently be used to maintain the special qualities of the Tranmere Park Estate.

Contents

Tranmere Park l Neighbourhood Design Statement 1

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The Tranmere Park NeighbourhoodDesign Statement provides adescription of the overall character ofa large residential estate lying on thenorth-west edge of the city of Leeds.The Chief Planning Officer for LeedsCity Council considers this “to be alocal area of special character wherewe need to pay particular attention toachieving good design”. In thepreparation of the NDS, residentshave identified key issues facing thefuture of the Estate through theirresponses to the detailedquestionnaire circulated to allhouseholds in 2007.

This wide public consultation alsohelped explain what attractedresidents to the Estate, what they likeabout the locality and whatimprovements would be desirablewhilst retaining the existing character.The NDS gives guidance on designprinciples that will continue to makethe Estate attractive to present andfuture residents.

The architectural features, the low density housing, the size andlayout of gardens, the green spacesand roadside verges, the character of roads and public footpathscontribute to a uniquelyhomogeneous suburban area whichhas matured over the last 80 years.By providing residents and localauthority planning officers with this

document it is hoped that futuredevelopments on the Estate can beshaped to respond sensitively to itsexisting character. The acceptance ofthe NDS by the City Council shouldensure it has a place as a materialconsideration in planning matters.

The cumulative impact of smallincremental changes which are atodds with the prevailingcharacteristic details of the Estatecan have a major eroding effect on itsintegrity. Householders, theirarchitects and builders shouldconsider carefully how the alterationsthey are considering could affect thecharacter of the Estate.

2 Tranmere Park l Neighbourhood Design Statement

Tranmere Park Estate is roughlytriangular in shape. The easternboundary is defined by the A6038 roadfrom Ilkley to Shipley which alsoseparates the Estate from the town ofGuiseley. The southern boundary isformed by Hawksworth Lane which hasfarm land and Bradford Golf Club to itssouthern side. Forming the western edgeof the Estate is Thorpe Lane beyondwhich lies open farmland rising to theHawksworth Plateau and Ilkley Moor.

The layout and building of the Estatebegan in the 1920s at a time whenincreasing wealth enabled many peopleto become home owners for the firsttime, resulting in more homes being builtthan in any other decade since. Themain developer, Prior, described it as “abeautiful semi-rural setting and a veryrare kind of garden estate”. Hisinvolvement with the development of theEstate continued for over 50 yearsduring which time he emphasised “thegently curving, landscaped avenues...amongst trees... avoiding the starkhostility and ‘newness’ of mass-produceddevelopments”.

The new homes of the 1920s and 1930sreflected the aspirations of thegeneration and the rapidly developingtechnologies of the time, resulting inprogressive architectural styles

complemented by thelatest interior fixturesand fittings. A trenddeveloped for peopleto leave the inner citiesand move to newdevelopments in thenew suburban areasbordering thecountryside. It washere where the dreamof living in the countrywhilst being close tothe town came tofruition, with TranmerePark being one suchestate where thisdream was realised for many.

The Estate nowprovides high qualityaccommodation forabout 850 families in detached andsemi-detached houses, bungalows andapartments. Many of the residents workin the conurbations of West Yorkshirewhich are easily accessible by road andrail, Guiseley having a direct train linkwith both Leeds and Bradford.

Within the boundaries of the Estatethere is a tennis club with recently re-built club house and two hard courts,a parade of shops and a primary schoolwhich currently has over 300 pupils on roll.

In addition to its proximity to commercialand industrial centres, the Estate isextremely well positioned for leisurepursuits and local shopping facilities. Tothe west lies open countryside leading toIlkley Moor; a favourite area for walkers.The town of Guiseley has a leisure centreand health clubs as well as a town hall(which stages entertainment events) and

churches, cricket and football clubs,restaurants, pubs, post offices, banks,supermarket and a range of local shops.

This Neighbourhood Design Statementhighlights features of the Tranmere ParkEstate which are worth protecting. TheNDS will also seek to guide newdevelopments so that the character ofthe Estate can be conserved andenhanced. The document is not intendedto prevent change happening on theEstate but to ensure that it evolves in amanner which works to the benefit ofthe area rather than its detriment.

Tranmere Park Neighbourhood Design Statement

Foreword

Introduction: an Estate in town and country

Aerial photograph showing thelocation of Tranmere Park tennis club

The original plan for the parade ofshops, built in typical 1930s style.

The shops today

Tranmere Park in relationto Guiseley, Royds Parkdevelopment, Menstonand main A65 road.

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On 1 February 2006 CouncillorsAndrew, Bale and Latty called apublic meeting for residents ofTranmere Park at Guiseley School.Their action was in response toinnumerable contacts received fromresidents of the Tranmere Park Estatewho were expressing anxiety at thelarge number of planning applicationsbeing submitted which wereconsidered inappropriate to thecharacter of existing houses and theEstate as a whole.

At this public meeting a group ofvolunteers came forward. CouncillorGraham Latty led a subsequentmeeting of these volunteers fromwhich a working group was formedwith the purpose of drawing up aNeighbourhood Design Statement forTranmere Park.

The group adopted the nameTranmere Park Design Group anddrew up a constitution.

On 3 July 2006 the Group led anIssues Evening at Tranmere ParkPrimary School. Residents of theEstate were invited to jot down issuesof concern and were keen to discusstheir future vision for the Estate.

The Group analysed the responsesfrom the public meeting and usedthem as the basis for a Questionnaire.In addition, the Group consultedNeighbourhoods for Living and usedthe themes from that document toshape the Questionnaire.

The Questionnaire was distributed byhand to all 800 houses on the Estatein January 2007. Responses weredelivered to the homes of members of

the TPDG shown on the Questionnaire.The response to the questionnaire wasat a level recognised by research to bestatistically significant and can beconsidered to be a reflection of theviews of the residents of Estate. Theresponses were analysed and in April2007 a feedback document wasissued to Councillors, PlanningOfficers and all residents of the Estate.These are summarised in Appendix 2.

In the light of the Questionnaireanalysis the Group examined oncemore all the principles contained in Neighbourhoods for Living andidentified all those which are relevant to an established area such as Tranmere Park. Using NfL as a template work began on drawing up the NeighbourhoodDesign Statement.

The effects of accelerating demandfor development at higher densitiesand the interest of owner-occupiersin realising the latent value of theirproperty, threaten the historicalcharacter and distinctiveness ofTranmere Park.

The view was widely expressed inrespondents’ comments at the IssuesEvening and in the Questionnaire thatthese ‘drivers of change’ are alreadyevident in the erosion of loss ofdistinctive design features of theEstate and in some unsympathetic in-fill development. Residents havenoted that apparently small changesto properties, when repeatedelsewhere, have a significantcumulative effect.

The Government’s Chief Plannerannounced in a letter to all ChiefPlanning Officers in England thatfrom 15 June 2010, via amendmentsto the Government’s Planning PolicyStatement 3: “Housing”, that gardens are no longer to be includedwithin the definition of previouslydeveloped land. This will alter theway in which Leeds City Council asthe Local Planning Authority has toview new housing developmentwithin garden areas.

Planning Policy Statement 3:“Housing” states in para 49 that“Careful attention to design isparticularly important where chosen local strategy involvesintensification of the existing urbanfabric. More intensive development isnot always appropriate....”

Planning Policy Statement 1:“Delivering SustainableDevelopment”, states in para 34 that“Planning authorities should planpositively for the achievement of highquality and inclusive design for alldevelopment, including individualbuildings, public and private spacesand wider area developmentschemes. Good design shouldcontribute positively to making placesbetter for people. Design which is

inappropriate in its context, or whichfails to take the opportunitiesavailable for improving the characterand quality of an area and the way itfunctions, should not be accepted.”

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The Process: input from the community andconstitution of the TPDG

Policy Context: background and status ofNeighbourhood Design Statements

This Neighbourhood Design Statementhas been produced by residents of theEstate following extensive consultationthrough meetings, informationsessions and a comprehensivequestionnaire; a process in which allresidents of the Estate have hadopportunity to engage. The NDSrepresents the views of the TranmerePark community and follows in thespirit of the Village Design Statements

first promoted by the CountrysideCommission in 1996 and echoed in theGovernment’s policy document,Creating Sustainable Communities(PPS1) published in 2005:

“Local planning authorities shoulddevelop a shared vision with theirlocal communities of the types ofresidential environments they wish tosee in their area and articulate thisthrough their development plan

policies and supplementary planningguidance.”

The residents’ Design Group has alsobeen closely guided by the Leeds CityCouncil document Neighbourhoods forLiving (2007). Its themes of use,movement, space and form have beenfollowed whilst describing the qualitiesand characteristics which giveTranmere Park a sense of identity andmake it a unique place in which to live.

Drivers of Change: national and local planning issues

Recent in-fill developments.

An original bungalow andside garden replaced by twodetatched houses in 2010.

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From its initial conception, andthrough all the decades of building,the Tranmere Park Estate has beenshaped by Restrictive Covenants (seeAppendix 4) which were placed oneach plot as it was sold. Purchasersagreed with the vendor that they andtheir successors would abide by theCovenants, thereby establishing acommon style of building, auniformity of street scene and asense of spaciousness to thedevelopment as a whole.

Although Planning Authorities are notobliged to take Restrictive Covenantsinto consideration in dealing withapplications they are obliged toconsider design and character issues(such as those embodied within theRestrictive Covenants) in determiningplanning applications. The LeedsLocal Development Frameworkcontains this saved UDP policy N13 onBuilding Design:

N13: “The design of all new buildingsshould be of high quality and haveregard to the character andappearance of their surroundings.Good contemporary design which issympathetic or complementary to itssetting will be welcomed.”

Simple guidance is also contained inthe Householder Design Guidepublished in 2008, “What should Iconsider before applying for planningpermission? - General principles forhouseholders”. In its section ongeneral principles for assessinghouseholder proposals it states:

Townscape/design and character:The townscape of an area andgeneral street scene is important indeciding the appropriate form, sizeand distances to the boundaries forextensions (including proposals fordormers and roof alterations). Thecharacter of an area is defined by the

design, dominant building type,spaces between the buildings,materials, heights, level differences,the boundaries (walls, fences,hedges, trees and other vegetation)and trees and vegetation within thesite itself and surroundings. In areaswhere the spaces between thehouses are an importantcharacteristic, for example large plotswith mature landscaped boundariesor semi detached dwellings withdistinctive space between housesprovided by drives, regard should behad to these characteristics indeciding upon the size and design forthe extension. Extensions should bein keeping with and respect thecharacter of the area.

More detailed design policy iscontained within “Neighbourhoodsfor Living” drawn up by Leeds City Council and published inDecember 2003.

The Tranmere Park Estate stands at thetransition from the dynamic city ofLeeds to the entirely rural aspect ofYorkshire fields and moorland.Residents are able to access miles ofhealthy country walking from theirdoorstep. The wildlife of thecountryside regularly visits the gardensand open space of the Estate wherethe interlinked, continuous areas ofprivate gardens provide a richextended habitat.

A wildlife survey conducted on theEstate confirmed evidence of a rangeof garden and woodland birds andmammals which are resident or arefrequent visitors. In addition to theusual garden birds (robin, sparrow,blackbird etc..) and hedgehogs, frogs,and squirrels, visitors to gardensinclude owls, kestrels, woodpeckers,members of the finch family, mallards,foxes and fieldmice. The maturegardens, absence of heavy traffic andpresence of water, both ornamentalpools and natural courses help sustainthis variety.

The western edge of Tranmere ParkEstate on Thorpe Lane is bounded by abelt of trees which follows the lengthof the lane. These trees (protected byTPO) mark the beginning of greenbeltland running up to Ilkley Moor andwere described by a Planning Inspectoras adding ‘to the mature sylvan feel ofthe area and their future decline or losswould significantly undermine this,which would be harmful to thecharacter and appearance of the area.’This tree cover in strip woodland

alongside roads and becks is animportant feature of the naturallandscape bordering the Estate andshould be conserved.

Immediately adjacent to the Estate is anarea described as the HawksworthPlateau in the Leeds Landscape

Assessment (1991) produced by LeedsCity Council. Characterised by medium-scale fields of pasture grazed by sheepand cattle, the area is criss-crossed bypublic footpaths immediately accessibleto residents of the Estate. Therecreational pressure on this landscapeis already evident in the horse ridingand stabling establishments on themoor road. In addition, thedevelopment of a golf course withaccess from Thorpe Lane has beenapproved. This will inevitably introducea ‘suburban’ character to an otherwiserural landscape as well as a markedincrease in traffic use on the semi-ruralThorpe Lane itself. (See the map offootpaths leading from the Estate.)

Beyond this, on lower ground, lies theparkland estate of the former High


Restrictive Covenants

Neighbourhoods for Living (NfL): the Leeds document which has shaped the NDS

Neighbourhoods for Living was drawnup by Leeds City Council andpublished in December 2003. Thiscomprehensive document is aresponse to much guidance on designproduced at national level in thepreceding months and years. TheLeeds document ‘seeks to supplementthat and provide support for theUnitary Development Plan. This guidespecifically provides further clarity fordevelopers and designers in Leedsregarding:

The themes and principles ofresidential design

The character and essence of Leeds

Submission requirements and analysisbased process’

Neighbourhoods for Living wasdesigned to be of value to a range ofgroups including developers, designteams, businesses and politicians and

the general public. Residents,community or amenity groups fromacross the city are also targeted inorder to encourage ‘local characteranalyses to contribute to furtherdevelopment’.

The Tranmere Park Design Group isresponding to this encouragement indrawing up its Neighbourhood DesignStatement. By closely following thekey principles of Neighbourhoods forLiving we have sought to describe andillustrate the defining features of theEstate so that a more holistic approachto its future development can beadopted.

NfL followed the government’sPlanning Policy Guidance notes (PPG1,and housing in PPG3) and a series ofdocuments including By Design: BetterPlaces to Live (2001), By Design: UrbanDesign in the Planning System (2000)and Places, Streets and Movement

(1998). The Crime and Disorder Act1998 Section 17 encouraged localauthorities to consider the preventionof crime and disorder within thedesign of residential development.

NfL is designated SupplementaryPlanning Guidance (SPG13) and sitsalongside other relevant backgrounddocuments including several Villageand Neighbourhood DesignStatements already in existence, forexample those for Adel, Bramhope,Bardsey, East Keswick, Far Headingleyand Hawksworth.

TPDG considered that the leads givenby NfL in providing ‘inspiration toimprove design... background to localcharacter... an analytical approach toconsidering local character... context-driven approach to the process ofpreparing design proposals for sites’are entirely relevant to the TranmerePark Estate.

Description of Tranmere Park: city and countryside meet

Looking across the Hawksworth Plateau from Thorpe Lane.

Map showing footpaths on and around the Tranmere Estate


The Questionnaire which residents

completed in January 2007 helped

define the many ‘sense of place’

qualities which they wished to

retain. Residents’ views can be

summarised thus:

Character andEnvironment:Over 74% respondents agreedstrongly that the style and characterof houses and the space betweenhouses should be retained, and thatgreenspace and nearby countryfootpaths are a valuable resource

Over 75% respondents agreed thatmost trees are worth preserving, grassverges should be kept, boundariesbetween houses should be “green”and that Covenants help maintain thecharacter of the Estate

Houses and Design:95% respondents agreed that theexisting low density fosters a greenerenvironment

93% respondents agreed that a

variety of house types and sizesshould be retained

96% respondents agreed thatalterations to buildings should matchthe original design of the property

90% respondents agreed that newhouses should match the old in styleand materials

80% respondents agreed that original details such as front doors,roof tiles and window styles areimportant to keep

74% respondents agreed strongly, and

a further 22% agreed, that new housesand extensions should be no higherthan 2 storeys.

Space about Buildings:91% respondents agreed that the frontbuilding line should be maintained

88% respondents agreed that spacebetween building and rear boundaryshould be at least 10.50 metres

82% respondents felt the spacebetween building and side boundaryshould be at least 2.50 metres


Defining the Character: The residents’ view

Defining the Character: a sense of placeTranmere Park has a distinctive sense ofplace. It was conceived as a high quality,low density housing project before theadvent of town planning and the holisticapproach to urban design of the presentday. Purchasers of plots of land agreedto a clause within the Conveyance whichstated: No dwelling house or otherbuildings shall be erected upon the saidplot of land otherwise than inaccordance with the plans and elevationsand of materials previously approved ofby the Vendor's Surveyor and nobuilding shall be commenced upon thesaid plot of land until such Surveyor shallhave given a Certificate in writing ofsuch approval for every such Certificatethe Purchasers or their successors in titleshall pay to the Vendor's Surveyor thesum of Ten shillings and sixpence.

The Estate is unique in having wide grassverges and no pavements (footways).The original purchasers of homes on theEstate were required to plant trees atdefined distances along the vergesfronting their properties. These trees(many of them protected), shrubs andmature gardens add to the semi-ruralfeel and help create a uniqueenvironment. The spaciousness of theadjoining wide and deep back gardensprovides a continuous green corridorand habitat.

The variety of house size ensures thatthere are homes suitable for all ages.Families, couples, retired and singlepeople can, at present, find a house,bungalow or apartment of suitable size.This diversity helps sustain the re-generation of the Estate: when thechildren leave home it is still possible todown-size locally.

The older parts of the Tranmere Estatecontain homes typical of the 1930s.

Examples can be seen of period styledproperties influenced by a traditionalromanticism sitting alongside flat roofedvillas influenced by continentalmodernism. In between the traditionaland the modern can be seen manyhouses which borrow elements fromboth architectural styles.

Original sales brochures reveal that theindividual detailing of each house was akey part of the appeal of the Estate.

A 1930s timbered house successfully extended at the right hand side.

Royds Hospital. Currently undergoingrestoration and redevelopment, thegardens and estate have beendesignated as registered historic parkand garden land, to which extensivepublic access rights have been secured.

This open land of high landscapequality and its green belt designationserves to maintain Guiseley andMenston as separate and distinctsettlements.

Dressed stone arch to front doorArched, studded front door with glass panes within brick archway

Original front door Herringbone brickwork

The belt of trees which marks the westernedge of the Estate is protected by a TPO.



painted white, and large plain windowswith galvanised iron frames. There was acomplete absence of decoration. Insidethe house was open plan.

When house building on the Estate re-commenced after World War 2 buildingmaterials control demanded that moresemi-detached (albeit, large) wererequired to be built. However, pairs ofsemis had to match and the alreadyestablished distinctive character of theEstate was maintained. The spaciousplots were sited on ‘gently curvinglandscaped avenues among the treesand superb property’. Open-plan widegreen verges which merged into eachother at the front of houses helpedcreate ‘a very rare kind of garden estate’.A mix of bungalows and houses wasmaintained; indeed purchasers wereassured ‘We’ll design your home,tailoring it to the plot of your choice andto your precise requirements’ from ‘ourrange of designs, and find one whichexactly fulfils them, with modifications asnecessary.’ This ensured that every homewas given some individuality within thedesigns on offer.

In the majority of cases, the houses werefinished with white-painted render butnew owners were also offered the option

Post-war building on Westgate. Note the Crittal windows, stone plinth and surround tothe front door. The neighbouring house retains stone detailing above the windows.

Post-war semi detached houses maintaining the ‘Tranmere style’ and positioning at the head of a cul de sac.

Timber porch and painted hardwood door.

In keeping with the theme of countryliving on the edge of town, the homeswere allowed generous plots, ‘averagingover a fifth of an acre in size’, which thusafforded a degree of privacy. In addition,roads and verges were arranged in sucha way that a feeling of space wasmaintained in all public areas.

The most popular style of home, takingits influences from the Arts and Craftsmovement, was the mock-Tudor, cottage,'Tudorbethan' or 'Jacobethan' style.Features included areas of herringbonebrickwork, clay tile-hung walls, weather-boarding, and exposed local stone andtimber detailing. Windows had woodenframes with iron casements anddiamond-shaped leaded panes oftencomplemented by stained glassdetailing. The roof had clay tiles ratherthan slates and would often haveasymmetric dimensions withchimneystacks featuring elaborate stoneor brickwork. The porch was either asimple hood with console brackets,gabled, or of a timber loggia design withlow roofline. Many doors were of oakwith iron nails and fittings. Most houseshad a two-storey bay with angled orhalf-rounded sides. Inside there wasoften oak panelling, a distinctive carvedoak newel post, exposed beams and, inlarger homes, an inglenook fireplace.

Added to these architectural styles wasthe influence of Art Deco. The name 'ArtDeco' had appeared in 1925. Initially itfeatured rounded motifs, such as foliageand flowers, but later these becamemore abstract and geometric, such as asunburst. Some designs indicated speedwith strong lateral lines, often tapered.Examples can be seen in colouredwindow glass used in houses on theTranmere Estate and in even smaller

detailing such as the design of interiordoor handles.

A more distinctive style was called'Moderne', 'sun-trap' or 'InternationalStyle'. Modernism saw the home as a'machine' where the priority was fitnessfor purpose. The style avoideddecoration and decorative objects,instead stressing the use of chrome andglass. Usually, you can see a few suchhouses in a cluster among Tudorbethanhomes and there are a number of thesehouses on the Tranmere Estate. In theirpurist, Cubist form they are stark andfunctional, with flat roofs, concrete walls

Hanging clay tiles ona two-storey bay.

Decorative stonework on inglenook.

An Arts and Crafts frontage with brick andrandom Yorkshire stone detailing and orielwindow over an iron-studded hard wood door.

A contrasting 1930s ‘moderne’ style housewith recently added pitch roof. Note thewindows on the corners and raised roof linesimilar to the bridge on a passenger liner.

‘Tudorbethan’ with herringbone brickworkand diamond leaded panes in iron casement.

Original Crittal frame

Weather boarding.

Detached bungalow and house side by side.

Post-war development retained the wide green verges.



A study of access and mobility(movement) shows the Estate is verypoorly served by public transport whilstcar-ownership is above average. Aninfrequent bus-service operates in theevening along the Bradford Road.Guiseley railway station is accessible onfoot for some residents of the Estatealthough for many people, especially theelderly and families with young children,public transport is much less accessible.

The original concept included pathwaysserving as shortcuts between theavenues and roads. These continue tobe valued by pedestrians and enableaccess to public areas. Examplesinclude a footpath to the rear of theshops, the ‘snicket’ connecting the lowerpart of the Estate to the primary school,the path to the tennis club fromBroadway and the ‘secret steps’ whichallow quick access to the countrysidefootpaths.

The Estate today is less pedestrian-friendly than when Prior’s vision wasoriginally conceived. Traffic density,including commercial vehicles, roadspeed and, in some cases, parking ongrass verges have created potentialconflicts and hazards for all highwayusers. Parents dropping off children atthe Primary School have also createdcongestion problems on Ridgeway andthe roads leading off it. The use ofEstate roads as ‘rat runs’ fromHawksworth Lane and Thorpe Lane bynon-Estate generated traffic is arelatively recent occurrence.

Whilst 72% of respondents to theQuestionnaire favoured the introductionof a 20mph speed limit, there was verylittle support for the creation offootways/pavements.

Getting About: movement on the Estate for pedestrians and drivers

Top and left: Parkingnear the PrimarySchool creates traffichazards.

Below from top to bottom:Footpath from Byeway to the shops.

The snicket leadingfrom the PrimarySchool to the Oval.

The ‘Secret Steps’between Thorpe Laneand Fairway.

Above: Examples ofencroachment onto grassverges. Increased hardlandscaping areas diminishthe verge in order to createcar parking space.

Right: Degradation of theverge by traffic.

Below: An exceptionalexample of a retaining wallabutting the kerb.

of a second coat of render which was leftin its natural colour. Whilst there wasrather less architectural detailing than onthe earlier houses, a plinth of randomstone or dressed Yorkshire stone wasused for a decorative effect and frontdoor openings were often similarlyoutlined. There was a choice of roof tile

colour (shades of grey, beige or green)and doors of a traditional design inpainted or varnished hard wood.Window frames were of the galvanisedsteel Crittal type or painted hardwoodby Boulton and Paul. The sales brochurefeaturing these houses also emphasises‘...the one common denominator. Quality.

We build to last . . . and strive to provethat high standards of workmanship arenot old-fashioned after all.’

Tranmere Park Primary School, designedby the Local Education Authority andcompleted in 1972, is a brick-built singlestorey construction of 1675 squaremetres with flat felt roof with woodenfascia boards and wood-framed windowsand doors. On site there is also acaretaker’s house of similar construction.The grounds, covering 11,388 squaremetres, are mainly grass with two hard-surface playgrounds, two adventure playareas and a nature garden.

Flower-filled planters surround thebuilding and outdoor natural woodseating has been provided for children’s use at playtime. The perimeterof the school has green metal linkedfencing. The retention of mature trees onthe north of the site helps retainsomething of the Estate’s distinctivelandscape characteristics.

Porch with stone surroundand painted hardwood door.

Tranmere Park Primary School.

A typical 1930s steeply pitched roof withoriginal red Rosemary tiles

Post-war roof with grey tiles

Wide green verge uncluttered by high fences, railings or walls

Steeply pitched roof lines on houses and bungalows.



Guidance for Development: the future of Tranmere Park

In their responses to the What MakesTranmere Special questionnaireresidents were particularly emphaticin their wish to protect the characterand ambience of the Estate (seeAppendix 2b). Their views areincorporated in the paragraphs below.

In an area with a distinctive individualcharacter and sense of place such asTranmere Park, it is helpful ifresidents, architects and PlanningOfficers take special care whenconsidering changes. Examples ofgood practice include:

• Reflecting on the original designconcept of the property and Estateas a whole and appreciating thequalities inherent within them.

• Utilising the services of an architector architect technician familiar withthe Estate.

• Reviewing the property from allsides (360 degrees) as others would see it.

• Identifying the characteristics ofthe particular property, for exampleexternal features, materials andcolours present, roofing materials,roof line and pitch, window anddoor styles, surrounding vegetation.

• Visualising the effect that proposedchanges to the property would havein the context of neighbouringhouses, gardens and mature trees.This is especially important where ahouse is double-fronted, semi-detached or part of a symmetricaland open plan ‘street scene’.

• Reviewing other extended orconverted houses in the area,establishing which have beensympathetically carried out toblend with neighbouring propertiesand which have been lesssympathetic or disrespectful.

In the context of proportionally largerscale developments within the Estate(such as the building of pairs ofdwellings) it is the expressed wish ofresidents that pre-application

discussions, based on thisNeighbourhood Design Statement, takeplace between Planning Officers andapplicants/developers.

In order to complement the localcharacter of the Estate in terms ofdesign and materials, respect for theestablished building lines isfundamental (NfL Key Principles 82 and 84).

Any development will need to reflectgood design and respect the local builtcharacter. Extensions should be“subservient” in appearance to the mainproperty, set back from the frontagewith a defined “crease line” and withroofs of significantly lower ridge height,and similar roof pitch, verge, gutter anddownpipe and window details androofing materials. Extensions should not reduce significantly the gap spacebetween adjacent houses, with distinctvisual separation retained, as this is one of the key characteristics of theTranmere Estate (NfL Key Principles 1 and 8).

Development should avoid loss ofsignificant trees, boundary shrubs orhedges. Should a development beallowed that results in loss of maturetrees replacement planting of anappropriate scale and variety of treeand the space to accommodate theirfuture growth will be expected as partof the planning consideration. Thesetrees should be protected in the long-term (NfL Key Principle 52).

Development proposals shouldconsider the potential for the retentionand conversion of existing buildings inpreference to demolition (NfL para 106)especially when replacement propertieswould be detrimental to the spaciouscharacter of the Estate including itsgrass verges, the privacy and amenityof adjoining properties or compromiseexisting hedges and trees.

The design of new houses should avoid prominent garages or open parkingareas dominating the propertyfrontages and the street scene (NfL Key

Original diamond-pane leaded window

Principles 77 - 79). Subdivision of largeproperties into flats should not bepermitted, where the enhancedprovision of car parking or subdivisionof the garden would be detrimental tothe street scene.

The provision of high hedges, walls andgates will generally be discouraged onthe Estate frontages unless this hasalready become an established featureof the local character on that part ofthe Estate (for example, Bradford Road,Hawksworth Lane, Thorpe Lane,Broadway). Hedging plants should beof an appropriate variety that will notgrow excessively quickly and so cause anuisance (NfL Principles 46 and 55).

House owners should note that, unlessspecific planning consent has beengranted, it is not permitted to erectfences, walls or gates that exceed 1metre in height next to a highway usedby vehicles or over 2 metres highelsewhere (www.planningportal.gov.uk).

Overhanging timber porch with original door

Original painted and studdedhard wood door

Original dressed stone bay window withreplacement leaded glass

Original oak studded door inattractive overhang porch

Successfully replacedfront door retainingoriginal iron work

Original colouredglass preserved intriple glazed unit.

Original painted and studded hardwoodfront door under simple hood porch

Steeply pitched gablesand timber detailing



For Better or Worse: scope for improvementNeighbourhoods for Living promotesthe concept of the positive workingtogether of the various builtenvironment design disciplines inorder to create successful places tolive. It identifies four broad, but inter-related, themes: Use, Form,Movement and Space.

Use is about creatingneighbourhoods that respect thelocal character and create vitalitythrough a choice of housing andgood access to a range of serviceswithin walking distance and publictransport.

Form is about producing highquality building design thatrespects the local character andscale and massing of adjacentbuildings and spaces therebysafeguarding privacy and amenity.

Movement is about creating a safeenvironment for pedestrians andmotorists with good connections tolocal facilities and public transport.

Space is about making attractivespaces that work for residents,pedestrians, motorists and wildlifewith private and public open spacesappropriate to the character of thearea, discrete parking for cars andeffective natural surveillance.

To these principles can be added theconcept of sustainability:

Sustainability encompasses issuesranging from houses fitted forlifestyle to efficient use of land and

resources. NfL states: ‘Once built,the life of a development should bemaximised. The fact that people’sneeds change over time has led tothe development of long-life/loose-fit principles for lifetime homes’.

The principles within Neighbourhoodsfor Living address a range ofresidential design issues relevant toTranmere Park which were identifiedby residents in their responses to theQuestionnaire:

i and ii. Use and Form:local character and vitality: enhancing the sense of identity and place

Tranmere Park is special and has many“sense of place” qualities that residentswish to see retained. In particular, theEstate’s character is derived not justfrom the style and character of thehouses but also, as described by LeedsCity Council, from ‘the existing visual gaps betweendwellings which form a positivecharacteristic of the present streetsceneand locality as a whole’ (Refusal ofPlanning Application Number09/03471/FU, 22.11.09)

The links between the greenspace ofthe Estate and the nearby countryfootpaths provide a valuable resourceto the community and in the interestsof future health and fitness should beretained for the next generation.

Furthermore, this greenspace resourcecomprises not just the large privategardens of individual dwellings but alsothe grass verges, trees and openspaces. These in turn provide a thrivinghabitat for wildlife and biodiversity.

New housing development iscontentious in particular whereresidents see the demolition of anexisting home and/or loss of valuablegreenspace. Residents strongly feelthat any extensions, additions or newbuildings should match in both styleand materials and be no higher than 2storeys. In addition, residents believethat building alterations should matchthe original design of a propertyincluding original design details such asfront doors, roof tiles and windowstyles. In effect, infill development,where it is in other respects acceptable,should respect the scale of earlierphases and their associated shapes,sizes and layouts.

iii. Movement: safeenvironments forpedestrians, motoristsand residents: places need to both feel safeand be safe and secure

The “distance between buildings”

standard and tree planting schemes

adopted by Prior and the creation of

grass verges with no pavements has

created very attractive streets and

pleasant greenery which encourage

walking.

On-street car parking is common on

some roads which at peak times

provides a further potential hazard.

The likelihood of on-street parking is

diminished in streets built in the later

phases of house-building on the upper

parts of the Estate as houses here

generally have long and/or wide

driveways in addition to garages.

The development of the Tranmere Park

Estate pre-dates the introduction of

“Secure by Design” criteria. Many

householders have incorporated

security features in home

improvements without adversely

affecting the overall character of their

homes and the Estate in general. The

City Council’s new street lighting

scheme will improve illumination levels

generally on the Estate which may

obviate the need to erect security gates

and fences which appear out-of-

context.

Positive management of the Council’sgrass verges and trees will help tocreate a safe and more secure placeand the amenity value of the grassverges will be safeguarded for thecommunity.

Neighbourhood Watch Schemes areoperated on several parts of theEstate and help to deter the potentialfor crime.

iv. Space: spacesbetween buildings –

create attractive streetsand spaces whichencourage walking

The street scenes are visuallyattractive and in addition to retainingthe grass verges and large gardens,residents believe that buildingalterations should not increase thedensity of development and therebysafeguard the character and qualityof the neighbourhood. Residentsconsider that this integral character isreflected in individual design featuressuch as original front door detailing,roof tiles and window styles, all ofwhich should be replicated in anynew development.

The front building line is also felt byresidents to be an integral part of thestreet scene.

The spacious design standard (that isthe minimum space betweenbuildings and rear and sideboundaries) is incompatible with therevised minimum space standardscontained in Neighbourhoods forLiving. Whilst proposed changes willbe viewed individually, in manyinstances the minimum designstandards of NfL will be exceeded inorder to maintain the essentiallyspacious character of the Estate.

v. Sustainability:successful placeswhich live

ensure efficient use ofland, resources, energy and transport whilstminimising waste

Tranmere Park is special and currentlyprovides a range of house types anda variety of house sizes that residentswish to see retained.

The green spaces, predominantly inprivate rear gardens but also in publicareas, is an integral part of theEstate’s character and provides avaluable amenity for both residentsand wildlife, and a distinctivestreetscene setting for theindividually designed houses.

Although the Estate lacks it own busservice, there are buses running alongBradford Road if somewhatinfrequently. Guiseley Railway Stationis within walking distance for somebut is less accessible for older andyounger residents. Car parkingfacilities for Guiseley Station haveimproved for Estate residentswanting to “park and ride”, many carpark users being from outside thedistrict.

Despite overcrowding in peakperiods, the train is an important linkto the heart of the city of Leeds withits important financial and legalservices. Those who work in thesecity companies and others employedthroughout the Leeds/Bradfordconurbation, who frequently look forthe type of quality housing found on

the Tranmere Park Estate, require thefurther development of thesecommuter links.

The Estate has a small parade of localshops and other business services atBradford Road but most residents arereliant on private car transport fortheir shopping and local serviceneeds. With the exception of thetennis club there are no communityfacilities on the Estate although theprimary school could serve as acommunity meeting point.

The Tranmere Park Estate is wellconnected to the centre of Guiseleyby roads and footpaths and carownership is above average.

Whilst remaining within the contextof the Leeds built-up area, the estaterepresents a sustainable urbanextension into the Yorkshirecountryside. However, at the locallevel, it is a far from sustainableneighbourhood with a highdependency on the private motorvehicle to access weekly and dailyshopping needs, schools and workplaces.

Residents do accept that somechange is inevitable but the potentialloss of character and localdistinctiveness need to be carefullybalanced against the increaseddensity potentially available and theadded pressures on roads, publictransport, schools and Guiseleyservices.

Local character and distinctivenessare crucial factors in why and wherepeople choose to live, but theaggregation of individual buildingextensions and adaptations todwellings, gardens and driveways areputting at risk the character anddistinctive spaciousness cherished byresidents.

The Estate’s Covenants seek tosafeguard the amenity of theneighbourhood for the benefit of residents, visitors and futuregenerations.


One of the Walters died on 11th April1620 and Richard, his son inherited. Hethrew in his lot with parliament at thestart of the Civil War; his kinsmen tookthe other side. A detachment was sentto the Hall to take Richard prisoner. Didthey tramp over what was to becomeTranmere Park? There was muchintermarrying between local manorsover several hundred years, particularlythe Fawkes family of Farnley.

The earliest mention we have been ableto find about Tranmere Park comesfrom a record of 1819 which indicatesthat part of the land was transferredbetween Walter Fawkes, of Farnley Hall,his eldest son, Francis HawksworthFawkes, and several people includingthe Reverend Ayscough Fawkes, theRight Honourable Somerset Richard,the Earl of Carrick, Francis Hawksworthand others. It is not clear what land wasinvolved, but it may have included partof the Manors of Hawksworth andMenston. A sum of £30,000 wasquoted of which £15,000 was raised bya mortgage.

In 1865 there was an “Indenture ofSettlement”. It seems that the landinvolved was what we now know asLower Tranmere. The land, of some 60acres, is bounded by Thorpe Lane (fromWhite Cross to Thorpe Farm), OtleyRoad (from White Cross) to what couldbe interpreted as now being Hillwayand a line joining these two points.What is now Bradford Road is clearlyshown as Otley Road on the map of1865. Tran Mire House and Thorpe Farmare shown as is Tran Mire Beck. FieldHead Farm is also shown, across OtleyRoad. There were many people involvedin this Indenture including severalFawkes and others from as far away asSouth Cave, Worksop and Gloucester.Many other transactions took placeincluding those in 1873,1875, 1886, 1900,1901, 1905, 1907, 1909 and 1912, all ofwhich involved the Fawkes family.

The map dated 1921 (see page 26)shows that the only buildings in theimmediate vicinity of present-dayTranmere Park were the public House atWhite Cross, Thorpe Farm and TranMire House in Thorpe Lane, Field HeadFarm and the Victoria Works inBradford Road and Lane Side Farm andthe Pavilion (later the Club House) inHawksworth Lane.

Some land wassold by FrederickHawksworthFawkes, byauction, at theBradfordMechanicsInstitute, to WestRiding CountyCouncil (WRCC)on 28 July 1919. Itwas split into twolots, one of 94acres and theother the same60 acres as ismentionedabove. The twoparties wereagain to do adeal on 22December of 1919when anothertwo lots changedhands for a totalof £5,000. Lot 36was an area of9.6 acres ofarable land whichwas situated atthe corner of Hawksworth Lane andBradford Road. Lot 28 (7.9 acres ofgrass land) was further towards WhiteCross along Bradford Road to a pointwhich could be interpreted as what isnow Hillway. Lane Side Farm was alsoincluded in this deal. What is nowSouthway is shown on the documents,relating to this sale, as running betweenlot 36 and 28. The details of thistransaction show that Field Head Farmexisted across Bradford Road at theend of plot 28. The separate drawings,which relate to the transactions dated1865 and that of 1919, indicate thatthese boundaries are correct. The WestRiding County Council, therefore,became the owners of what was tobecome the Tranmere Park estate.

The map dated 1921 (see page 26)shows that no new house building onTranmere had begun.

In the late 1920s individual plots weresold and J Prior became one of thecontractors for new homes. By 1929some houses are shown on a map ofthe estate, the earliest in TranmereDrive. From whom and when the Priorfamily bought their first part of the

Tranmere land has not beenestablished. In 1932 WRCC sold toHarry Handforth Tomlinson, amanufacturer, of The Bungalow,Tranmere Park, land which seems to belots 28 and 36, bought by WRCC in1919, but £2,250 was the price paid byMr. Tomlinson. Advertisementspublished in the 1930s state thatenquiries from prospective purchasesfor a new house on Tranmere should bemade to J. Prior and Son or to H. H.Tomlinson. Although described as amanufacturer, he featured in land dealsand dealt with the sale of newly builtPrior houses.

L. Taylor Appleyard FRIBA, was a youngarchitect employed by Prior from about1930, and who designed most of thehouses on Tranmere. (There are abouttwenty houses on the estate which werenot designed by Mr. Appleyard but builtby Priors.) By 1933 Mr. Appleyard haddesigned several houses in the “Cubist”style. Four of these distinctive houseswere built on Highway and Mr. Appleyardlived in one of them. These and one inHawksworth Lane are today regardedwith special interest by many people


The area now known as Guiseley wasfirst mentioned in the great survey of1086. Simon de Warde gave money andland to establish a church and many ofthe clergy between 1246 and 1345 camefrom that family. Guiseley (or sometimesGuisley) began to grow in size andnumbers during the 19th century. Smallindustries were set up such as textiles,tanning and boot manufacturing. At thestart of that century there was apopulation of fewer than 1,000. By 1831

it had grown to 1,604 and by 1851 2,571were living there.

We know that a settlement atHawksworth appears in the Archbishopof York’s Lordship as early as 1086, andit was probable that Walter Hawksworthwas living there at the time. There aremany Walters in the history ofHawksworth. It is highly likely that “ourtriangle” belonged to the estates.

Prior to the 17th century the area was

very marshy and attracted cranes. Thename “Tranmere” means “crane marsh”.In the mid seventeen hundreds the landwas drained and a few dwellings werebuilt.

The rail system and later (1909) thetrams encouraged trade andmanufacturing and the population ofGuiseley increased to 4,925 by 1911.

In 1937 Guiseley, Hawksworth, Rawdonand Yeadon U.D.C. became AireboroughDistrict Council. This local governmentstructure lasted until 1974 whenAireborough was absorbed into LeedsCity Council.

What of Tranmere Park, a triangulararea flanked by Hawksworth Lane,Thorpe Lane and Bradford Road?It had a stream crossing land at theWhite Cross end called Tranmire Beckand where it crossed Thorpe Lane was Tranmire House. Little can besaid of early days, what do you writeabout fields?… if only fields could talk!

We know that Hawksworth Hall hasunderground passages, secret roomsand a hiding place above a fireplace.Why go to such expense and lengths?Was the family in conflict with thereligious views at the time and could“comings and goings” have gone onover our triangle or along HawksworthLane or Thorpe Lane?

Appendix 1: A History of Guiseley and Tranmere Park

The same view of Hillway today.

A view of Hillway taken in 1950. The crossroadswith Southway can be seen. © Copyright TheFrancis Firth Collection www.francisfirth.com

A 1965 aerial view taken from the Thorpe Lanejunction with Hawksworth Lane showingdevelopment at the upper parts of Westgateand Southway. By kind permission of LeedsLibrary and Information Services,www.leodis.net

The oldest dwelling on the Estate is Tran Mire House on Thorpe Lane.

18 Tranmere Park l Neighbourhood Design Statement



interested in architecture. After the 1939-1945 war Mr. Appleyard continued todesign the Prior houses, but as aconsultant.

Maps, dated during the time Priors werebuilding on the estate, provided by LeedsCity Council, show a house buildingprogramme on various parts of the estate.The houses may have been built at thattime, but some may only have had byelawapproval. This is supported by the way inwhich there are different annotations onthose houses which are known to havebeen built later. This assumption is used insummarising the building progress on thedates given below. These maps are theonly method of identifying the timeswhen the houses were built that we havebeen able to find.

The 1934 map (see page 27) showshouses had been built in Thorpe Lane,from White Cross to Highway, along mostof Bradford Road, on parts of New Way,Broadway, Moorway and Hillway and onSouthway below the junction with Hillway.Fairway and The Oval are shown to benearly completed. Hawksworth Lane has

houses as far as the junction with Hillway.Byeway, Highway, Southway and Hillwayshow those we assume have approval, butare not built.

On 31 December 1945 Tranmere ParkEstates Ltd. paid £18,786.4s.0d. to WRCCfor an area of land comprising some 12 orso fields totalling just less than 94 acres.The area was bounded by Bradford Road,Hawksworth Lane and Thorpe Lane. Withthe addition of this purchase to thetransfers of land dated 1865 and July 1919the whole of the Tranmere Park estate hasbeen identified.

The restriction on house building duringthe 1939-1945 World War, and to anextent for some considerable timeafterwards, is apparent on the 1956 map(see page 28). The only additional housescompared with pre war information wasplanning permission for 4 houses inBradford Road adjacent to the shops, 4more in Byeway, 6 in Moorway and 2 inHawksworth Lane. Restrictions wereeased in the 1950s and houses were builtin virtually the whole length ofHawksworth Lane and in Westgate as far

as South Drive and in Southway as far asSouth Close.

The 1960s saw the ending of the buildingrestrictions which had required Priors tobuild more semi-detached houses thanthey would otherwise have done. Thecompletion of Westgate and Southwayand the building of houses in the roadsleading from them, together with housesat the top of Thorpe Lane andHawksworth Lane, were the main projects(see 1973 map on page 29).

The 1970 decade started with furtherbuilding in Thorpe Lane and thecompletion of Ridgeway and Daleswayand the roads leading off them. The lastPrior house was completed in Dale Closein 1979.

The 1970 sales brochure states “PriorHouses refuse to be rushed by demand.We only construct around 20 houses eachyear, and thus can take, over each one, allthe pains we wish.”

In 1972 Tranmere Park Primary School wasopened. The school lies at the heart ofthe Estate.

Appendix 2: Wildlife Survey conducted bychildren living on Tranmere Park

(A group of young people was asked to prepare a wildlife survey of the Estate. They based their findings on observations in rear gardens andof an area of woodland enclosed by a group of houses.)

Since we moved to the Estate we have become keen bird watchers and have joined the RSPB. As a result we help out each year compiling a listof all birds that visit our garden. These birds include sparrows, sparrow hawks, blue tits, great tits, robins, jays, doves, wood pigeons, crows,jackdaws and thrushes.

We have placed tit nesting boxes on two trees in the small woodland area at the bottom of our garden and we have had families nesting thereevery year. We also have a robin’s nest in a fir tree in the garden. The smaller birds love the fat-balls we leave hung in the trees for them. We hadto leave them where the squirrels couldn’t reach as we found that they were knocking them off the bird table and rolling them into the bushes!

We regularly see hedgehogs, squirrels and frogs. We feed the squirrels and love watching them playing in the trees. We have also seen foxesand fieldmice.

Wildlife seen in Tranmere ParkCommon From time to time Less frequentlyBlack bird Chaffinch JayBlue tit Geese fly over CurlewCoal tit Greenfinch Kestrel (killed a thrushCollared dove Gulls in winter and flew into the window)Crow Lesser spotted woodpeckerDunnock Owls heard at nightGreat tit Starlings in winterJackdaw ThrushMagpie WrenRobinSparrowWood pigeonField mouseFoxFrogsHedgehogRabbitSquirrelToad

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es a

re o

ut o

f ke

epin

g

wit

h th

e tr

adit

iona

l op

en p

lan

Ro

adw

ays

sho

uld

hav

e p

avem

ents

Gre

ensp

ace

and

nea

rby

coun

try

foo

tpat

hs a

re v

alua

ble

Cov

enan

ts h

elp

mai

ntai

n th

e ch

arac

ter

of

the

Est

ate

Com

men

ts .

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

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......

......

......

......

.....

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......

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......

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......

......

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......

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......

......

......

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......

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......

Roa

ds, F

ootp

aths

and

Saf

ety

The

se q

uest

ions

are

ab

out

ro

ads

and

fo

otp

aths

on

and

aro

und

the

Est

ate

and

yo

ur f

eelin

gs

of

safe

ty a

nd s

ecur

ity.

A

gree

Agr

ee

Nei

ther

Dis

agre

e

Dis

agre

e

s

tron

gly

a

gree

nor

str

ongl

y

dis

agre

e

Res

iden

tial

ro

ads

are

in g

oo

d r

epai

r

Str

eet

light

ing

is g

oo

d

Sp

eed

lim

it s

houl

d

be

20m

ph

Traffi

c ca

lmin

g m

easu

res

sho

uld

be

intr

od

uced

Sni

cket

s ne

ed n

ew li

ght

ing

Sni

cket

s ne

ed r

e-su

rfac

ing

Str

eet

nam

e -

sig

ns s

houl

d

be

imp

rove

d

A H

op

pa

bus

to

the

sta

tio

n o

r G

uise

ley

wo

uld

be

wel

com

e

Pub

lic t

rans

po

rt is

inad

equa

te

Com

men

ts .

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

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......

......

......

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......

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......

......

Hou

ses

and

Des

ign

Th

e fir

st h

ous

es w

ere

bui

lt in

the

192

0s

and

193

0s

wit

h m

ore

in t

he 1

96

0s

and

197

0s.

Wha

t fe

atur

es a

re w

ort

h p

rese

rvin

g?

Agr

ee

A

gree

Nei

ther

Dis

agre

e

Dis

agre

e

st

rong

ly

agre

e no

r

str

ongl

y

di

sagr

ee

We

need

to

ret

ain

a va

riet

y o

f ty

pe

and

siz

e o

f ho

mes

Exi

stin

g lo

w d

ensi

ty f

ost

ers

a g

reen

er e

nvir

onm

ent

Alt

erat

ions

to

bui

ldin

gs

sho

uld

m

atch

ori

gin

al d

esig

n

Ori

gin

al d

etai

ls s

uch

as f

ront

d

oo

rs, r

oo

f ti

les,

win

do

w

styl

es a

re im

po

rtan

t to

kee

p

New

ho

uses

sho

uld

mat

ch t

he

old

in s

tyle

and

mat

eria

ls

New

ho

uses

in g

ard

ens

sho

uld

b

e al

low

ed

Dem

olit

ion

to b

uild

mo

re

hous

es s

houl

d b

e av

oid

ed

Sub

-div

isio

n o

f p

rop

erti

es t

o

crea

te m

ulti

ple

dw

ellin

gs

sho

uld

be

allo

wed

Com

men

ts .

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

.....

......

......

......

......

......

......

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......

......

......

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......

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......

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......

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......

......

......

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......

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......

......

......

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......

......

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......

......

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......

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......

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......

Futu

re D

evel

opm

ent

W

hat

do

yo

u th

ink

sho

uld

be

allo

wed

to

hap

pen

on

the

Est

ate

now

and

in

the

futu

re?

A

gree

Agr

ee

N

eith

er

D

isag

ree

Dis

agre

e

s

tron

gly

a

gree

nor

str

ongl

y

dis

agre

e

Fro

nt b

uild

ing

line

sho

uld

be

mai

ntai

ned

New

ho

uses

and

ext

ensi

ons

sh

oul

d b

e no

hig

her

than

2

sto

reys

The

siz

e o

f ex

tens

ions

sho

uld

no

t b

e g

reat

er t

han

the

ori

gin

al h

ous

e

Sp

ace

bet

wee

n b

uild

ing

and

si

de

bo

und

ary

sho

uld

be

at

leas

t 2.

5 m

etre

s

Sp

ace

bet

wee

n b

uild

ing

and

re

ar b

oun

dar

y sh

oul

d

be

at le

ast

10.5

met

res

Vel

ux s

tyle

win

do

ws

sho

uld

b

e re

stri

cted

to

sid

e an

d r

ear

of

pro

per

ties

Com

men

ts .

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

......

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.....

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When an area of land is sold for the purposes of

development and the developer divides the land into

plots and places the same Restrictive Covenants on each

plot then it can be argued that a “local law” has been

created. The development of the Tranmere Park Estate

followed this pattern: the Covenants were applied to

each plot in turn and attached to the title deeds.

Whilst Planning Authorities are not obliged to take

Restrictive Covenants into consideration in dealing with

applications, in recent court cases individual

householders have succeeded in having Restrictive

Covenants countermand a previously successful

planning application which breached those Covenants.

The case of Turner v Pryce, High Court, 9 January 2008

is one such example. (See

www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Ch/2008/B1.html).

It is sometimes believed that Covenants become more

difficult to enforce if they have been repeatedly

breached without objection, as has happened on

Tranmere Park. However, in the case of Turner v Prycethe High Court Judge Stephen Smith ruled that such

breaches did not invalidate or make futile the Covenants

on the estate on which he had been asked to rule.

Judge Stephen Smith described Covenants “as a

continuing description of what may be contained on the

land [so developed].” It is often the case that

purchasers have little time to read the Covenants before

they are taken, along with the Deeds of their property,

for secure keeping by the building society or bank

which holds the mortgage. However, as far as

protecting the character of Tranmere Park Estate is

concerned, it is worthwhile referring to the Covenants

as they give a clear indication of the "philosophy"

behind the Estate and the environment that the

developer sought to create and preserve.

Here are some examples from Covenants attached in

common to properties on Tranmere Park:

‘The Purchaser and his successors hereby Covenants with

the Vendor and his successors that he the Purchaser and

his successors will make form and complete... a grassverge eight feet wide’

‘The Purchaser hereby covenants that... at his own

expense will fence off the said plot of land with such and

sufficient fences of such pattern and dimensions as are

shewn on a plan already prepared by the Vendor’s

Surveyor as a specimen plan for all fences on his saidestate... and also... will at his own expense plant treesalong the centre line of the grass verge hereinbefore

referred to either oak, sycamore, horse-chestnut orcopper beech at even intervals of five yards such trees

to be uniform with and in continuation of the trees

already planted by the Vendor on the grass verge of

other part of his Tranmere Estate’

‘No dwelling house or other buildings shall be erected

upon the said plot of land otherwise than in accordancewith the plans and elevations and of materials previouslyapproved of by the Vendor's Surveyor and no building

shall be commenced upon the said plot of land until such

Surveyor shall have given a Certificate in writing of such

approval for every such Certificate the Purchaser or her

successors in title shall pay to the Vendor's Surveyor the

sum of Ten shillings and sixpence.’

‘ ...frontage or building line being at a distance of twenty

feet from the Street boundary as shewn on the said plan

or forty feet from the middle of the said Street.’

‘No buildings of any description except steps and (to the

distance of three feet) bay windows shall be erected in

the area between the frontage or building line shewn on

the said plan and the nearest edge of the footway but

such area shall for ever hereafter be maintained as agarden.’

‘A space of not less than twelve feet shall be left vacantand unbuilt upon between the gable of any such

dwellinghouse (or other building) and the side boundary

fence thereof so that not less than twenty four feet shall

be left vacant and unbuilt upon between the dwelling

house (or building) on the said plot and the

dwellinghouse (or other building) on the adjoining plot.

Appendix 4: The Enforcement of Restrictive Covenants

Ap

pen

dix

3(b

) Q

ues

tio

nn

aire

Res

ult

s S

um

mar

y

Cha

ract

er o

f H

ous

e

Pre

miu

m lo

cati

on

Size

of

gar

den

Size

of

hous

e

Pea

ce a

nd q

uiet

Co

untr

ysid

e ne

arby

Sens

e o

f sp

ace

Scho

ols

Han

dy

for

citi

es

Han

dy

for

wo

rk

Go

od

pub

lic t

rans

po

rt

Op

po

rtun

ity

to e

xten

d

Co

mm

unit

y fe

el

Wal

king

dis

tanc

e to

sho

ps

0

50

10

0

1

50

2

00

250

Wha

t at

trac

ted

yo

u to

Tra

nmer

e?

Att

ract

ions

of

Tran

mer

e3

mo

st im

po

rtan

t at

trac

tio

ns o

f Tr

anm

ere

Char

acte

r and

Env

ironm

ent

Ove

r 74

% o

f re

spon

den

ts a

gre

ed s

tron

gly

that

the

sty

le a

nd c

hara

cter

of

hous

es

shou

ld b

e re

tain

ed, t

hat

spac

e b

etw

een

hous

es s

houl

d b

e ke

pt,

and

tha

t

gre

ensp

ace

and

nea

rby

coun

try

foot

pat

hs a

re v

alua

ble

.

Ove

r 75

% o

f re

spon

den

ts a

gre

ed t

hat

mos

t tr

ees

are

wor

th p

rese

rvin

g, g

rass

verg

es s

houl

d b

e re

tain

ed, b

ound

arie

s

bet

wee

n ho

uses

sho

uld

be

‘gre

en’ a

nd

Cov

enan

ts h

elp

mai

ntai

n th

e ch

arac

ter

of

the

Est

ate.

Whi

lst

58%

of

resp

ond

ents

ag

reed

tha

t

wal

ls, r

ailin

gs

and

gat

es a

re o

ut o

f

keep

ing

wit

h th

e tr

adit

iona

l op

en p

lan,

14%

dis

agre

ed.

28%

nei

ther

ag

reed

nor

dis

agre

ed.

23%

of

resp

ond

ents

ag

reed

tha

t

road

way

s sh

ould

hav

e p

avem

ents

but

52%

dis

agre

ed.

25%

of

resp

ond

ents

neit

her

agre

ed n

or d

isag

reed

.

Roa

ds, F

ootp

aths

an

d Sa

fety

Whi

lst

72%

agr

eed

that

the

spe

ed li

mit

on

the

Est

ate

shou

ld b

e 20

mph

, 71%

disa

gree

d th

at t

raffi

c ca

lmin

g m

easu

res

shou

ld b

e in

trod

uced

.

67%

agr

eed

that

sni

cket

s ne

ed n

ew

light

ing

and

43%

agr

eed

that

sni

cket

s

need

re-

surf

acin

g.

65%

of

resp

onde

nts

agre

ed t

hat

a H

oppa

bus

to t

he s

tati

on o

r to

Gui

sele

y w

ould

be

wel

com

e.

46%

dis

agre

ed t

hat

resi

dent

ial r

oads

are

in g

ood

repa

ir b

ut 6

0%

agr

eed

that

str

eet

light

ing

is g

ood.

44

% a

gree

d th

at s

tree

t na

me

sign

s sh

ould

be im

prov

ed.

42%

nei

ther

agr

eed

nor

disa

gree

d.

48%

agr

eed

that

pub

lic t

rans

port

is

inad

equa

te.

40

% o

f re

spon

dent

s ne

ithe

r

agre

ed n

or d

isag

reed

tha

t pu

blic

tran

spor

t is

inad

equa

te.

Hou

ses

and

Des

ign

93%

of

resp

ond

ents

ag

reed

tha

t w

e ne

ed

to r

etai

n a

vari

ety

of t

ype

and

siz

e of

hom

e on

the

Est

ate.

95%

ag

reed

tha

t th

e ex

isti

ng lo

w d

ensi

ty

fost

ers

a g

reen

er e

nviro

nmen

t.

96%

of

resp

ond

ents

ag

reed

tha

t

alte

rati

ons

to b

uild

ing

s sh

ould

mat

ch t

he

orig

inal

des

ign

of t

he p

rop

erty

.

80%

ag

reed

tha

t or

igin

al d

etai

ls s

uch

as

fron

t d

oors

, roo

f ti

les

and

win

dow

sty

les

are

imp

orta

nt t

o ke

ep. 9

0%

ag

reed

tha

t

new

hou

ses

shou

ld m

atch

the

old

in s

tyle

and

mat

eria

ls.

64%

of

resp

ond

ents

dis

agre

ed s

tron

gly

that

new

hou

ses

in g

ard

ens

shou

ld b

e

allo

wed

and

a f

urth

er 2

1% d

isag

reed

.

76%

ag

reed

str

ong

ly t

hat

dem

olit

ion

to

bui

ld m

ore

hous

es s

houl

d b

e av

oid

ed

and

a f

urth

er 1

4%

ag

reed

.

83%

of

resp

ond

ents

dis

agre

ed t

hat

sub

-

div

isio

n of

pro

per

ties

to

crea

te m

ulti

ple

dw

ellin

gs

shou

ld b

e al

low

ed.

Futu

re D

evel

opm

ent

91%

of

resp

ond

ents

ag

reed

tha

t th

e fr

ont

bui

ldin

g li

ne s

houl

d b

e m

aint

aine

d.

74%

ag

reed

str

ong

ly t

hat

new

hou

ses

and

ext

ensi

ons

shou

ld b

e no

hig

her

than

2 st

orey

s an

d a

fur

ther

22%

ag

reed

.

89%

of

resp

ond

ents

fel

t th

e si

ze o

f

exte

nsio

ns s

houl

d n

ot b

e g

reat

er t

han

the

orig

inal

hou

se.

82%

of

resp

ond

ents

ag

reed

tha

t sp

ace

bet

wee

n b

uild

ing

and

sid

e b

ound

ary

shou

ld b

e at

leas

t 2.

5 m

etre

s.

88%

ag

reed

tha

t sp

ace

bet

wee

n b

uild

ing

and

rea

r b

ound

ary

shou

ld b

e at

leas

t 10

.5

met

res.

66%

of

resp

ond

ents

ag

reed

tha

t V

elux

styl

e w

ind

ows

shou

ld b

e re

stri

cted

to

sid

e an

d r

ear

of p

rop

erti

es.


This map was produced before building began. Tran Mire House, Thorpe Farm and the Golf Club House are shown. Tran Mire Beck runs into marshy groundadjacent to Bradford Road. Two footpaths crossing the fields later defined the routes of Moorway and Southway.

By

1934

ho

use

bui

ldin

g a

cro

ss t

he w

idth

of

the

Est

ate

exte

nded

fro

m W

hite

Cro

ss t

o t

he O

val.

Hill

way

and

the

beg

inni

ngs

of

Sout

hway

and

Haw

ksw

ort

h La

ne a

re a

lso

sho

wn.

So

me

plo

ts a

re d

elin

eate

d a

ltho

ugh

the

hous

es h

ave

not

yet

bee

n b

uilt

.


This map clearly shows the growth of the Tranmere ParkEstate through over seven decades. The original characterand ambience have largely survived.


tranmere park - leeds park nds.pdftranmere park l neighbourhood design statement 3the tranmere park...

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