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NEWSLETTER
No. 332 February 2004
Victoria Baths – Visit planned for 24th April
CHAIRMAN’S REMARKS
Marion Coupe
It’s
2004 and we wish all members a Happy New Year. There is a great
new path to walk on in Witch Wood and an attractive best-selling
book to read. The Lytham Hall snowdrop walks are on Sundays in February
(except the first) and the first one in March. There is much to
look forward to in our programme; interesting talks, a recital and
a trip to Victoria Baths, winner of the Restoration TV series.
Our two Christmas /New Year social events were very successful,
thanks to the efficient organisation of Hilda Partington. We do
need more help in organising events, however, so offers would be
most welcome – just a few hours a month could be invaluable.
We have had a period of great expenditure for the Society,
both in Witch Wood and in the production of the book. We are grateful
for the fundraising, legacies and donations which have made it all
possible.
The Listed
Buildings of Lytham St Annes
Our book launch in December for ‘The Listed Buildings
of Lytham St Annes’ was attended by the Rt Hon Michael Jack, MP
for Fylde, the Mayor and Mayoress, Councillor and Mrs Longstaff,
and John Miller, Director of the Heritage Trust for the North West.
Our patrons had a special invitation, together with those who had
been involved in the production of the book.
We are very proud of the book, the result of three years
hard work by a dedicated team. It has sold very well indeed over
Christmas and we expect steady sales throughout the year. We were
awarded a Millennium Award from the Lottery Fund to help with the
publication costs. As a consequence, we have donated a copy to each
of the schools in the area, to the churches which are ‘listed’,
to the libraries and to Lytham Heritage Group. A presentation evening
for the schools has been held at Heyhouses School. We are grateful
to Clive Barnes, Headmaster, for allowing us to use his school hall.
We are hopeful that the book will raise awareness of
the importance of listed buildings to the heritage of our town,
and that it will stimulate discussion about our built heritage.
There is a photograph of every listed building in the town, with
information about them. You may feel some of the buildings should
not be listed, perhaps because they have been altered by their owners
(largely illegally); you may feel others should be added to the
list.
There is also a section, which we have called “Further
Thoughts”, where we have included a selection of buildings that
we feel are undervalued, although they are not necessarily suitable
for listing. In several cases they are under threat. We would welcome
your observations.
The book is for sale at £11.99 in a number of places:
·
Plackitt & Booth,
Lytham
·
Lytham Heritage Centre
·
Lytham, Ansdell and
St Annes libraries.
·
Coupe Bradbury, Bath
Street, Lytham
It is available mail order from Janet Turner (730909),
at £13.50, inclusive of post and packing.
If you would like us to post one to anywhere in the UK,
please get in touch (phone numbers at the end of the newsletter).
Members may purchase the book at the reduced price of
£10.00, at meetings, from committee members or at Coupe Bradbury.
Repairs to
Listed Buildings
It may seem obvious that repairs are often needed on
listed buildings, because they are in many cases old. A campaign
to exempt these repairs from VAT has been ongoing for a long time
now. Major changes to the buildings are exempt from VAT, as are
all new builds. More encouragement is needed for the owners of listed
buildings to carry out regular repairs, for instance to windows,
rather than ripping them out.
PLANNING
Marion Coupe
St Annes Public
Offices
The
listing of the St Annes Public Offices was announced at the book
launch in December; very good timing for our latest listing. Our
hope is that this town hall, purpose-built for St Annes-on-the-Sea,
will now be kept in public use. It could well fulfil the desire
for a ‘one-stop shop’ for council enquiries, as a Mayoral suite,
and as a meeting place for the St Annes Parish Council. The most
recent plans we have seen involve gutting it and converting it into
flats.
St Annes Town
Hall
As it seems likely that Fylde will be merged with other
areas to form a larger local authority, the issue of what to do
with the current town hall has become complicated. Our view is that,
as the Southdown Hydropathic Hotel, it is the most important of
the buildings erected by William Porritt, and on the best site.
The exterior decoration includes marble and hand-carved
stone, and the interior hall has beautiful stained glass, Minton
tiling on the walls and floors, grand fireplaces, doors and staircase.
The other Porritt buildings are within their own conservation area
but this one was excluded by the council.
As far as we can see, and we should like to be proved
wrong, Fylde aim to demolish the building and replace it with flats.
We believe that it is irresponsible of the council to accept grants
from English Heritage, and others, for the regeneration of central
St Annes, and to insist that householders and shop owners renovate
their properties, while doing the opposite with its own heritage
building. We understand that a mixed-use development is being planned
to enable the council to make use of a loophole in its own moratorium
on building.
The last part of the proposed changes involves plans
to enlarge Lowther Pavilion to accommodate the council debating
chamber and the Mayoral suite. This is likely to prove unpopular
with lovers of the park, which now has Green Flag status.
Edenfield,
Clifton Drive, Lytham
We are concerned about the future of the whole of the
Edenfield site and hope that the interior of this lovely house will
not come to any harm (see our website for pictures). There is an
application for the conversion of the mews cottages and we believe
they should not be dealt with piecemeal. They are an important part
of the Conservation Area, with windows facing on to Clifton Drive.
The side elevations of the property, at present, have
unattractive dormer windows, and a conversion could be an opportunity
for an improvement, thereby enhancing the Conservation Area. As
far as we can see this opportunity has not been taken. A more traditional
design would be much better, incorporating gables and decorative
barge boards.
The Halifax,
46 Clifton St, Lytham
There is an application for the construction of two external
ramps, lowering of the ATM and the removal of bollards. The proposal
will not enhance an already unattractive building, which is in a
prominent position in the conservation area... We find that little
trouble is taken by some of the banks to produce site-specific designs
when aiming to comply with regulations on access for the disabled.
SAVE
SAVE Britain’s Heritage has been described as the most
influential conservation group to have been established since William
Morris founded the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings.
It was created in 1975, European Architectural Heritage Year, by
a group of journalists, historians, architects and planners to campaign
publicly for endangered historic buildings. SAVE has always placed
a special emphasis on the possibilities of alternative uses for
historic buildings at risk and, in a number of cases, has prepared
schemes for their re-use.
The
following is an extract from the first SAVE report in the
Architect's Journal, 17/24 December 1975
“Architectural Conservation should be accorded the
same consideration which is already being shown to the conservation
of other resources for the same reasons. Buildings represent energy,
labour and materials, which either cannot be replaced or can only
be replaced at enormous cost. The fight to save particular buildings
or groups of buildings is not the fancy of some impractical antiquarian.
It is part of the battle for the sane use of all our resources.
The visible link with the past that old buildings give us is important
both as a fascinating insight into history and as an expression
of the relative permanence of civilised society. Conservation
to the architect and public alike is not a fad, fetter or curse:
it is a necessity which should also be seen as a stimulating challenge.”
We
note that Queen Mary School has been added to the SAVE Buildings
at Risk Register.
Apology
There
was some misunderstanding arising from the last newsletter in an
item about a proposed extension to the Clifton Hospital.
When letters are written to the planning authority,
it can give weight to our arguments if we have an architect’s name
to mention. Someone at our relevant technical meeting attributed
the building of the main hospital to Keith Hunt, whereas we should
really have given the name of the firm, Tom Mellor’s. Our letter
was written on the lines that the original building was a good design
and sits well in the dunes, but that we are afraid that a haphazard
clutter may surround it if ad hoc additions such as the one proposed
for the dialysis unit are allowed. Sorry for any confusion.
Note: There is a retrospective exhibition at the Lytham Heritage Centre
27th April - 16th May - Tom Mellor,
Architect and Artist
Digital Aerials
Geoffrey Frith
To
access Freeview TV, some installers are recommending an upgrade
to a Wide Band High Gain Aerial with Large Grid Reflectors, positioned
on a chimney stack. They are not yet subject to a Planning Application,
even in Conservation Areas, but they are considered to be a
considerable eyesore to properties and the wider street scene
I have made representations to the Secretary of State
for them to be controlled in Conservation Areas, in a similar way
to satellite dishes, and the argument has been supported by
English Heritage. The Fylde coast has a strong digital signal, and on
most houses these aerials can easily be located in the loft
space. I have done so on my property in St Annes, and I obtain very
good digital reception.
Lytham Hall
– Snowdrop walks
The grounds of Lytham Hall will be open on Sundays until
7th March, 11am to 4 pm, for visitors to see the magnificent
array of snowdrops. Please ring the Hall (736652) if you would like
to help serve teas. For visitors, parking is at the Aegon site and
a charge is made of £2 for adults and 50p for children.
WITCH
WOOD
Rob Wilkinson
As
we reported in the last newsletter, the wood is now in full use,
and we have had many positive compliments on the resurfaced path.
We are expecting, shortly, news of our application for
a grant for further improvements and hope that we can complete them
in the early summer. The main items are erection of fences and gates
at Middle Bridge and completion of the resurfacing of the main path,
specifically that part running along to the station ramp. Next,
we shall give consideration to improving the path on the Lytham
side of Middle Bridge. We have always been reluctant to lay a hard
path through the beeches, but a path with a Top Trek surface, as
now elsewhere, looks acceptable.
Members walking through the wood recently
will have noticed various unusual activities: -
·
A firewood
merchant is still in the process of removing logs, for which we
received a payment of £200 in late 2001.
·
A United
Utilities contractor has been servicing cables near the railway
fence and has dug three holes between the cricket field and Skew
Bridge.
·
A Network
Rail contractor has been clearing vegetation 6 metres from the rail
and, in making access through the wood (without asking us), has
caused damage to shrubs and to the fencing on Middle Bridge. The
contractor has since apologised. The work is not finished and, when
it is, we shall ask for compensation for the damage caused.
Volunteers are continuing to work in the
wood on a weekly basis. Small
sycamores are gradually being removed and replaced by a variety
of trees, including oak, beech, crab apple, hazel, rowan and hawthorn.
Additional volunteers are most welcome, and any member
wishing to help should either just turn up or contact either Bill
Thompson on 737795 or Rob Wilkinson on 727611. It isn’t necessary
to have knowledge of trees, although that is always useful. Provided
you are fit and enjoy fresh air you will find it an enjoyable and
worthwhile experience.
The working party meets at the tree nursery (near Skew
Bridge entrance) at 9.30am on Friday mornings except for our meet
on the Saturday morning following the second Friday in the month.
This arrangement has been made so that volunteers normally at work
during the week can have the opportunity to help us.
DEFEND
THE DUNES
Don Moore
Blackburn Children’s Home
Following Fylde Borough Council’s approval last May of
the planning application to convert the Blackburn Children’s Home
into 18 flats the terms of the agreement with the developers for
management of parts of the surrounding sand dunes are being established
before the Council decision notice is issued. Unfortunately, there
is no indication that the authorisation will be reviewed in the
light of recent Planning Guidance which drastically reduces the
number of dwellings that can be built in the Borough.
As
reported previously, we complained to the Local Government Ombudsman
about the way in which FBC handled the Blackburn Home case. The
LGO cannot intervene in any decision made by a local authority,
but she can question the process by which it was reached. We were
disappointed that the LGO’s Office decided not to support our complaint,
despite the FBC officers’ misrepresenting the facts of the case
and introducing irrelevant financial issues which clearly influenced
the Councillors. Ironically the reason given by the LGO was that,
because they considered we had not suffered material loss as a result
of the decision, we could not complain about the process! Sadly,
we must let the matter rest here.
Coastal Management
It
is probably not generally realised that the dunes north of the Thursby
Home are own by Blackpool, even though they are in Fylde borough.
As a result, we have held further discussions with Fylde and with
Blackpool Council officers, and attending was the consultant coastal
engineer who is advising them. The Steering Group set up to prepare
a unified management plan for our coastal areas, which includes
both Local Councils, Lancashire County Council, English Nature,
etc., but not ourselves, has endorsed a technical report on the
state of the coastal areas, prepared by the consultant. In general,
DTD agreed with most of the findings, and the consultant has accepted
the minor criticisms we made. A draft management plan, based on
the technical report, has now been produced and will be discussed
soon by the Steering Group. In addition, both councils and the
consultant have started to think about how funding for the proposed
work will be secured. We are pleased with the progress.
The consultant has established that the line of the dune
front is generally advancing down the beach. In support of this
we made him and both Councils aware of a recent independent study
of survey results showing that from 1952 to 2000 the general line
of the dune front has advanced up to 20 m.
This
is excellent news from the viewpoint of how stable the dunes are
and suggests that they could widen even faster with better management.
It also offers a glimmer of hope for those plagued by wind-blown
sand because increased dune width should give a reduction.
We are also pleased with FBC’s work regarding the modified
beach cleansing routines we suggested They are designed to help
embryo dunes to develop at the top of the beach, with management
work to rectify blow-outs in the dunes. The appointment of a Beach
Patrol Officer was proposed, and we are disappointed that no new
warden has yet been appointed to replace the one who retired, and
that there is little prospect of significant unilateral funding
by either Blackpool and Fylde Councils for additional management
work in the next financial year.
Sand Extraction
Sand
extraction from the St. Annes beach started in 1980 and is still
conducted by the original contractor, Rainfords. The contract is
up for renewal this year, and we are studying the Inspector’s report
that came out of the recent public inquiry into sand extraction
at Southport. We hope that the renewal at St. Annes will also be
examined in public, and the following points all have relevance:-
·
The consultant considers the flood risk is greater
than had been thought, and work is needed to strengthen the defences
at weak points, such as the sand-winning access road. This is exactly
in line with our own flood risk assessment.
·
Evidence assessed by the consultant, and a separate
recent survey, show that where sand is stockpiled close to the dune
front, near the sand winning access road, the line of the dunes
is the same now as in 1960, i.e. it appears that the dunes have
been cut back to this line since the start of sand-winning. We,
English Nature and FBC consider this to be an adverse effect of
the sand-winning, which is contrary to the terms of the contract.
EN is pressing FBC to take action to prevent it, and FBC are currently
in discussions with the contractors.
·
No satisfactory
data exist to allow an assessment of the overall effect of sand
extraction on the Fylde beaches. We are pressing for monitoring
to be improved, with the costs borne by the contractor, as at Southport,
since continued extraction is conditional upon there being no damage
to the beaches
We have asked the Fylde officers to assess any additional
costs resulting from sand-winning, such as more street cleansing
resulting from increased wind-blown sand, and for these to be taken
fully into account in assessing the true net value to the community
of sand extraction.
COMING
EVENTS
Hilda Partington
Wednesday, 17th March
Assembly Rooms
Gilbert and Sullivan
– Hot pot and dessert
Ken
Dagger will entertain us with his talk revolving around the history
and music of Gilbert and Sullivan, during which he will sing well-known
songs from the operas. Those of us who heard Ken at Christmas know
this evening will be a musical treat. The supper will be provided
by the much approved caterers as last year. We can look forward
to good music, a scrumptious supper and a happy get together.
Tickets are £4.50 and the number is limited to 64. Don’t be disappointed; order
your tickets early. Closing date is Sunday, 14th March.
Saturday, 3rd April
Accrington
Federation of Lancashire Civic Societies
The
AGM and conference will be held on 3rd April 2004, at Accrington.
There will be a special guided tour of the Howarth Art Gallery with
its fantastic display of Tiffany glass. Cost is £9, including refreshments
and the visit to the gallery. If you would like to come, please
contact Graeme Fallows (737775).
Saturday, 24th April
Coach outing
Victoria Baths and Lyme Park
We shall be making an early (8 am) start, to make the
best of what promises to be a very full and interesting day. In
the morning we shall visit Victoria Baths, Manchester. The building
became known to many television viewers when it was awarded the
prize funding at the conclusion of the BBC Restoration programmes.
The Victoria Baths, built 1903-1906, has
been described as “the most splendid municipal bathing institution
in the country”. Although closed since 1993, the building is remarkably
intact, with decorative wall tiling, floor mosaics and many stained
glass windows.
A tour of the building, including tea/coffee and biscuits,
has been arranged at £2 per head. It will make a contribution to
the restoration fund, but any further donations will always be welcome.
That
makes an interesting start to the day, but there is more to come
when we move on to Lyme Park, a National Trust property set in 1400
acres in the foothills of the Peak District, just south of Stockport.
The mansion dates from the 16th century, with 18th
and 19th century additions. The garden is one of the highest formal
gardens in England, at 850 ft above sea level, and was memorably
featured in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.
We have not made a group booking for entry as there
are various alternatives, and many Society members are National
Trust members – do remember to bring membership cards. There are
excellent catering facilities, offering from soup and sandwiches
to a full meal. Afternoon tea is also available from 2.30 pm. We
plan to leave at 4.30/5.00 pm.
A 48-seat coach has been booked, and the cost is £10,
including the Victoria Baths tour. An application form for tickets
is enclosed with the newsletter and pick-up points are noted. Members
and friends are urged to book early; it will be popular. Closing
date for bookings is Saturday, 17th April
Wednesday, 28th April
Assembly Rooms
Barbara Robotham evening
Barbara has again offered us an evening of music to be given by her students
at the Royal Northern College of Music. These young, dedicated students
are quite enchanting. They sing with an enthusiasm and musicality
which is a joy to listen to. We are fortunate to have them for this
evening – not to be missed by any music lover. Numbers are again
limited, though friends are welcome. Cost is £8, including tea/coffee
and biscuits. Book early – closing date Sunday, 25th
April.
Saturday, 1st May
Assembly Rooms
Coffee Morning
It is the usual pleasant get-together, and our main fund-raising event.
All offers of contributions and help are
most welcome. Please leave raffle prizes and tombola contributions
at the offices of Coupe Bradbury or give to any committee member.
Saturday, 19th June (Provisional)
Lytham Magistrates Court
Trial
by Jury, followed by supper
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