European Architectural Heritage Year - Trust Annual Report 1975
As a consequence of our work with the City Planning Authority, the Trust made tentative enquiries to find out if we could take the initiative and put forward constructive proposals to the City. We were pleased to learn that this would be welcomed.
It seemed appropriate to look at an area of Winchester which needed an overall re-appraisal. An opportunity was provided when it was learned that a major part of the traffic plan was to be abandoned. Very quickly we realised that one of the most interesting areas for redevelopment would be around St John's Church, which has suffered from planning blight for the last ten years or more. Lying between St Giles' Hill and the river Itchen, it is bounded to the north by Blue Ball Hill, and to the south by Bridge Street.
The Church and neighbouring houses; St John's Croft and Joyce's Garden form the nucleus, and to this can be added the lawns by the riverside, and the churchyard, with St John's Street rising obliquely up the hillside. Amongst the attractive houses are others which need improvement or replacement. Surely this is an ideal place to provide a residential district; close to the City, yet with the opportunity of developing, a close knit community life of its own.
Members of the Trust are very grateful for the assistance of local residents who have been glad, to participate. Isn't this the ideal way in which to start planning, in preference to years of secret work, with the eventual sudden unveiling of proposals which the local residents find hard to understand?
We feel the Trust can provide a very useful link between the Local Authority and the residents, entirely within the spirit, of recent legislation. We look forward to the completed, report with great interest.