Chairman's Jottings - TrustNews Sep 19
Heritage Open Days
This year Heritage Open Days are a larger celebration of our Heritage than ever. Nicky Gottlieb and Becky Brown together with a small team of students from the niversity, helped in certain areas by the Trust, have organised a huge programme of events and the opening of buildings of interest not normally open to the public. The organisation starts almost immediately the last Open Days are over and gathers way through the year. We consider it an extraordinary feat of organisation and stamina to have managed such an event that is so good for advertising Winchester. (see Flier)
Apart from helping in a small way with the organisation, the Trust's contribution to the day is to have an exhibition of some of the churches of Winchester. This idea was triggered by the re-evaluation of some of the buildings within the conservation area of Winchester, carried out by the City Conservation Officers together with volunteers, including City of Winchester Trust members. The churches past and present were part of this survey, and form an interesting body of work which in the case of the exhibition is supplemented by other church buildings not necessarily in the survey, but very much part of the historical sequence of such buildings evolving over hundreds of years.
flierRe-organisation
For some time now we have been attempting to re-organise the way in which the Trust works. This re-organisation in part is to harness the expertise and enthusiasm of volunteers so that they can make a positive contribution to the Trust's activities. In the current situation it is very difficult to invite a volunteer into a position where we can use their contribution in a way that is effective.
So, the proposal is to break down the Trust into knowledge areas, the main ones being Development, Communications and Membership.
For example, development would include planning, both development and strategic, heritage and people movement, which is vehicles, walking and cycling. Communication would be responsible for publicity and publications, exhibitions and events etc. Membership would take responsibility for existing members and recruitment.
Each group would take responsibility for their particular area of expertise, but the Trust Council, which has a 'legal' obligation, would have an overview of any projects to be promoted. Each group would also interlink with the others as disciplines cross boundaries.
If any member would like to volunteer for a particular group, then please have a word with Tessa Robertson. The idea is to try and launch the re-organisation by December. We are particularly short of someone interested in public relations, in fact we have no one in this position which obviously could be important to the Trust.
Station Approach
The Trust is still concerned about the scale and car parking of this development. Although the design has been modified in response to consultation, reducing the maximum height by two metres, the bulk still seems to us to be overpowering and lacks any consideration for relating to the immediate area or as it will be viewed from the opposite side of the valley.
The development is situated in one of the most sustainable sites in Winchester, next to a main line railway and well served by public transport. Also it is within easy walking distance of the centre of the City. These facts, coupled with the philosophy behind the recently issued Movement Study, which encourages a reduction of traffic in and around Winchester. The number of proposed parking spaces has been reduced in the revised design, but we feel questions need to be raised as to the requirement for any car parking relating to this development.
Not having to accommodate cars brings the following benefits:
- Capital cost of the development is substantially reduced.
- An active frontage can be introduced along Gladstone Street, bringing a more desirable, friendly relationship to the street.
- Reduces the height and could help to articulate and vary the 'bulk' thereby helping the scheme to relate better to its surroundings.
It will be interesting to see the procurement method that the City proposes and understand how and if the architectural firm is going to continue to be involved and how the developer will be controlled. Incidentally, we have a great deal of faith in the architectural firm employed. They have in our opinion undertaken a scheme with a great deal of interest and possibilities. Our quarrel is with the Client Brief which drives a design and, in this case requires far too much of the site.
The outline planning application is likely to go before the Planning Committee on 12th September.
House Destruction
The Trust is concerned at the current trend of developers moving in on large garden sites in the outer ring of Winchester and removing large houses and trees in order to accommodate as much housing as possible.
We would accept that some of the existing houses are not architecturally significant and that sites can be exploited, however there are some buildings that do have a value well worth considering. Unfortunately, such houses are not easily protected, they are not listed, and not in a conservation area. One such house that is about to be removed is a good example of the Arts and Crafts Movement with good materials, probably worthy of spot listing.
We have been made aware of two more significant houses that are about to be sold, which may well put them under threat. Both reflect the mid 19th century and early 20th century styles of architecture and both make a major contribution to their locality. The first is Beechwood, Worthy Road, which was the home of John Colson senior; the other is Brendon House, Park Road, now Brendoncare, by John Colson junior. Beechwood is a Victorian house, well detailed with good materials and very much represents a typical piece of architecture of the mid to late 19th century. Brendon House is early 20th century and is in the Queen Anne style practised by a number of architects at that time, including Lutyens. The Colson father and son were well known Winchester architects and followed each other as Winchester Cathedral surveyors. They were also responsible for a number of churches throughout Hampshire.