Electronic Mail

New Members

Welcome to our new members:

Mr & Mrs J Cornes (1001)
Mr & Mrs N. Nimmo (1002)
Mr & Mrs Fitzgerald (1003)
Mr & Mrs Rees (1004)
Mr & Mrs R. Mallard (1005)
Mrs E. Wells MBE ARCH FRSA (1006)
Mrs A Fortescue (1007)
Mrs D Hamiduddin (1008)
Mr R Baker (1009)

Events 2008

The final two summer walks take place in August and September. Walks start at 6.30pm. Please arrive at the start point in good time to allow a prompt start. There is a suggested donation of £2 per person. Non-members welcome.

Thursday 28th August
The Buildings of Thomas Stopher
Meet: The forecourt of the Discovery Centre
Leader: Robin Freeman

Thursday 4th September
Hospital Field Excavation
(Park opposite cemetery, Alresford Rd)
Leader:Simon Roffey University of Winchester

Trustees 2007/8- TrustNews September 08

The Trust and major issues affecting the City -
TrustNews September 08

Without a publicity officer there is a risk that our activities may not be adequately reported. We therefore thought it might be useful to summarise the Trust's major concerns and what we are doing about them.

Pressure for growth
This is our most worrying concern. Ever since the publication of PPG3, (the government's planning guidelines that fundamentally changed planning policies towards greatly increased densities within urban areas in order to spare the countryside), the Trust has been concerned to mitigate the effects of this on the character of the City. We published a detailed paper on how the new policies should be applied in places like Winchester, which so impressed the Director of the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) that he forwarded it to Mr Prescott (no response). The paper did have some influence locally, however, in promoting the need for neighbourhood studies and design guidelines, because we emphasised that the government had placed as much importance on good design as on increased density. We made a particular point of the need for dedicated policies to conserve the character and setting of the City as an entity of national importance (rather than just an urban element of the district).

Strategic Planning
The government's plans have subsequently added additional pressure for growth in the suburbs and in the countryside. The Trust made extensive representations on those aspects of the South East Regional Plan (SERP) that affected Winchester, stressing the Plan's description of Winchester as "a tremendous and irreplaceable asset", which it then seemed to ignore. More recently we responded to the City Council's questionnaire on the emerging Local Development Framework (LDF), which is the document required of them, setting out the long term future of the whole district (within the much larger south east region). We were shocked by even greater pressures for growth, with the evident preference shown in the draft for building satellite developments around the outside of the City in response to the government's latest requirement that Winchester be designated as a location for additional growth, it being a 'sustainable centre', which is to say an urban area with a ready-made infrastructure (over-stretched as it may already be).

Conceptual Framework
As with the SERP, the line we are taking on the LDF is that Winchester has to be seen as something very special — the "tremendous and irreplaceable asset" — and that if it is to grow (we would all prefer not, but this is a government matter, beyond our influence), then it should not be done in unrelated, poorly planned, developer-led increments, on haphazardly chosen pieces of land (in the manner of Barton Farm). Rather, any growth should follow an in-depth and expert study of the whole City and its setting that explores every possibility, and puts forward well-considered outline proposals, of which we and future generations might all be proud — a 'conceptual framework', to put it in planning terms. It is our contention that this should be done before any further decisions are taken, that the explorations should include the sites already reserved for possible developments at Barton Farm, Pitt Manor and Worthy Road, and that the selection of the expert consultants should be a matter of the greatest care, taken with the advice of experts.

Design in general
Running through all this we have ever-present concerns about the quality of the design of new developments. Apart from monitoring, and where necessary commenting, on every planning application, we both ask for, and are asked to receive presentations from applicants for new developments and, where possible, we like to see schemes at the sketch design stage when there is more chance of influencing the design. Few of these show any real quality and we are concerned that the planning department is not adequately resourced to cope with design issues, preoccupied as they must be with meeting government targets for all manner of things, from sheer speed to the provision of affordable housing, that have nothing to do with design. In lieu of a design section within the planning department (which we are told cannot be afforded), we are urging the Council to consider engaging an eminent, visiting design consultant to raise the profile and understanding of the crucial importance of design, and to advise on all design matters, including the selection of expert consultants.

Michael Carden

Annual General Meeting - TrustNews September 08

Annual General Meeting
Monday 15th September, 7.00pm
in the Stripe Lecture Room, at the University of Winchester.

Following the formal business of the AGM we are very fortunate to have John Bucknall as our speaker this year, the 500th anniversary of the birth of Andrea Palladio. John is an architect who has the restoration of a great many historic buildings to his credit; amongst others, working with Rodney Melville on National Trust properties before becoming the architectural advisor to the Landmark Trust where he was responsible for supervising 30 major projects in Britain, Italy and Vermont.

He will introduce his talk by outlining Sir John and Christian Smith’s vision for the Landmark Trust and describe their remarkable achievement, illustrating this with a number of Landmarks in this country. He will then describe in detail one of his favourite projects: the Villa Saraceno, placing it in the context of Palladio’s work as a whole and giving an insight into what he describes as “Palladio’s extraordinary capacity to achieve the noblest architecture from the most modest of materials”.

Trust and Climate Change - TrustNews September 08

The Trust is represented on the Steering Group of Winchester Action on Climate Change which is a coalition of organisations and individuals working to encourage others to take action on climate change in Winchester. The Trust is actively considering sustainability and energy efficiency in its own activities. We are now monitoring our own carbon footprint in the Heritage Centre and are including comments on sustainability by the Planning Appraisal group in the Trust’s assessment of planning applications.

Planning Appraisal Group - TrustNews September 08

However gloomy the economic outlook may be, development in Chilbolton Avenue still seems to be the order of the day. Described as a terrace, but looking more like an undistinguished block of flats, two 2-bed and two 4-bed dwellings are proposed on land adjoining Piper’s Field, 67 Chilbolton Avenue. The Trust objected to the limited internal accommodation and the minimal private amenity space proposed, especially for the larger houses where children might be living, and were concerned that the access would be too close to the busy junction with Stockbridge Road. Another scheme proposes to demolish Nos 34 and 36 Chilbolton Avenue to make way for 11 dwellings (six 2-bed, four 4-bed and a 5-bed) and associated parking. The Trust objected to the density proposed (32.35dph), the low Level 1 sustainability, the allocation of 2 parking spaces per unit, and the large area of hard-standing. Also disturbing was that the style and layout indicated it was being built in conjunction with the development on the adjoining site at Nos 38 and 40 and that further development on the other boundary with No 32 was a possibility – an example of piecemeal development along the road, being built in numbers that avoided any contribution to affordable housing. The trust felt permitting this scheme could set a very undesirable precedent for the future of properties further to the south along this side of the road and the character of the area.

The Appeal to demolish Lang House, 27 Chilbolton Avenue, for 14 flats has been dismissed, not because of its effect on the road, but for the rather unsatisfactory reason that the Inspector felt the two 3-storey rear projections with flat roofs would appear incongruous with the pitched roof of the main building when seen from the golf course. No doubt the developers will come back with a scheme that gets round this reason for dismissal, and then I fear it could be goodbye to Lang House.

A better decision was made for 17 Bereweeke Road, where the Appeal to allow the demolition of the house for 12 dwellings has also been dismissed, this time on the grounds that the scheme would be unsympathetic to the spatial and landscape qualities of the surrounding area and would harm its character and appearance. The subsequent scheme for 11 dwellings here has now been refused by WCC.

Other Appeals awaiting decisions against refusals by WCC are the demolition of the Stanmore Hotel, Stanmore Lane, and permission to build two dwellings behind the refurbished Chestnut Mead, Kingsgate Road. Interestingly, the developers here are also seeking to renew the permission already given to refurbish the house and build a side extension, something we would much prefer. However, we had to object (as we originally did in 1999) to the barren asphalt car parking area in front of the house.

Decisions made on applications mentioned previously include the refusals of a residential development at the Winchester Laundry, Hyde Abbey Road, as being too dominant for its surroundings, and at West Hayes Lodge, Sarum Road, because the apartment block and the four town houses would seem overbearing, and the amount of parking and large area of hard standing would be out of keeping with the character of the area. The proposal to demolish the Heart in Hand, 40 Bar End Road to make way for ten dwellings has been withdrawn.

Another shop front has been proposed for 6B Parchment Street, this time for a standard ‘traditional’ shop front similar to the adjoining property. The Trust again objected, feeling it was preferable that the present bow-fronted shop front should be retained, for although not original, it made a lively contribution to the street scene. The Planners agreed, and have refused the application.

The developer who partially destroyed 31 Nuns Road is trying to do the same to the neigh-bouring house, 29 Nuns Road. The first application was refused, one reason being that it hadn’t been proved the building couldn’t be repaired to extend its useful life. The Structural Engineers Report in the following applications attempted to prove that demolition was needed, saying that ongoing movement was causing recurrent cracks in ceilings and walls, and that sloping floors would be “impractical/uncomfortable for modern living”. Such things are familiar to those living in period houses, who are well aware their homes seem to breathe in and out, so causing cracks, and are happy to put up with some sloping floors. The report was seen by two architect members, both with considerable knowledge of period houses, who weren’t convinced by its contents. The Trust were also very worried by the effect major foundation work of the type proposed could have on the stability of the other half of this semi-detached pair. The Trust objected strongly to this proposal.

Another scheme that looks set for a long discussion period is the proposal to build 14 dwellings on land adjacent to St John’s Croft, Blue Ball Hill. Although not available to the general public, this open field contributes greatly to the unusually rural character of this part of Winchester. It has, however, been decreed as fit for development by the Local Plan Inspector, provided there was adequate access and the style of architecture reflected that of the neighbourhood. There is considerable local concern about the effect the proposed access would have on parking availability and the character of the road. Although a layout of two terraces seemed acceptable, the Trust felt the large central area of hard-standing for parking was not, and in view of the steep slope of the site suggested that underground parking should be considered. The Trust also felt that at least one dwelling should be omitted from each terrace, so that the larger rear gardens then possible would reduce both the amount of shading from the trees on the eastern boundary and the impact the development would have on the residents of St Martin’s Close to the south. The height, mass and ponderous style of design didn’t reflect either the architecture or character of the locality, and the Trust felt something simpler would be better, with a more sustainable approach being built into the original design. The Trust objected to the scheme as being over-development of the site. Now watch this space!

Shione Carden

Chairman's Miscellany - TrustNews September 08

When I wrote for the last TrustNews, the plans for developments at the Cathedral were causing much concern among members though it is perhaps more accurate to say that the lack of information about those plans and the resulting rumours were the cause.

Michael Carden and I attended a lengthy seminar on the subject on 4th June. It was organised for the Dean and Chapter by the Prince's Trust for the Built Environment and conducted by a young and enthusiastic architect called Ben Bolgar, who had been a Chorister in his youth. There were informative presentations by the Receiver-General, the Director of Music, the Director of Children's Education and on the subjects of the Cathedral's context, landscape and archaeology.

Of course, the greatest concern was the suggestion that the Choir School should be relocated on the site of the Dean Garnier Garden. That was one of the options but it gained little support. The surprise was a new possibility - to build the School against the south wall of the Chancel. Just as controversial as the Dean Garnier Garden of course and the Bishop gave it some support.

I hope that the report of the Seminar's deliberations will be published shortly but even then no decisions will have been made.

I am sorry to report that Hugh Thomas RIBA has resigned from the Council of the Trust. Hugh carries a great workload, as we see from his many buildings in the City and he has contributed much to the Council's work. I hope that he may be persuaded to continue to apply lipstick to some of the "gorillas" we live with.

In a complete change of architectural styles, it was a pleasant surprise to receive, in June, a letter from Professor James Stevens Curl, one time resident of Winchester, an authority on Victorian Architecture and now retired to County Down. A life member of the Trust who must be one of the most distant but nevertheless maintains a keen interest in the City. He is the author of the Oxford Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape and, most recently, "Victorian Architecture: Diversity and Invention" which was warmly reviewed in the journal of the Victorian Society.

Finally, this season of Summer walks has been a great success. A wide range of subjects and enthusiastic speakers have been well supported. Those who have joined the walks will share my appreciation of the considerable preparation needed by speakers. My thanks to them and to Chris Pile who has delivered an excellent programme again, that requires a great deal of work.

Iain Patton

Title Picture - TrustNews September 08

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Photograph taken fron the Cathedral Tower in about 1902
Picture courtsey Hampshire Record Office. Ref 194M84W/2

Various - TrustNews June 07

Visit to Poundbury

The Trust is hoping to arrange a visit to Poundbury in September.

The visit will be limited to 18 people and there will be a charge of about £20 to cover the coach.

Poundbury is the mixed urban development of Town Houses, Cottages, Shops & Light Industry, designed for the Prince of Wales by Architect Leon Krier on the outskirts of Dorchester.

If you are interested in coming on this visit please contact the Trust Secretary for more details.

Subscriptions

Membership subscriptions for 2008/9 were due on May 1st. Thank you to all those who pay by Standing Order. If you pay by cheque please can you ensure we have your subscription as soon as possible. The cost for individuals is £10 per annum and for joint/family is £15 per annum. Please make cheques payable to "The City of Winchester Trust" and send to the Heritage Centre, 32 Upper Brook Street, Winchester, SO23 8DG.

Thank you.

Winter Talks Review

An interesting variety of topics was presented for our programme of seven "Winter Talks", held at the Heritage Centre. I am very grateful to our speakers and thank them for their time and effort, and also to lain, David, John and Jo for their attendance and help with the coffee and biscuits! I thank all who attended for their support and donations, which exceeded £200, for the benefit of the Trust. I welcome any comments or suggestions about this programme, or ideas for future consideration.

Chris Pile

Trustees 2007/8- TrustNews June 08

Summer Walks 2008 - TrustNews June 08

Walks start at 6.30pm from the Heritage Centre (unless otherwise stated). Please arrive at the start point in good time to allow a prompt start. There is a suggested donation of £2 per person. Non-members welcome.

Ashburton Court - TrustNews June 08

At the end of April a group of about a dozen Trust council and panel members were given a tour of the newly completed first phase of the County Council's refurbished offices at Ashburton Court. This followed consultations during the design stage.

The group was shown around by Hampshire's Assistant Director Property Services, Steve Clow, who reiterated the reasons for the project which is costing £40m, including the purchase of other property as part of the County Council's Strategic Property Review. This aims to intensify the use of a core of buildings. The County Council took the decision to refurbish Ashburton Court because it had reached the point where major repair and refurbishment had become essential. "Doing nothing was not an option" he said. External cladding had major defects and most of the services, lifts, windows, internal lighting and ceilings were at the end of their life. Patching up the building was ruled out as costly and an unsustainable investment, not least because of the need to remove asbestos, which had been used extensively throughout the building. Instead the County resolved to strip the building and create a highly sustainable new envelope around the existing structure, aiming to reduce the building's energy consumption by at least 50 per cent through the use of highly insulated materials and natural ventilation, the installation of efficient plant, heating and lighting systems, and the recycling of waste heat from the IT suite. At the same time, it meant the opportunity could be taken to make the building more acceptable to the Winchester scene.

In addition to being more energy efficient, there will be room for over 1000 staff, compared to the 600 who previously occupied the building. The work is being partially funded from capital receipts that will be generated from the sale of vacated offices elsewhere in Winchester. The top deck parking (about 250 spaces) has been relocated to Bar End to be replaced with more office space, a staff restaurant, meeting rooms and landscaped courtyards. The three wings of Ashburton Court are being refurbished in sequence. The east wing is already complete and re-occupied, work is in progress on the north wing and has now started on the west wing. The building is being stripped back to the concrete frame with all the walls, ceilings and services removed. Instead of false ceilings the floors have been raised to take cables below and the ceilings are now the original coffered concrete, simply painted. The concrete is an important part of the energy saving process, being cooled at night by fresh air in summer as well as retaining heat in winter. Ventilation is by large "chimneys" or wind troughs which draw air naturally through the offices from the courtyards. This avoids the need for air conditioning to most of the building.

The offices have been furnished to a good standard with desks and work areas which allow flexible working; lighting automatically adjusts to the correct brightness for the prevailing conditions and senses when people are present.

The outside appearance of the building has been transformed: the height has been reduced and the severe concrete cladding replaced from the ground up, with brick from the local Michelmersh brickworks. The City of Winchester Trust was grateful to have its contribution recognised when Steve Clow and Ian Parker, formerly the Head of Estates, thanked the Trust for its input at the design stage.

David Marklew

ROMANCE in the Upper High Street - TrustNews June 08

Romance in the Upper High Street? Hard to believe, isn't it? But ROMANSE? Yes. If you don't know what lurks behind the discreet plate on the door of number 5, you will be no wiser but a small group of Trust Council members were privileged to visit the Romanse control room recently and get the inside story.

Romanse stands for "Road Management System for Europe" which began as a research project, funded by the EU, initially based in Southampton and later also established in Winchester by Hampshire County Council. Behind that discreet door is a hi-tech control room, equipped with computers video walls and communication desks overseen by two controllers. The screens show not just the roads in and around Winchester but across Hampshire and further afield. Here they monitor traffic flows at many locations and respond to problems and incidents.

The Romanse unit's work covers three main areas, traffic and traffic signal monitoring, information for drivers, and public transport information. The staff work closely with the police, the local radio stations and the Highways Agency to ensure that up to date information is available to the public through radio, TV, variable message signs, commercial information systems like Traffic Master and websites. The car park occupancy signs and the bus stop information signs are also managed from this control room.

Every set of traffic signals is connected to the centre and even if one bulb goes out an alarm sounds straight away. If problems arise such as an accident or broken down vehicle the signal phasing can be overridden to suit. Of particular interest to the Trust members was how the traffic signals are phased. The group was given an explanation of how the UTC (Urban Traffic Control) computer links the signals and optimises the demands of traffic and pedestrians. Inevitably neither drivers nor pedestrians get the priority they desire but it was explained that the primary function of signals is road safety rather than simply maximising traffic flow.

The group found the visit very enlightening and it may be possible to arrange another visit for Trust members in the future. If you are interested please contact the Secretary at the Heritage Centre.

Planning Appraisal Group - TrustNews June 08

An essential attribute of the successful developer is persistence, as is clearly demonstrated on many sites by the repeated applications for similar schemes, coupled with skilful use of the appeal system.

A good example of this is Lang House, 27 Chilbolton Avenue, where it is always claimed the house had no architectural merit and should be demolished for a high density development. On each occasion we objected, saying it made a considerable contribution to the street scene and had the merit of being one of the original houses in the road. The first scheme, a 3-storey block with lower ground floor and three detached houses at the rear, was put forward in August 2004 and refused in September. It went to Appeal, but was withdrawn before the Public Inquiry took place. The second scheme, by Millgate Homes for a 3 & 4 storey block of 14 flats, appeared on the lists in January 2007, was refused in February, went to Appeal by Informal Hearing in August, and was dismissed in November because the Inspector considered the development would harm the character and appearance of the neighbourhood. The third scheme, very similar in scale and design to the second, was put forward in July 2007, before the second (later dismissed) scheme had even been lodged for appeal; it was refused in October and Millgate Homes have gone to Appeal yet again. Only a few changes have been made since the second scheme was dismissed last November; there is, however, a different Inspector and this could be why it's worth while going to appeal again — perhaps he might have a different opinion. We attended the Informal Hearing into the third application and now await the decision with fingers crossed.

Other developments are going through a similar process. Banner Homes want to demolish 17 Bereweeke Road for a residential development: their first proposal for 12 dwellings was made in June 2007, refused in September and went to Appeal by Written Representation in March 2008 — a decision is still awaited. Their second scheme for 11 dwellings was put forward in January 2008, when we again objected. No decision has yet been made by the Planners, who might perhaps be waiting to see the results of the appeal. The first proposal to build an Aldi store in Stockbridge Road on the site of The Chimneys, 1 Burnett Close, was in April 2005, and was eventually dismissed on Appeal by Public Inquiry in March 2007. There were further attempts at getting planning permission during 2006 and 2007, culminating in March 2008 with the present scheme, which still awaits a decision by the Planners. The development proposed in 2007 was refused in September and has just gone to appeal by Public Inquiry; we will be writing in support of the Local Authority's refusal. We have objected to all the Aldi proposals, feeling this is not an appropriate location for a store such as this, any more than it is for the permitted Waitrose store.

It has just been announced that Banner Homes have withdrawn both their Appeals against refusals of two schemes at 35-37 Dean Lane. Is this due to the present economic uncertainty? If so, it could perhaps indicate a welcome relief in the pressures on Winchester for development in its suburbs.

Decisions have been made on several schemes mentioned in previous TrustNews. The applications for a nursing home in place of the Stanmore Hotel, Stanmore Lane, and for residential student units at Erasmus Park Student Village, Easton Lane, have both been refused, as have the demolition of Kirtling House, 52 Chilbolton Avenue for 12 new dwellings and the new shopfront at 6B Parchment Street. The proposal to convert the barn of Wharf Farm, Wharf Hill, and build 4 new dwellings has been withdrawn.

The Trust has objected to four major schemes.

We felt the mass and scale of the replacement building proposed for the demolished Heart in Hand, 40 Bar End Road, were too large for its surroundings and that its undistinguished design would do nothing to improve this important route into the city. The new structure, housing a hair dressing salon/physiotherapy unit and 12 cramped flats with virtually no storage space, would take up the whole of the site and have a bulk we felt would seem overpowering and be detrimental to the appearance of the modestly-sized terraces that make up much of this part of Bar End Road.

We also felt the scheme to refurbish the existing 3-storey office block at Winnall Corner, 1 Winnall Valley Road, and build a 3- (and partly 4-) storey office block in place of the existing 1-storey warehouse was a missed opportunity of improving a site at the interface between areas of industrial and residential use, and that the height of the new block could be detrimental to the amenities of those living nearby. The aim to build the new offices in the out-dated 1960s style of the existing block was thought a great mistake, and we felt the landscaping proposed for the large car park was inadequate for this position.

Banner Homes want to demolish West Hayes Lodge, Sarum Road, for 10 dwellings. As is usual for houses proposed for demolition in this area, it isn't claimed to be structurally unsound, but that it has no architectural merit (except, in our opinion, that it's one of the original houses). We objected to its demolition, the loss of trees and the large area of hard surfacing needed for 20 parking spaces.

We also objected to the 31 residential dwellings and community/retail unit proposed for the site of the Winchester Laundry, Hyde Abbey Road. While having no problem with a contemporary design here, the "office block" style proposed for the 4-storey block on the corner of Hyde Abbey and Gordon Roads was felt most unsympathetic to the character of the neighbourhood. Other aspects of concern were the lack of internal access to the bin and cycle stores and the full-length windows on the facades facing onto the road, which could prove unsightly unless care was taken to ensure nothing was stacked against them. Members of the Trust also attended a workshop arranged by WCC for local residents to allow their views to be heard and included in the design brief for the site. Their main concerns were that the height of the development should be mainly 2-storey, the sight lines for vehicles on the dangerous corner should be improved by setting back the corner building, and that there should be full on-site parking because of existing parking problems in Gordon Road.

Shione Carden

Chairman's Miscellany - TrustNews June 08

I write this in the first day of more normal May weather - grey and cool. The recent wonderful sunshine has advanced those members' gardens which will be open on Sunday, 8th June so there should be a repeat of the great success of last year. Do visit these differing gardens, relax with other Trust members and, in some, enjoy tea. You will find the list of gardens on a flyer in this issue of TrustNews. My thanks to the gardeners for their willingness to repeat this event.

I am pleased to report two splendid gifts to the Trust in memory of Pat Edwards. The first comes from her daughter Susan. Those who attended the AGM last September will recall the presentation to Pat of a painting by Keith Leaman of Cheyne Court. It was prized by Pat and it has now returned to the Trust. The second gift is from Jeffrey Smith, one of our Vice-Presidents. It is a painting of the Westgate and marks his appreciation of Pat's work for the City and particularly her interest in and support for that notable landmark. These paintings will hang in the Heritage Centre and the Trustees are most grateful for such generosity.

Members will recall my mention, in the last TrustNews, of a seminar to be held in March on the Dean and Chapter's proposals to build in the Inner Close and, particularly, in the Dean Gamier garden. The seminar was postponed and will now take place on 4th June. I will attend with Michael Carden and will comment in the next issue.

Sterling work by the Policy Group produced thoughtful and far seeing comments on the Winchester Town Access Plan. More hard work for the Trust took Norman Roberts to a conference on traffic in historic towns organised by the English Historic Towns Forum and to preparing a full report. The impact of traffic in the city has to be tackled and we welcome the broad approach being taken by Winchester City Council and Hampshire County Council. The comments and report mentioned above can be read on the Trust's website.

Finally, you will see details of a full and exciting list of walks this summer. My thanks to those who will lead the walks and especially to Chris Pile who has organised the programme and the successful series of winter talks in the Heritage Centre. May the sunshine return to enhance the enjoyment of the walks.

Iain Patton

Various - TrustNews March 08

New Members

Welcome to our new members:

Mr C Ferguson (993),
Mr J Page (994),
Miss H Gregory (995),
Dr A 011iff-Cooper (996),
Miss E Young (997),
Mr T Snow (998),
Mr J Hann (999),
Mr & Mrs D Barber (1000)

The Soke

The Soke In the old eastern suburb of the city, the ancient liberty of the Soke, is Cheesehill Street, running north and south, east of the main arm of the ltchen which formed the military fosse of the eastern wall of the city. Cheesehill Street takes its name from being the site of the chesil or gravel bank on which the boats laden with timber and stone, &c., coming up the Itchen from Southampton were grounded. .

Electronic mail

It would help us to keep you better informed if those with e-mail would send us their addresses. The best way to do this is by e-mailing the Trust to: secretary @cityoffwinchestertrust.co.uk.

We will not disclose the information to any third party.

Trustees 2007/8- TrustNews March 08

A successs story - TrustNews March 08

Phil Yates

The phenomenal success of the book

Time Gentlemen, Please!

has already resulted in the sell-out of the first edition! An up-dated Second Edition is now on sale at the two Waterstone's, P & G Wells in College Street, the Winchester Bookshop in St. George's Street, and the Tourist Information Centre - still priced at £9.95. I endeavour to sign the books before they leave the Heritage Centre for their destination. All proceeds from the sales go to the Trust. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my sub-committee who, over the past 18 months, have worked tirelessly in helping to plan, promote and distribute the book to bookshops and other outlets including several pubs. Without their dedication the success of this project would have been difficult to achieve. The Trust members involved were lain Patton, Peter Radcliffe and the much-missed Pat Edwards who encouraged me to write the book in the first place.

Hockley Viaduct - TrustNews March 08

The viaduct, 2,014 ft (614m) long with 33 arches, once linked the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton railway with the the Great Western Railway, and was in use for passenger traffic until 1960, and freight until 1966.

Most local people know about Hockley Viaduct and its importance to the British cause during the Second World War, and perhaps also the fact that it is the oldest known major structure in Britain built of concrete and then faced with brick. It's owned by Winchester City Council which until now has felt unable to spend any money on its upkeep. Representations were made to central government to have the Viaduct listed due to these two important aspects of its existence, but the application was turned down. The City Council has now decided that upkeep of the Viaduct is essential and there are plans afoot to make it accessible to the general public for walking, bike riding and so on.

A small group of Winchester men have spent much time and effort trying to save this railway bridge, and have now decided to create a society of the Friends of Hockley Viaduct open to anyone who has an interest in Hampshire's history and relevance during the last war. The annual subscription is only £5.00 and the fact that there will be a large number of people interested in saving this structure may well help to change the minds of those in authority as to its present day importance.

Please join us now at the start of this new venture to save a well-known and loved landmark in our area – the more people who join us the more chance we have of persuading the City Council of the Viaduct's importance to us and our surroundings.

Winchester calling - TrustNews March 08

In January six members of the Trust's Trustees visited Winchester Telephone Exchange. It started in 1940, which date and "G VI R" appears above one of the windows in Upper Brook Street. Was it built as part of the war effort to improve communications? Conveniently the location was behind the Winchester General Post Office which used to be in Parchment Street. The building was extended in the 1950s and again in the early 1980s, the later extension being on land owned by local wine merchants, Keith Bros, who insisted their shop (now Threshers) be included in the redevelopment.

The exchange is no longer owned by BT who transferred all their property portfolio to an investment and services company, Telereal, in 2003. A BT subsidiary, Openreach, maintains the exchange and undertakes installation work for BT and for all other companies who can now use the exchange such as Tiscali, TalkTalk etc.

Perhaps not surprisingly given the fast-changing technology, there is a good deal of semi-redundant equipment and the work of disentangling the old from the new is obviously complex and very expensive to do. Several areas have been cleared leaving a fair amount of empty space available for the next generations of equipment.

All phone lines in Winchester connect to the exchange with their own unique pair of copper wires. However we were surprised to learn that all calls are then routed to Southampton by fibre optic cables where they are processed to connect them to the receiving number, so if you call your neighbour in Winchester your call is not processed in Winchester - much like your post it is processed in Southampton! The exchange also connects private company lines, for example lines between separate offices in the city, and secure lines such as bank transactions, Ministry of Defence etc.

Broadband equipment is now an important part of the exchange and much of this belongs to a range of ISP suppliers. The broadband connection is the first connection to a line which is why if there is a problem with your broadband your phone probably goes dead too.

There are hundreds of miles of wires within the exchange. How anyone can work out where they all go is a mystery! The system is backed up with batteries and a generator in case of power failure. Here the space saving of modern equipment is especially obvious with two large battery rooms made redundant, replaced by much smaller batteries within each bank of equipment.

All the major mobile phone companies have transmitters on the roof of the exchange with their own equipment rooms below.

Could the exchange be moved and redeveloped? When you see the complexity of the installations you begin to realise the enormity of the task. Is the building bigger than needed? Probably - but who knows what the next requirement for communication will be? What is certain is that there will be a constant renewal of equipment and plenty of space is needed to make changes while keeping the current systems working.

Our thanks to Chris Hall who showed us round and answered our many questions.

David Marklew

Talks and Walks - TrustNews March 08

All talks will be given at the Heritage Centre, Upper Brook Street, starting at 7.00pm.

Just turn up, but space is limited so admission is subject to availability. A suggested donation of 22 will be requested for the benefit of the Trust.

February14Hockley ViaductChris Webb

28Mr Richard's Academy at HydeRobin Freeman

March13The Bevin Boys' StoryPhil Yates

27A stroll around the Godson MapChris Pile

April10Richard Andrews' Winchester HousesRobin Freeman

24Medieval life in WinchesterGraham Scobie

May8From Pillar to Post Town and country letter boxesChris Pile

Summer Evening Walks

Our programme of Summer Evening Walks begins in June. Advance notice of the first two walks is given below. Walks start at 6.30pm. Please arrive early to ensure prompt start. Full details will be in the June TrustNews.

June5Alfred, The Final ChapterBarbara Hall
(Meet outside Riverpark Leisure Centre)President of the Friends
of Hyde Abbey Gardens

June12Are Spaces Important?Keith Leaman
Architect and
Trust Council, Member

Chris Pile

Not Wasted! - TrustNews March 08

In November a small group of Trust members went to see what happens to Winchester's waste. The content of your grey household waste bins is all taken to an energy recovery facility at Chineham, north of Basingstoke where it is burnt and turned into electricity.

Picture. Chineham Energy from Waste plant

Did you know?

• All our domestic waste is burnt to generate electricity.
• The heat from the furnace generates steam which is used to drive turbines and generators to make the electricity.
• The Chineham plant supplies 8MW of electricity to the grid - enough for 8,000 homes.
• The flue gases are passed through special cleaning processes which remove toxic and polluting elements.
• Metals are extracted from the ash for recycling.
• The remaining ash is sent for recycling in construction or to landfiil
• There are three state of the art energy recovery faciliies 'n Hampshire - at Chineham, Marchwood and Portsmouth.
• These energy from waste plants are built and operated by Veolia under a 28 year contract with HCC.
• None of Hampshire's domestic waste goes straight to landfill.

For a future visit we hope to see what happens to the contents of cur green recycle bins.

Chris Pile

Summer Walks 2007 Review - TrustNews March 08

Our first venue was Winchester Cathedral for two separate tours in four groups with our guides David Farthing, Peter Innes, Bronwen Black and Julie Adams. One tour covered the story of Stained Glass and a detailed description of many of the windows; the other tour looked at the work of William Walker, the diver, who spent six years reinforcing the foundations in water up to 27 feet. Our guides conveyed the significant contribution made by both to the splendour of our cathedral.

The importance of Space, Proportion and Detail' was the title of our second walk, led by Keith Leaman. We walked to Park Avenue to look at the School of Art where the proportion of the windows was a significant element in the design. From the open space adiacent to Blue Ball Hill we enjoyed the views over Winchester before observing the detailed brickwork in St.John's Street. We ended by walking along Colebrook Street to admire the classical water feature at the east end of the cathedral, described by Keith as the best view in Winchester.

Our third walk coincided with Architecture Week with the theme 'Different Perspectives'. Our guide was John Browning who began by outlining a proposed scheme for integrating the Brooks w'th the High Street by 'swivelling' the High Street facade. We were given an insight into how development in Market Lane and The Square increased the commercial value of the premises by creating useable space. The hazards of working on old buildings near to collapse and having underground vaults were vividly described. We were taken upstairs from St.Clement's Yard to see how the space can be utilised for exhibition and offices.

Phil Yates was our guide for a walk associated with the Southern Railway. We met at the station where Phil described the development and route of the line to the New Forest. We walked via the bridge and St. Paul's Hill to a former goods yard and then through the subway to the north of the station. Winchester to Basingstoke was the last section completed, with the Wailers Ash tunnel and five bridges near the station. We ended our walk at the 'Jolly Farmer' adjacent to Brassey Road, named after Thomas Brassey, the main contractor for this section of the railway.

For our fifth walk we visited the Hospital and Chapel of St. Cross founded by Henry de Blois, grandson of William the Conqueror. Our guide, as in previous years, was Trust Vice -Chairman, Michael Carden. In the Chapel we were told of the history and construction, with many contemporary anecdotes concerning the Masters, Bishops and Trustees. In 1450 the Almshouse of Noble Poverty was added by Cardinal Beaufort and we visited the 14th century Brethren's Hall and the 15th century kitchen. Our visit ended in the outer quadrangle beside the old brewhouse and site of the Hundred Men's Hall.

The events concerning Winchester in the Civil War were vividly portrayed by Elizabeth Proudman in our sixth walk. Life in Winchester under Charles I was described as we walked via the High Street to the Cathedral. When the conflict began in August 1642, we were told how Winchester was divided with one MP, William Ogle, supporting the King and the other, John Lisle on the side of the Parliamentarians. We continued via the City Cross to St.Thomas' Street to be told of the battles and eventual surrender of the castle, ending our walk appropriately on the site of the Peninsular Barracks.

On 19th July we visited the preserved Edwardian pumping station at Twyford Waterworks where our guide was Matthew Feldwick. After an introduction to the site we were shown the impressive 1914 Hathorn Davey Triple Expansion steam pump engine. The removal of asbestos from the boilers prevents operation at present, but we were invited to turn the pump by hand! We climbed to the lime kilns at the top of the site to learn about the water softening process. Finally, if you wondered what happened to the bus shelter from outside the library in Jewry Street, visit the waterworks. We were given great hospitality by our hosts and ended with tea and Vickys irresistible homemade cake.

Our eighth walk, 'Progression of the Traditional' was led by Robert Adam, starting with a walk to the cathedral close to learn about 'classical revival'. We proceeded to the High Street to study the various architectural columns and then to Market Street, dubbed 'PoMo corner' by Robert for its Post Modern architecture. In the Broadway we observed the architecture of the Guildhall before moving to the Wessex Hotel, described as 'neo-vernacular We ended by the Westgate at Elomfield corner' to compare the architecture of the Castle buildings, Queen Elizabeth Court and Mottisfont Court.

Walk nine was led by Robin Freeman who gave a detailed description of the buildings of the High Street. Starting in the Broadway, Robin gave a full account of the area including Eastgate House, St. John's House, King Alfred's Statue (and the Russian gun), Abbey House and the Guildhall. Moving west, the number of earlier premises allowed some members to recall Woolworth's and Giffords, the seed merchant. We continued to Southgate Street corner, observing Egyptian-style tapered windows by Owen Browne Carter. Our walk continued past the Black Swan and Stopher's corner, the former Star inn, and ended in the bar of the Westgate Hotel.

For our tenth walk we were led by Chris Webb to the Central Works Bus Station where we were greeted by the Chairman of the Friends of King Alfred's buses, Peter Murnaghan, and were provided with wine and nibbles. Peter described how King Alfred's Motor Services began in 1915 with Robert Chisnell transporting troops around Winchester, and more recently the formation of Friends of King Alfred's Buses in 1985. We were invited to inspect the buses in the garage and to look at the many articles and photographs on display, and to talk to several 'friends' who were present. At the end of our visit we were treated to a ride on the top deck of the AEC Renown (596 LCG) recovered from the USA. We drove past the former garages in Chesil Street to Bar End, returning via Morn Hill where the troop camps were sited. We disembarked in the Broadway after a memorable experience.

For our last walk, 'Beating the Bounds' Andrew Rutter first outlined the effect of the Silver Hill development on Middle Brook Street and the important axis from the cathedral to Park Avenue. We were then shown drawings of other proposed schemes as we were guided from Durngate to the city bridge and then around the city walls via Wolvesey, Kingsgate, Southgate and St. James'Lane. We were intrigued by the location of five iconic crosses around the city. The walk was illustrated with Andrew's inimitable drawings and we finished with novel views of the castle from the west.

Thank you to all the guides, whose knowledge and enthusiasm is so great and who have given so much time and effort in preparing and leading our walks. The weather was unseasonable but it did not deter our generous band of supporters who also deserve our thanks.

Chris Pile

A cultural seascape on the World Heritage list? - TrustNews March 08

The communities around Portsmouth Harbour and Spithead are probably changing more rapidly than at any time in their history. Their developing creativity and enterprise is moving forward in exciting new ways. A new proposal — to work towards inscription of Portsmouth Harbour and Spithead as a World Heritage site promises to provide continuity from the physical and social legacy of the area's past towards a well designed, creative future, where new developments and enterprises are of the highest quality and distinctive aspects of the area's economy are enhanced, stimulated by what makes it worthy of world-wide recognition. There are clear gains in the myriad interests around the harbour and Spithead working more closely together, in what we all perceive as one place.

Portsmouth Harbour and Spithead are framed to the north and south by Portsdown Hill and Ryde, and it is the water — and parts of the coastline - which is the focus of the bid. The only other harbour on the World Heritage List is Willemsted in Curaçao, and our proposal 'for a 'cultural seascape' would be a world first. Our particular geography — a sheltered anchorage and a large harbour protected by a narrow entrance — has shaped the area's history. The process of making a bid will achieve many important medium-term economic and environmental gains for the local communities, making the journey worthwhile whether or not the bid succeeds. It will help local people to value the rich legacy of buildings, history and traditions around the harbour, and to ensure their sustainable future. In particular it is hoped that it will result in forward-looking co-ordination of planning, transport and conservation policies, access, promotion and development.

Sites can only be included on the tentative list if submitted by the State Party to UNESCO - in our case the DCMS. The site has to be of outstanding universal value. The DCMS has commissioned research on the effects of inscription at six UK sites, and is to issue new guidelines for applicants — of which there are quite a number - in 2008. Nine sites are currently on the UK Tentative List, including Chatham dockyard, although their bid is land-based. The key requirement for success is that the dossier must demonstrate the 'outstanding universal value' of the site in accordance with one or more of ten criteria for cultural sites. There is also a category for moveable objects such as historic ships. Only one category is necessary. Our bid would be the first to include objects: Mary Rose, Victory and HMS Warrior. Authenticity is important: The Nara Document refers to authenticity of materials, design and setting, which have to be of worldwide significance. The theme of the bid is defence heritage - to celebrate centuries of activity - from the Roman Empire's Fort of the Saxon shore. Portchester Castle - to the British Navy's continued operation in Portsmouth dockyard and its supporting establishments, defences and supply lines.

The proposal addresses local conservationists' particular concerns: the future of Haslar Hospital and HMS Daedalus in Gosport, potential development of Hyde's seafront and skyline, lack of maintenance on key historic buildings such as Portsmouth City's Southsea Castle, the Round Tower and Square Tower and Eastney Pumping Station, and the MOD's Block Mills in Portsmouth dockyard - where a world technological first took place. Marc Brunel (father of lsambard Kingdom) led a team of brilliant engineers who developed the world's first steam powered mass production factory to produce the thousands of wooden pulley blocks needed for the navy's ships. After years of campaigning the exterior of Block Mills is being repaired, but it still lacks a sustainable long-term use. Other issues which a long term management plan would be designed to address include the lack of local tall buildings policies, poorly designed waterside buildings, and decaying infrastructure such as Portsmouth Harbour station.

The Hampshire Buildings Preservation Trust is being kept informed of progress on the bid, which involves five local authorities: Portsmouth and Winchester City Councils, Gosport and Fareham Borough Councils and the Isle of Wight Council - as well as maritime and underwater interests. Following a boat trip to explore the site at first hand during Architecture Week, a dossier and statement of universal value have been drafted. Support from the five local authorities is being sought and the many interested parties are being identified.

If you are interested in the proposal, please contact Dr Celia Clark on 02392 732912 or by email at CeliaDeane.Clark@btopenworld.com.

Celia Clark

Policy Group Report - TrustNews March 08

The Trust policy group has responsibility for looking at new policy documents and proposals which affect the City. Several Trust Council members meet to prepare responses to consultations from the City Council. Most recently we attended the workshop in the Guildhall on 17 January about the new-style development plan for Winchester over the next 20 years. We have just put together a Trust response dealing mainly with the vision and strategic objectives for the City, transport issues, how to provide affordable housing and the right mix of new housing. This exercise was fraught with difficulty where we were faced with questions which could not be given simple yes/no answers. We felt that some aspects of the environment must be made sacrosanct and that we should acknowledge the conflict but seek a commitment to evaluate priorities in the later stages of the plan.

The Policy Group has also considered several aspects of sustainability. The Trust has joined the Winchester Action on Climate Change Group and we attend its steering group. We have been pressing the City Council and the developers of the Silver Hill scheme to ensure as far as possible that the development will have "flagship" credentials for sustainability. We have contributed to and endorsed the response which the Winchester Climate Change Group put forward pressing for, among other things, the highest standards for carbon reduction in new development.

We also considered the Inspectors' Report on the South East Plan which is now being considered by Government. We were encouraged by the plan's original statement about the unique character of Winchester, but were then alarmed by the Inspectors' downplaying the historic and conservation issues. The next stage will be a response from Government, probably in early summer, and we have already given some thought to a further Trust response.

We have been talking to the City Council about the way in which their 2007 document "Vision for Winchester" will be taken forward and the City is also forming a Futures Group which we hope will be looking into the Trust's idea of a conceptual framework for development. The Trust is keen to play an important, perhaps critical, role in these two pieces of work and we wait to see what happens next.

We do know that there will be a public consultation in March on the Winchester Town Access Plan. This will set out proposals to reduce demand for car-based travel, traffic management issues and "new solutions". The policy group will be actively involved on behalf of the Trust.

Patrick Davies

Memories of Patricia Edwards - TrustNews March 08

And there you stood,
Proud Patricia,
Pleased as punch
in your domain;
Planted in your garden.
Andrew Snow

When Pat resigned as chairman at our last AGM, I experienced my own sudden transformation from President to Patron. As I look back over the past seventeen years and the performance of the four admirable chairmen of the Trust during that time, it was surely to Pat's credit that she outshone them all in the personal devotion and assiduous attention she gave to the Trust; boldly confronting the difficulties that arose, while continuing to win for the Trust the high regard in which it is so widely held today.

She concentrated on all aspects of the Trust's work, often volunteering to pursue many of the pressing questions on the agenda of the council's meetings, and sometimes even to the point of exasperating those who found that she had been there before them.

I recall with some satisfaction how I managed, with such diplomatic skills as were still left to me, to entice her to become our new chairman, though I had been warned she would always decline any such suggestion.

I shall always remember Pat's indomitable spirit, matched by the courage with which she faced the doctor's verdict on her condition.

Many of us will also recall the closing words at her thanksgiving service on 7th" December:

"You who live on will use your lives more fully having known Patricia and for having shared in her life."

Sir Peter Ramsbotham President 1990 - 2007

I knew Pat Edwards as a dedicated, selfless and strong minded City Councillor who was not shy in making her views known. I knew that she cared deeply for Winchester and had a good understanding of the planning system and plenty of experience in its operation. She recognised its importance in helping to shape the environment and to protect places and buildings of historic or architectural importance. She held very positive views about planning matters, but as Chairman of Planning was always prepared to listen to the views of others and the advice of her professional advisers. On some issues she held very firm views and would not be shifted. This might have resulted in bad feeling, but disagreements were neither personalised nor allowed to spill over into other issues. Thus there were effective and often lively debates between members and officers resulting, I feel, in the making of better decisions.

My knowledge of Pat Edwards was confined to our relationship in the work of the City Council. I knew where she lived, but I was ignorant of her personal family circumstances and there was no social contact. Her private life was just that, but nevertheless the news of her sudden and premature death came as a personal blow to me and many others and I am grateful for having had the positive experience and the privilege of working so closely with her.

Jack Thompson Director of Planning, Winchester City Council, 1974 -1990

I first met Pat in the early '70s when I joined the Winchester Tories, amongst whom she was a very live wire. We were both concerned about what was happening to the City - hardly credible today. The then City Council had (with HCC) supported the demolition of the Durngate Mill, of a length of roman wall, of terraced Georgian houses in the High Street and of 199 'two-up-two-down houses' in the City centre - all for the benefit of the car - as were the emerging plans for the M3. We became very active in the party doing all we could to shake up the 'twin-set and pearls' brigade, and then became Councillors supporting each other in many areas - often going against the Tory establishment - which made us pretty unpopular with them. I resigned to work with the Theatre Royal project but for over 20 years Pat was a dedicated and very influential Councillor, devoted to the City and her ward. She was clear thinking, strong-willed, brave, outspoken and very determined - with the real interests of Winchester (including the survival of the Theatre Royal) in all that she did. She was the ideal person to take on the Chairmanship of the Planning Committee and, working with Jack Thompson as Director, achieved much in that role.

After leaving Winchester I would drop in to see her occasionally, often finding her happily pruning or digging in her much-loved garden - indeed her knowledge of trees and plants was often important in plans for new developments. Sadly she has gone, but all around us, in Winchester and the county, are buildings and spaces that owe their quality or survival to Pat; si monumentum requiris circumspice.

Jennie Bland Trust Council / Vice President 1974 - 1980

Pat's admirable characteristics stand out in the other contributions, so I have no need to enlarge on them, allowing me to say a little of the personal side of working with a colleague I have known since she joined the Trust Council in 1977.

On becoming vice- and then chairman of the City's Planning Committee she resigned and stood apart for 18 years so that there should be no possible conflict of interest. Pat was always a stickler for doing the right thing; on the last day of her life she signed a £1,000 cheque towards the Trust's Rutter book project; "make sure", she told her daughter, "that none of it gets spent on lunches!"

How good to know that her sense of humour persisted to the end. While she could drive one to distraction at times, humour was never far away and ensured, with her all-embracing affection, that no battle lasted longer than the moment. Moreover, though reticent about her private life, she was acutely self-critical and would regale us with accounts of her errors, whether falling over her cat or mistakenly making off with my coat and car-key for half a day.

She liked to be teased: Shione, exasperated by the chairman's tendency to do the menial task of re-arranging the furniture for meetings, started calling her Mrs Pickford; Pat loved it. This acquisition of extra duties was generally concealed from us: it was only by accident we discovered that the buffet laid out for a visit from another society, was all made by the chairman late the night before.

Wherever she is now, you can bet she's stirring things up and making many more friends than enemies in the process!

Michael Carden Vice Chairman

My mother was born in Ceylon where she was brought up on a tea estate with her two younger brothers. After early education in Ceylon, England, Northern Ireland and India she completed her education in South Africa. At Rhodes University she read Natural Sciences before returning to England at the end of the war. After secretarial training, she worked for a theatrical agency in London before returning to the family and marriage in Ceylon where I was born. In 1956, she and I returned to England, settling in Winchester and in 1961 Crabtrees became our home where she was a dedicated mother and, with an enormous amount of hard work, created a beautiful garden. She was always an inspirational gardener with an encyclopaedic horticultural knowledge.

My mother had a keen interest in people and local affairs, so it was no surprise in 1973 that she was elected to Winchester City Council `to influence some decisions about traffic'. For twenty-four devoted years she served her ward and the council in many areas but it was education and planning that were her particular interests. She applied her energy and clarity of mind to three school governorships, one as chairman, and for eleven years as chairman of planning with the future of Winchester her great concern.

With all her commitments she found plenty of time for her family, supporting her elderly parents in Bexhill and taking a keen interest in her two grandsons, nephews and nieces and their young families. Outside the family she was a loyal and longstanding friend to many she met throughout her life, her steadfastness and home providing a haven of stability to those who knew her. In spite of her illness, her characteristic determination ensured a happy visit to her brother and his family in Canada only a few weeks before she died.

Susan Smith

Planning Appraisal Group - TrustNews March 08

You win some, you lose some. This has certainly been the case with appeal decisions made since our last TrustNews. The appeal to allow the demolition of Lang House, Chilbolton Avenue, a house of importance to the character of the road, has been dismissed. However, the appeal to build four covered courts at the Winchester Lawn Tennis Club, Bereweeke Road, and the appeal by Sunrise Senior Living to build a 3-storey 80-bed assisted living home on the sites of Warden Hill, Woodgate House and The Chestnuts, Stockbridge Road, have both been allowed.

Decisions have also be made on a number of applications mentioned earlier. The 375 residential units on Queen's Road, to be used by the University of Winchester, have been granted, as has the development on the site of the Royal Observer HQ, Abbotts Road, where we felt the style of the houses was not altogether satisfactory and that the development should not be gated. The proposal for alterations which we felt were very inappropriate at 3 Fordington Avenue has been withdrawn.

The partial demolition and rebuilding of 31 Nuns Road (NB not No 3 as stated last time) has been granted, something that obviously had to happen in view of the gap the unauthorised demolition has left in the terrace. We had objected to the proposal to install upvc windows, saying that new buildings can have efficient double-glazed timber windows; it is good to note that permission was given provided the new windows were of timber and matched the design and finish of the fenestration of the original building. We also considered it would be essential that everything (type of brick bond and mortar, etc) be undertaken in the way it would have been when the house was built, and urged that a very close eye should be kept on the rebuilding process.

The viewing panels have seen the usual quota of shop signs, extensions and loft conversions with dormers - mostly too large for the size of the existing house and few complying with the architectural description of a dormer window: A window placed vertically in a sloping roof and with a roof of its own. The name derives from the fact that it usually serves sleeping quarters. The requirements of sleeping quarters have clearly changed since this definition was made, because most of the so-called dormers we see seem more like sheds on the roof than windows.

While often welcoming contemporary schemes, we felt the minimalist shopfront proposed for 6B Parchment Street would be detrimental because it failed to relate to either the Listed Building or the character of the street, and we therefore strongly objected to the replacement of the existing shopfront.

Another contemporary scheme we found unacceptable was at Cranworth Hall, Cranworth Road, for a 4-storey block accommodating five 2- & 1-bed flats and a childcare nursery on the ground floor. Neither the demolition of the existing building nor the proposed use of the site was a problem: it was the inadequate details provided, the design and the ungainly appearance of the building we objected to, because we felt it would be both uncharacteristic of the locality and an intrusive element on this important route into Winchester.

We have also strongly objected to the second proposal by Banner Homes to demolish 17 Bereweeke Road, this time for 11 new dwellings. This Victorian house makes a considerable contribution to the character of the road, and although it was not claimed this substantial building is structurally unsound, the Sustainability Report quoted favourable values for replacing the existing structure with one of similar size that incorporated components desirable for sustainable development. The Trust wondered how relevant this was for a development consisting of five separate structures with their many external walls, especially as there was no indication that any of the suggested desirable components would be used in the development.

Another application to which the Trust has strongly objected is the Banner Homes proposal to demolish Kirtling House, 52 Chilbolton Avenue, to make way for 12 dwellings of very ordinary design. Again nothing was said about the building being structurally unsound (impossible, in view of the initial marketing ploy used for its sale), and the claim that the building had no architectural or historic importance and made less contribution than the boundary hedge seemed suspect for several reasons: hedges are ephemeral and can die and vanish, while the presence of the house (an original structure felt worth retaining in the LADS Area F) can be appreciated when travelling north along Chilbolton Avenue. We also disliked the access proposed to run immediately in front of the recent development at Nos 46-48.

There have been a number of evening presentations since the last TrustNews, some pre-application, while others were requested to provide additional details to ensure our comments were well informed.

Pre-application presentations included the demolition of Barnaby, Northbrook Avenue, for two 5-bedroom townhouses and two 2-bedroom apartments, which seemed acceptable and the conclusions made then have since been included in our comments, and the proposal to build on the land adjoining The Croft, St John's Street, for which we had presentations from both the developers and the local residents. The information provided by these presentations will be of great value when formulating the Trust's comments after the application for this scheme has been seen by the viewing panels.

Post-application presentations included a proposal to convert the barn of Wharf Farm, Wharf Hill, to residential use and build another 4 dwellings in the garden, to which we objected because it was felt the style of the new houses was not sympathetic to their surroundings and that too much was being crammed onto the site. We did not object to the three other schemes for which we had presentations, but made what we hope were helpful comments on the proposal to demolish the Stanmore Hotel, Stanmore Lane, for a 56-bed nursing home, the proposed 5-storey block of 75 residential student units at Erasmus Park Student Village, Easton Lane, and the 88 residential development in place of Highcroft, Romsey Road.

A busy start to the year!

Shione Carden

Chairman's Miscellany - TrustNews March 08

When I wrote, for the last TrustNews, a warm tribute to Pat Edwards' work as Chairman, I could not have dreamt that she would be dead before that issue was published. Her sudden death was a shock to all who knew her and a particularly great shock to those, like me, who worked closely with her. Those who attended her funeral gained a great insight into her life and, particularly, her devotion to her family both when her daughter was growing up and later to her grandsons. Pat will long be remembered for her tireless work for our City.

The dark cloud which Pat's death cast over the Trust is lifting slowly and I turn to other matters. The largely unseen work of Shione Carden and members of the Planning Appraisal Group, the core activity of the Trust, has continued to be heavy. Since Christmas, in addition to an unusually large number of applications to consider, there were six evening presentations to members of panels and Council, all of which requires time to arrange, to take part in and to report. We are indebted to those who give so much time to this essential work.

Members have expressed understandable concern about news of a proposal by the Dean and Chapter to build a Choir school in part of the Dean Garnier Garden. At the moment, there is not a great deal of information but I am told that there will be public consultation starting in March. Last September, four of us from the Trust Council met the Receiver-General of the Cathedral to hear and discuss various building proposals which included the Garden plan and, though we could not give a view on behalf of the Trust as a whole, individual comments were made. We were asked that the discussion should be treated as confidential. Regrettably, it has been suggested that a plan to build in the Garden has support from the Trust. That is not so. The Trust can only express a corporate opinion on a proposed development after an open presentation to a representative panel of members or following a planning application. I anticipate that this will take place. I have written to the Receiver-General to avoid any further misunderstanding and the Trust will be represented at a seminar about the Cathedral Plan which is to be held at the Cathedral in early March.

Iain Patton

Wanted!

Can you help with any of these activities?
Occasional visits to places of interest
Planning Advisory Group Assistant
Publicity, Membership Coordinator
Occasional displays
at the Heritage Centre
Landscape / Arboricultural advice
Arranging lectures / educational projects
Fundraising

If you would like further information,
please contact :
Chairman - lain Patton
Secretary - Dr Vicky Feldman
32 Middle Brook Street, Winchester
S023 8DG Tel. 01962 851664
secretary@cityofwinchestertrust.co.uk

New Members

Welcome to our new members:

Ms E. Waterhouse,
Dr & Mrs Landsman,
T. & S. O'Leary,
Mr Martin Tod,
Mr & Mrs Lipscomb,
Mr & Mrs R J Huggett,

Visit our Website

WWW.cityofwinchestertrust.co.uk

Visit our Website to get details of:

• The Trust's comments on the latest Planning applications
• Hot Trust news
• Silverhill
• Awards
• Membership
• Back copies of TrustNews
• Other publications
• The history of the Trust

Christmas Closure

The Heritage Centre will be closed from Friday 21st December and will re-open on Monday 7th January for the Christmas/New Year period.

Christmas Cards - TrustNews December 07

The City of Winchester Trust has four different Christmas cards available. This year's new cards were painted by Patricia Spink and Keith Leaman.

Cards are available from the Charity Christmas Card shop in the Courtyard Café at Winchester Guildhall. Open from 10am to 4.30pm Monday to Saturday. Cards are on sale until 16 December.

Trustees 2007/8- TrustNews December 07

Winter Talks - TrustNews December 07

For 2008 there will be a short programme of informal talks at the Heritage Centre, Upper Brook Street. These will be held on alternate Thursday evenings starting at 7.00pm. Just turn up but space is limited so admission is subject to availability. A suggested donation of £2 will be requested for the benefit of the Trust.

For further details please check with the Heritage Centre.

Confirmed dates and talks:

14th FebruaryChris WebbHockley Viaduct
28th FebruaryRobin Freeman`Mr Richard's Academy at Hyde'
13th MarchPhil YatesThe Bevin Boys' Story

The programme will continue after Easter from 27th March with the following talks:

Chris PileFrom Pillar to Post. Town and country letter boxes
Graham ScobieMedieval life in Winchester (At Discovery Centre, Jewry St)
Robin FreemanRichard Andrews' Winchester houses
Chris PileA stroll around the Godson Map

See March Newsletter for confirmation of dates and talks

Traffic Matters - TrustNews December 07

You might think traffic congestion in Winchester is a modern phenomenon but in the 1930's congestion was so bad that Winchester was one of the first towns in the country to have a bypass. Whats more this was one of the very first dual carriageways built in the United Kingdom.

The first Winchester Bypass took the A33 London to Southampton trunk road from Kings Worthy to Compton around the foot of St Catherines Hill. However the A31 London to Bournemouth trunk road continued through the centre of Winchester until the 1960's. The A31 went along Morn Hill, the High Street, through the Westgate Arch and along Romsey Road. Indeed Winchester High Street was a two-way trunk road. The A34 Preston to Southampton trunk road went through the centre of Winchester until 1969. Jewry Street was two way and all the A34 traffic crossed the A31 traffic at the Jewry Street/High Street/Southgate Street Junction.

In the 1950/60's policemen on point duty struggled to clear this traffic but to no avail, resulting in huge queues on the Andover and St Cross roads, especially on bank holidays. It was not until the 1990's that the A272 was re-routed by signing it around Winchester to Three Maids Hill and on to Stockbridge via Hill Farm Cross and the A30. Modern maps now show no main roads passing through Winchester.

David Marklew

Design Awards 2007 - TrustNews December 07

The Trust has made four Design Awards this year. At a well-attended ceremony on Tuesday 30th October at Lanterns Children's Centre, George Ferguson, Past President of the Royal Institute of British Architects, who had chaired a judging panel of Trust members, presented certificates and plaques to the teams behind the following:

• New houses at 55-61 Dean Lane (Architect / Developer: Regeneration Partnership; Contractor: Landseer Estates Ltd)
• The refurbished and extended John Stripe Theatre, Sparkford Road (Client: University of Winchester; Architect: Design Engine; Contractor: Bluestone plc)
• The new Lanterns Children's Centre, Bereweeke Road (Client: Hampshire County Council, Children's Services Department; Architect: Hampshire County Council Architects; Contractor: Carillion Regional Building)
• Restoration of The Pagoda House, St James' Lane (Client: Mr & Mrs Gatenby; Architect: Michael Carden; Contractor: Stuart Moore, Whittington & Moore)

Lanterns Children's Centre

55-61 Dean Lane

Pagoda House

Among other interesting entries of a generally high standard, the following were Commended:

• Adaptation and extension of St John The Baptist Church, St John's Street
• The new Vertical Garden Houses, North Walls
• Landscape, layout and ancillary buildings of St Catherine's Park and Ride car park

John Stripe Theatre

As well as the judging panel's Awards and Commendations, members of the Trust at the Annual General Meeting in September were invited to choose their three favourites. These were Lanterns Children's Centre, The Pagoda House (both as above), and Wykeham Terrace, Bar End Road - each earning a bottle of bubbly.

Following the presentations, a tour of Lanterns was led by its architect, Colin Jackson, including - for those supple enough - a peep through the magic mousehole.

Planning Appraisal Group - TrustNews December 07

The proposal to demolish 17 Bereweeke Road for 12 new dwellings has been refused, and the proposed replacement of existing garages at Garage Court, Fivefields Road, has been withdrawn.

Two developments to which we had objected have been permitted: the demolition of 10A Stoney Lane for 10 new houses, and the single storey extensions to 40 King's Avenue, which we felt would set an undesirable precedent for the integrity of the original design of this part of the Stanmore estate.

Of the many applications seen by the Trust's viewing panels since the last TrustNews, four are particularly interesting: two small residential schemes, and two larger developments.

Panel members were aghast at the proposals for 3 Fordington Avenue, where extensive alterations to the semi¬detached house included a flat-roofed first-floor side and rear extension that would result in 2-storey development across the site, dormers to the side, front and rear, timber cladding and new aluminium windows. No thought had been given to how these would relate to the character of the road or the other half of the semi¬detached house, and we strongly objected to this application.

We also objected strongly to the proposed partial demolition and rebuilding of 3 Nuns Road, because the drawings showed almost total replacement and we felt it would be virtually impossible for a new-build reconstruction to blend in satisfactorily with the existing terrace of semi-detached houses. A visit to the site found the house already mostly demolished, before the application had even gone through the system. On checking with the LPA, it seems that although they find this demolition as unacceptable as we do, the present planning legislation appears not to allow them to take action against the developers, unbelievable as this may seem.

The Royal Observer HQ, Abbotts Road, has been sold on, with outline permission for development on the site, and the new developer has put in a different scheme. The layout, number and type of dwelling are similar to the permitted scheme, but sadly the style of the houses now seems to come from a standard book of designs, with superficial additions to make them look different. We strongly objected to the closed-gate entrance, feeling this was unacceptable because would be uncharacteristic of both the local area and Winchester as a whole, and railings on Abbotts Road.

A development causing a lot of local concern is the proposed 375 residential units on Queen's Road. to be used by the University of Winchester. The initial reaction of horror felt by the panels at the large buildings marching down the hill was somewhat reduced by the applicant's presentation to the Trust Council and panel members, although an objection was still made because of the lack of detail. A further presentation answered many of these concerns, and we withdrew our objection, registering our remaining concerns about the materials and their implementation, the large number of cycle racks, and the need to provide evergreen under-planting on the boundary with Milnthorpe Lane. We were assured by both the University and the developer that they would be happy to have fewer bike racks and to provide the necessary under-planting.

Our fears about the effects of the high density schemes springing up around Winchester were raised in our 2003 Annual Report, when it seemed developments were being considered individually on an ad hoc basis, rather than how they would affect the area as a whole. Since then several Local Area Design Statements have come into being, sadly seeming to lock the stable door after the horse had bolted.

A trawl through developments granted, built, refused and at appeal in the north¬west fringes of Winchester since then gives rise to considerable concern, especially for the ability of the infrastructure to cope with the extra load that is required. The current method of calculating increased housing is by the number of dwellings per hectare (dph), but as we pointed out in 2003 this can be misleading - it is the number of people (beds) living in the dwellings that is more relevant.

Four roads lead into Winchester from the west and north: Romsey, Stockbridge, Andover and Worthy Roads. These all end up at the City Road/Sussex Street/ Winchester Station/Stockbridge Road/ Andover Road junction, which has a long time-lapse between light changes, and then much of the traffic goes along City Road and North Walls, both of which are already congested.

The following figures are by no means 100% accurate - some developments may have been missed and there are many smaller infill schemes, but they do give an indication of the way things are going.

Romsey Road has a permitted development of 300 dwellings (505 residents) and has the traffic inflow from Chilbolton Avenue of the permitted 184 dwellings (449 new residents). This is a total of 484 dwellings and 954 residents, together with another possible 85 dwellings (190 residents) of schemes that have been refused or are at appeal.

Stockbridge Road is currently the most endangered route into the city. It has to cope with traffic from developments on Stoney Lane, Dean Lane and its tributaries, as well as those on Stockbridge Road itself. It already has to cope with 427 permitted developments (about 1110 residents), and possibly another 48 dwellings (112 residents). A nursing home at Warden Hill (up to 80 beds) and sheltered accommodation in Burnett Close (ca 146 beds) might be permitted, and the traffic generated by Waitrose and whatever happens on the Aldi site will all add to the load the road has to carry.