Stevenson Square, Manchester
Assessment of History and Significance, Design Support and Heritage Statement
The Brief:
The client required advice on the replacement of windows to a large property he owned situated within the Stevenson Square Conservation Area, part of the Northern Quarter in Manchester. The building was originally a Victorian warehouse which is a building type of high local significance. Any future works would need to be based upon sound historic research of the site and an understanding of the character of the surrounding conservation area, as advised by the conservation department at the local council.
The Outcome:
The architects were happy with the level of support provided by Spencer Heritage Services, as our information helped to inspire their design process. The scope of the document would be very helpful for future alterations to the site and would enable them to make conservation minded design choices. The conservation team at the council were delighted with the level of research presented and felt that the case was taken seriously by all involved. Ultimately, the service provided helped our client to make steps towards improving the overall character and appearance of his historic building.
We Delivered:
We began historical research including a review of all available documentation relating to the site, historic maps and images and a review of all available building control plans. We then conducted a conservation area-wide survey to review examples of contemporary structures and find good examples of modern design in an historic context. We produced a report on the overall history of the site with a detailed schedule of significance that dealt with the immediate issue of window replacement but could also be used to guide future proposals for alterations to the building. Once the final designs were complete and the conservation team at the council had given their feedback, we composed a heritage impact assessment to accompany the planning application for the new work.
