Denbighshire County Council are reviewing the Rhyl Conservation Area boundaries Rhyl

Conservation

Area Review

Denbighshire County Council has carried out an update which looks at the boundaries of Rhyl

Conservation area. There are four main changes that are being considered which are outlined in this public consultation. We would like to give you an opportunity to comment on these proposals.

This exhibition forms part of an eight week public consultation which commenced on 3rd nd September 2018 and will finish on 2 November 2018.

What is a conservation area? The Planning Policy Context

A Conservation Area is an area ‘of If your property is within the special architectural or historic Conservation Area then this will interest, the character or affect how you can develop your appearance of which is desirable property, controls include but are to preserve or enhance’ not limited to;

A conservation area designation is - Paying special attention to a way that a local authority can ‘the desirability of preserving or add an extra layer of planning enhancing the character or control, to help protect areas which appearance of the area’. - Control over demolition of a are valued for their special building. architectural or historical interest. - The protection of trees. The aim of Conservation Area - Alterations, extensions, building Legislation is to preserve and walls etc. may require enhance areas of our historic planning permission. environment that hold value to the - Development and alteration people that interact with them, in of shop fronts will require order that they are enjoyed by this considered design. and future generations.

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Historic

Development

of Rhyl Beach, late 19th Century. Late 1700s – Early 1800s Prior to the 18th Century, Rhyl was a hamlet with a few scattered cottages surrounded by marshland. Foryd Harbour provided some income for local residents through fishing. In 1794 an Act of Parliament approved drainage of the marshes for development. During the 1820’s and 1830’s parcels of land were marked out for development and the street pattern visible throughout central Rhyl was laid out. Crescent Road Late 1800s – Today and adjacent streets were constructed around this With the availability of reliable transport and the time. Station Platform, late 19th Century. provision of statutory holidays, workers from industrial cities discovered Rhyl and in the later 19th century it was considered North Wales’ premier seaside resort with the best beach, a full range of amusements and an air of elegance.

In the early 20th century, fires destroyed a number of key buildings including the Queen’s Palace on East Parade, which contained a zoo in the dome. The

Promenade, Late 19th Century. quality of architecture was never replaced. The advent of cheap package holidays to the continent began to decline the town’s fortunes. Like 1840s – Late 1800s many seaside resorts, boarding houses were A number of important buildings were constructed converted into flats and businesses closed. Landmark around the 1840’s including Holy Trinity Church, Plas buildings such as the Pavilion Theatre and Pier were Gwyn and the Swan Public House. demolished in the 1970’s.

Meanwhile the west of the town developed as a Today, initiatives are attempting to halt the declining seaside resorts to serve tourists from Liverpool and tourist industry and regenerate the town. other cities who arrived at the harbour by steamer.

By 1848 the Chester to Holyhead railway line through Rhyl opened and the once exclusive resort became accessible for millions.

Large scale expansion happened between 1850 and 1890, enterprising businesses established a service industry including assembly rooms, theatres, concert halls, swimming baths and amusements, whilst ground floors were turned into shops and hotels and other types of accommodation were built. The destruction of Queens Palace, Early 20th Century.

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Key Characteristics

Rhyl Conservation Area Rhyl is a planned Victorian seaside town containing many Victorian and Edwardian buildings.

Although it has been the subject of much alteration over the years in the form of inappropriate, low-quality buildings of unsympathetic design, there is still much to be celebrated in Rhyl, with the highest value being placed upon the following features and characteristics:

Key Views:  St Thomas’ Church at the heart of St Thomas’ Character Area is visible from many locations clearly recognisable by its spire and clock tower.  Views along Bath Street towards the sea front  Views towards the Town Hall which occupies a prominent position on Wellington Road and is also visible from adjacent roads. Built in 1874-6, designed by Wood and Turner of Barrow it also incorporates a Carnegie Library built in 1906. The striking combination of grey limestone and warm coloured stone dressings, with a steep pitched slate roof and clock tower, is a monument to Rhyl’s urban status in the later 19th century.  Views along the High Street towards the sea front.  Views of the Railway Station and Conservation Area’s Skyline from Vale Road Bridge.

Listed Buildings Architectural Features There are 76 listed buildings within the The buildings most commonly Typical Materials: Conservation Area. Including: date to the 19th century and as  St Thomas Church such have an eclectic mix of Brick – mostly red, yellow,  Town Hall architectural features, which give black or buff in 19th century  Plas Gwyn the Conservation Area its unique buildings, most 20th century  Apollo Cinema & Bingo Club character, such as: used brown.  Rhyl Railway Station  Gothic style buildings such as  HSBC Bank churches and the Town Hall Render or Stucco – White Plus a number of properties on Bath Street,  Many residences were built render often contrasted with Clwyd Street, High Street & Russell Road as with bay windows and many black mouldings. well as a number of telephone boxes and still exist. street furniture.  Also common are pierced Grey Rubble Stone – most and decorative bargeboards, prominent buildings such as terracotta ridge tiles and the Town Hall. finials, mock half-timbered gables and multi-coloured Local Grey Stone – oldest brickwork terraces are built using these.  Some have grand features such as the giant columns Slate – common for roofs. above the entrance to HSBC bank. Architectural features

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Character  Rhyl’s Interchange & Commercial Core

Areas  St Thomas’ Area

 Crescent Road Area

Rhyl’s Interchange & Commercial Core

Includes High Street, Queen Street/Bodfor Street, which are intersected at a right angle by Sussex Street, Market Street, Wellington Road and Kinmel/Brighton Road. The Southern boundary of the character area is marked by the railway line

and the train station and the northern boundary meets West Parade on Queen Street.

Crescent Road Area

The Crescent Road area is centred upon Crescent Road and includes Edward Henry Street and a small proportion of Abbey Street. At present the boundary of the character area also includes a small stretch of West Parade and Water Street as far as the Town Hall which has been retained within the Commercial Core Character Area. The character area’s southern boundary includes all of Bedford Street.

St Thomas’ Area

St Thomas’ Area is mainly residential in character with the churches of St Thomas and Holy Trinity, situated on a rectangular island of greenery, located at its heart. Additionally the character area contains the Welsh Presbyterian Church on Clwyd Street and Rhyl’s Spiritualist Church on Bath Street, a former English Methodist Church. The area

contains the highest concentration of listed buildings in the town.

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Proposed Changes to

Conservation Area

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Next Steps We want to hear your views!

We’ve got copies of the full Conservation Area Appraisal available on our website and in Rhyl Library.

Main recommendations summary:

1. Extend the North-Eastern boundary to include the upper areas of Bath Street and Morlan Park.

2. Remove the Premier Inn Site, Harkers Amusements and the Queen Street Development Site.

Next steps 3. Include the former Regal Cinema.

After the consultation we will analyse all the comments 4. Exclude the Coach Park/Proposed received and produce a consultation report. We will put Car Park on Crescent Road and this report on our website, so that you can see a summary redraw boundary to exclude 20-30 of the main issues raised as a result of the consultation. and 11-23 Edward Henry Street. We will then take a formal view on whether or not the council should designate the proposed new boundaries to Rhyl Conservation Area.

Remember the consultation closes on

Friday 2nd November 2018

You can find all the information relating to this including our questionnaire online by

visiting www.denbighshire.gov.uk

www.denbighshire.gov.uk 01824 706916 [email protected]