Roath Park Lake and Gardens
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ROATH PARK LAKE AND GARDENS CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL C ARD IFF 2008 ccontentsontents Map 1 – Conservation Area Boundary adopted 1976 and reconfi rmed 2008 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................. 1.1 Conservation Areas > 1.2 Appraisals 1.3 Policy Context 2. HISTORIC CONTEXT ....................................... 2.1 Historic Origins and Development of the Area > 3. CHARACTER ASSESSMENT............................ 3.1 A Distinctive Quality of Place > 3.2 Presence of Landmark Buildings and Landscape Features 3.3 Hierarchies of Public and Private Space 3.4 High Quality Local or Unusual Materials in the Townscape 3.5 High Quality Architectural Detailing 3.6 High Quality Hard and Soft Landscaping 4. AREAS OF SPECIAL CHARACTER................... > 5. A FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION.........................> 5.1 Background 5.2 The Appraisal’s Primary Function 5.3 Benefi ts of the Appraisal 5.4 Pressure for Change 5.5 Working Together to Achieve Results 6. RECOMMENDATIONS.....................................> 7. CONSULTATION.............................................. > Appendix 1 - Draft Guidance on Development in the Conservation Area Appendix 2 - Draft Guidance for works to trees in the Conservation Area Appendix 3 - Listed Buildings in the Conservation Area Appendix 4 - Boundary Review Bibliography and Guidance / Acknowledgements roath park lake and gardens - conservation area - appraisal - roath park lake and gardens - conservation area - appraisal 3 Map 1 1 introduction 4 roath park lake and gardens - conservation area - appraisal - roath park lake and gardens - conservation area - appraisal 1 iintroductionntroduction 1.1 Conservation Areas Conservation Areas are areas of special architectural or historic interest. A decision to designate a Conservation Area is made by the Local Planning Authority after an appraisal of the area and an assessment of its character. This often extends beyond the buildings alone. The road layout, street scene, trees and green areas all contribute to the quality of an area. Designation gives special protection to this character and to achieve this, the Council has extra controls over demolition, minor developments and the protection of trees. The Roath Park Lake and Gardens Conservation Area was designated in November 1976. 1.2 Appraisals The Council has a duty to review Conservation Areas in order to establish the extent of change since designation, whether boundaries need amendment and to identify potential measures for their protection and enhancement. To manage this process, a Conservation Area Strategy identifi es priorities for the City, and the criteria to be used in the assessment of existing and new areas. The Strategy was agreed in 1997 and updated in 2001 and March 2006. 1.3 Policy Context A key part of the appraisal is to defi ne the character of the Conservation Area, and to prepare appropriate guidance. This can be supported by parallel policies within the statutory planning framework. This is the deposit Cardiff Unitary Development Plan until such time as a Local Development Plan has been prepared roath park lake and gardens - conservation area - appraisal - roath park lake and gardens - conservation area - appraisal 5 2 hhistoricistoric contextcontext 2.1 Historic Origins and Development of the Area The rapid expansion of Cardiff as a major port from the mid-19th century on led to a housing boom which in turn resulted in an increasing public demand for open spaces for recreation. The ‘Roath Park Committee’ was set up by Cardiff Corporation to fi nd a suitable site for a park to meet this need. The Committee explored the prospect of creating a park on a number of sites but with little success until 1887, when the 3rd Marquis of Bute purchased 103 acres of land that consisted of a brook running through marsh land. The land was gifted by the Marquis to the town for use as a park but there were conditions attached to its use, one of which required other local landowners to donate small parcels of land for free. Lord Tredegar contributed 5 acres of land, while Mr. G. L. Clark, Mrs. Jackson and Sir Morgan Morgan contributed an additional 13 acres of land between them. Another condition was that Cardiff Corporation be required to provide the infrastructure to support the building of houses to take advantage of the pleasant surroundings of the new park. In July 1889 work commenced on Roath Park while at around the same time, the fi rst contracts were given for the construction of the surrounding roads. Roath Park became the fi rst publicly owned park in Cardiff, and was ambitiously conceived to provide a wide range of recreational, sporting and educational facilities for residents. The park was laid out by William Harpur, appointed Borough Surveyor to Cardiff Corporation in 1883, with planting by William Pettigrew, who was appointed Head Gardener to Cardiff Corporation in 1891. The fi rst recorded laying out of the park is on 15 March 1892 when a 100 yard border was made on the west side of the Pleasure Garden. At the end of 1892 Harpur reported that a large number of trees had been planted on land including 4 of the 5 islands at the north end of the lake. By 1894, the Pleasure Garden was fi nished, the walk around the lake was under construction and parts of the botanic gardens were fi nished. A propagation house and 4 bridges were being built and 50 boats were put on the lake. The wild area at the north end of the lake was developed slightly later, and opened in 1896. The uppermost section originally known as Llandennis Gardens was laid out and planted in the winter of 1897-98. It was enclosed by railings but not opened to the public until 1923 after the borough boundaries were extended. The park still contains all the elements of an urban municipal park of the period. Although its layout and planting have been simplifi ed and many of the original built structures replaced, it is recognised as one of the fi nest late Victorian public parks in Britain. It has been • The Scott Memorial awarded a Green Flag Award by the Civic Trust • Houses on Lake Road Once the lake and park were laid out, housing development around it was slow East to take off. Ordnance survey maps of 1921 show very little development around the lake, save for 153-160 Lake Road West and two detached properties at the • The Botanical Gardens southern end of Lake Road East. The same map shows a number of detached houses in spacious grounds on the western section of Cefn Coed Road. However, by 1947 the area was largely developed, with housing extending beyond in parallel roads. Plots were developed on an incremental basis in groups or pairs and, often to different house style and size. Despite this, there is 6 roath park lake and gardens - conservation area - appraisal - roath park lake and gardens - conservation area - appraisal a common building line on both sides of the lake, save at the southern end of Lake Road East. Here large detached houses have been placed high on the embankment overlooking the lake. Their vehicle access is gained from Lady Mary Road. 2 historic context Eastern Avenue was constructed in the late 1960’s along the line of the former Roath branch of the Taff Vale railway. Its embankment is a physical barrier between the Botanic Gardens and the Pleasure Gardens to the south. Map 2 1921 OS Map • Houses on Lake Road West frame the lake and park • Eastern Avenue • Tower House, • Cefn Coed Road roath park lake and gardens - conservation area - appraisal - roath park lake and gardens - conservation area - appraisal 7 3 tthehe charactercharacter assessmentassessment A number of key qualities have been identifi ed to assist the appraisal of the area. They are: • A distinctive quality of place, • The presence of landmark buildings or landscape features, • Hierarchies of public and private space, • High quality local or unusual materials in the townscape, • High quality architectural detailing, • High quality hard and soft landscaping. A brief analysis of each is set out below. 3.1 A Distinctive Quality of Place The area comprises the Roath Park Lake and Botanical Gardens, and the houses which overlook it. It also includes a small group of Edwardian houses on Cefn Coed Road and their generous gardens. The lake and gardens framed by trees and paths create an outstanding area of open space at the heart of the Conservation Area with the lake affording long open vistas to north and south. Scale of Buildings: Houses which overlook the lake are of mixed period and character, but generally of two storeys in height and with a square building footprint. Plot Size: Houses along each road are set back to a common building line giving front gardens a signifi cant role in forming the character of the street scene. Views & Vistas: Impressive views and vistas can be found from within Roath Park, and across the lake. All are framed by attractive skylines and views of the hills to the north of Cardiff. The lake is the main focal point for the area. Eastern Avenue to the south and the underpasses to Lake Road East and West create a major visual barrier. The passage of heavy traffi c along its high embankment creates an intrusive backdrop to the rose gardens. Patterns of Use: The area surrounding the park is a popular residential area although some properties have been subdivided into or replaced with fl ats. 3.2 The Presence of Landmark Buildings or Landscape Features • Views north Although there are few landmark buildings in the conservation area, the following are signifi cant within the wider townscape and park panorama: • Cartref • The most dominant landmark is the Scott Monument which • Walls and hedges defi ne gardens commemorates Scott’s attempt to reach the Antarctic. It is the focus for and frame the roadside the lake and gardens, and can be seen from many points around the lake.