Heritage Statement to support a Listed Building Consent Application for St Margaret’s Chambers, Newton Street, , M1 1HL

Client: Charlotte Street Estates Limited

February 2021 Job 1907

Previous Revisions

Rev. Date Status - 11-02-2021 Draft Issue for comment A 23-03-2021 revised following minor revsions B 04-05-2021 reference to plant room and louvres removed Atelier Heritage

This heritage statement has been produced to accompany a Listed Building Consent application for St Margaret’s Chambers, 5 Newton Street, Manchester.

It was written in February 2021 by Atelier Heritage and its author is Laura Jessup, MA History and Theory of Architecture, PGCert. Conservation of the Historic Environment Heritage Statement 1.00 Introduction

The proposed works relate to the interior of the ground floor units and the basement. In brief, they comprise the following:

• Reconfiguration of the rears areas of units to enhance staff facilities • Conversion of part of basement level to allow for cycle storage and shower facilities • Reclaim part of the original lightwell space to landlord by insertion of a new wall, in anticipation of future works. • Reconfiguring of WCs in units 1 (Back Piccadilly), unit 7, and unit 9 – involving creation of limited number of new openings, additional doors and blocking up some existing openings. • Creation of store room to mezzanine floor • Removal of existing staircase to mezzanine within unit 7. • New opening created between Unit 7 and foyer to enable access between the entrance foyer and the ground floor unit (intended as coffee shop for use by tenants). • Basement fitted out in part to create both cycle storage and showering facilities for tenants. • Remove non-original sliding doors from ground floor entrance area.

Heritage Statement | St Margarets Chambers 3 2.00 Description and Location

St Margaret’s Chambers is located in . It is a commercial premises, built as ground floor shops with offices above. Dating from the last decade of the 19th century, the property is four storeys of red/ pink brick, plus an attic and a basement. It is elaborate in architectural style with a decorative frieze to eternal elevations and ornate gables.

The premises have their main frontage along Newton Street and a small frontage to Piccadilly. There is access via a fire escape to Back Piccadilly.

Newton Street sits on the edge of Manchester’s Northern Quarter, an area of diverse architectural character, housing a significant number of former warehouses and commercial properties which illustrate the city’s development architecturally and economically. Its location on a prominent city junction elevates the building’s status.

St Margaret’s Chambers is within the Stevenson Square Image 1: Existing building with elevation to Newton Street Conservation Area and is Grade II listed. The Historic England description is included here.

SJ8498SE NEWTON STREET 698-1/29/246 (North West side) Nos.1 TO 11 (Odd) St Margaret’s Chambers GV II Includes: No.63 St Margaret’s Chambers PICCADILLY. Shops with numerous offices over (in 1905 mostly manufacturers’ agents). c.1890; altered. Pink brick in Flemish bond, with sandstone dressings and some terracotta matching this (probably cladding iron frame), 4-span slate roof. Shallow trapezoidal plan parallel to street. Elizabethan style. Four storeys and attic; 8 bays plus a narrow chamfered corner to the right, the bays divided by semi-octagonal shafts and linked in pairs under 4 large elaborate shaped gables; with a cornice over the ground floor, a deep decorated frieze and cornice over the 1st floor, and a cornice over the 3rd floor. The ground floor has a wide doorway in the 5th bay under a keyed elliptical arch with decorated spandrels, but is otherwise altered by C20 shop-fronts; the 1st floor has recessed canted 3-light windows with altered glazing, the 2nd and 3rd floors have mullioned windows of 3 lights except Image 2: Existing building with elevation to Piccadilly in the 7th and 8th bays which have 2-light windows; the

Heritage Statement | St Margarets Chambers 4 attic has smaller mullioned windows with 1 and 2 lights in each bay, the division caused by the outer shafts of the shaped gables (which are also pierced). The left end presents one bay to Piccadilly, and the right-hand end is canted, both in matching style. Interior not inspected. Listing NGR: SJ8454398278

Internally, floors 1-4 follow a similar layout: circulation core and lift to the rear of the building, external lightwell, various rooms to either side, a large open room to the Piccadilly-facing end, and a series of smaller rooms to the Newton Street-facing elevation (linked by corridors). The ground floor houses the main entrance hall and has individual self-contained units accessed through their own doors off the street. Fire escape doors exit to Back Piccadilly via an external metal stair. The basement is empty and has a number of columns and a staircase down from Unit 1 above.

Floors 1-4 are currently vacant, having most recently been used as a language school (vacated Spring 2020). The ground floor is in a mixture of uses with some vacant units.

Heritage Statement | St Margarets Chambers 5 3.00 History

St Margaret’s Chambers dates from the end of the 19th century. Published sources attribute the building to Charles Henry Heathcote and date it between 1885 and 18891. Photographic and mapping evidence from 1885/6 show an empty site, but it is likely the building was constructed soon after.

Heathcote was a prolific Manchester architect whose commissions included the Commercial Union Offices in Image 3 : Photograph of the site prior to the building of St Margaret’s Spring Gardens; Northern Rock Building Society, Cross Chambers. 1885 (Manchester Archives). Street;107 Piccadilly; Henshaw’s Blind Asylum in Stretford and, it was estimated at one point, half of the factories in Trafford Park.

1 The Manchester group of the Victorian Society date the building to 1885, whereas the Manchester Pevsner Guide (Hartwell, 2002), and Manchester’s Northern Quarter (Historic England, 2008) date it as 1889.

Image 4: Goads insurance map, showing vacant site, 1886

Heritage Statement | St Margarets Chambers 6 The earliest found reference to the building in the trade directories dates from 1895 and lists various manufacturer’s agents (see below for extract).

Images 5: Trade Directory extracts, 1895 and 1903 (National Archives).

Research in newspaper archives shows St Margaret’s Chambers named as the Manchester offices of the West India and Pacific Company in 18912. In 1896 an advertisement in the Manchester Guardian describes ‘single and double’ offices within the building with ‘perfect light’ and a ‘passenger elevator’. 3

Further references from Lloyd’s List, show that between 1903 and 1910 St Margaret’s Chambers was occupied by The Pacific Steam Navigation Company and other agents.

2 Classified advert, Manchester Guardian, 17 January 1891 3 Classified advert, Manchester Guardian, 31 October 1896

Heritage Statement | St Margarets Chambers 7 As industry and commerce changed, so the uses within the building were replaced with a mixture of general businesses. An advertisement from 1918 describes St Margaret’s Chambers as being suitable for manufacturers agents, having a ‘general packing room’ which was possibly in the basement. Further investigation of this area could confirm this. The building also offered shared stockroom facilities on the ground floor.4

4 Classified advert in Manchester Guardian, 07 February 1931

Image 6: Manchester Guardian, 1918

Images 7: Photographs of Newton St elevation in 1966, with altered shop frontages. Of note is the high level signage in use to retail units in this period, over stonework. (Manchester Archives).

Image 8: Photograph showing the corner of Piccadilly and Newton Street in Image 9: Design of shop front to a unit in St Margaret’s Chambers dated 1902 1979 (Manchester Archives). (unit at Piccadilly/Newton Street end) indicating how the shop front may have looked.

Heritage Statement | St Margarets Chambers 8 4.00 Signficance and Proposed Changes

Assessment using categories set out in Conservation Principles (Historic England) St Margaret’s Chambers has architectural and historical significance, as recognised by its Grade II designation. The building has been assessed under the categories used by Historic England in their Conservation Principles document (2008).

Evidential value: the potential of a place to yield evidence about past human activity. As a multi-tenanted office space, it is not possible to date all the piecemeal changes made to the space by successive owners and tenants, which frequently went undocumented. However, even with its alterations, the listed asset is a fair example of 19th century commercial architecture, typical of the period and characteristic of those examples found in this area of Manchester.

The external elevations retain significance. The internal plan form, in particular the separate ground floor shop units, the wide staircase, the layout of rooms and the existence of the lightwell give some insight into the way a building of this period functioned, though the loss of some internal detail has compromised this to some extent. Level of evidential value: medium

Historical value: the ways in which past people, events and aspects of life can be connected through a place to the present - it tends to be illustrative or associative. St Margaret’s Chambers displays the character of industrial Manchester in the 19th century. It offers the ability to interpret a particular time in the past and retains a level of intactness externally and in plan, despite its various alterations. Its city centre setting and relationship to other historic commercial premises contributes to its significance. Level of historical value: medium

Heritage Statement | St Margarets Chambers 9 Aesthetic value: the ways in which people draw sensory and intellectual stimulation from a place. The building is attractive in elevations, with ornate detailing and gabled forms. The use of red brick is typical of the city and the architectural composition has a good aesthetic value; the elevations are characterful and enjoyable to look at from the exterior. Internally, there are some modern interventions which have little or no aesthetic value, but the tiling, fireplaces and smaller details such as skirtings and original doors are of a higher aesthetic value. Level of aesthetic value: high externally, high to decorative parts internally and lower to standard features and later interventions.

Communal value: the meanings of a place for the people who relate to it, or for whom it figures in their collective experience or memory. The area around and the Northern Quarter retains a unique sense of character which is important to ‘placemaking’ within this part of Manchester. The architecture reflects the period of growth fuelled by the Industrial Revolution and the decades following it, which saw the city prosper as a commercial centre. St Margaret’s Chambers contributes to this character and, whilst most ‘experience’ the building as part of the streetscape, it is nonetheless an important contributor to its locality and has a role within the larger group of warehouses nearby. Level of communal value: medium.

Heritage Statement | St Margarets Chambers 10 The heritage assessment sets out significance of the asset and its elements. Below is analysis of the significance of, and impact upon, those areas affected by the accompanying proposals.

Unit 1 (Back Piccadilly) Removal of existing Non-original fabric of Minor positive impact WC block, including low significance and low partition walls. quality.

Insertion of wall to Lightwell is original Moderate positive NB. Reclaiming of this space is in order to return below former feature of medium/high impact. facilitate future works, which will be part of a lightwell area to significance. separate application. landlord

Create doorway Limited loss of original Minor adverse impact Outweighed by creating access to bottom of linking Back fabric (medium lightwell, bringing it in to landlord’s demise, Piccadilly unit with significance) but with previously in demise of Back Piccadilly unit. electric/store area no special features of Mitigated by limiting loss to door-way only. behind. Loss of architectural merit. limited section of wall. Create doorway to Limited loss of original Minor adverse impact Outweighed by relocating WCs from within new WC area. Loss fabric (medium original lightwell area. Mitigated by limiting loss of limited section of significance) but with to door- way only. wall. no special features or architectural merit. Possible this part of wall is later infill as it is half thickness

Image 10: Unit 1 existing, non-original WCs to be Image 11: Unit 1 existing, non-original WCs to be Image 12: Showing existing form of lightwell from removed. removed. above. Infilled at ground level.

Heritage Statement | St Margarets Chambers 11 Unit 7

Create doorway Limited loss of original Minor adverse impact Outweighed by creating link to allow unit to linking unit 7 to main fabric (medium serve as coffee facility for upstairs tenants. entrance area. Loss significance). Suggested Location further back would cause more damage of limited section of location of previous to existing short flight of stairs. Mitigated by wall. fireplace, no longer limiting loss to door- way only. present.

Removal of stairs up Stairs are of a low Minor positive impact to mezzanine WC. quality, not assumed to be original as doorway through appears altered. Limited significance.

New wall to partition WCs attached to new Neutral impact Deemed necessary in order to create level WC new WCs in units 7 wall, door added. facilities within unit. & 1

New doors to WC in Neutral impact existing opening.

Infill of doorway Opening unlikely to be Neutral impact. between within original, low significance. existing unit 9 WC to seperate units 1 and 9

Image 13: Unit 7 existing stairs to be removed. Image 14: Unit 7 existing stairs to be removed. Image 15: Unit 7 existing mezzanine WC to be removed. Opening in wall to be created right hand side for plant room access.

Heritage Statement | St Margarets Chambers 12 Image 16: Unit 7 wall. Location of new opening is Image 17: Unit 9 WC corridor (existing). Opening to the right of the former fireplace hole (filled). to be made to left hand wall, and opening further back to be in-filled.

Unit 9

Upgrade of WC Fitted within openings. Neutral impact facilities and new No additional harm. door.

One window to new Limited in size, on less Neutral impact Deemed necessary in order to provide plant room upstairs significant elevation. ventilation. Least invasive option and limited to to have glass Already altered- limited single window. replaced with louvres significance. to Back Piccadilly elevation.

Unit 11

New wall upstairs to Uncertain how the Neutral impact form store room. ground floor originally functioned. Altered layout is redistribution of space and will not result in loss of floor space.

Heritage Statement | St Margarets Chambers 13 New opening Limited loss of original Minor adverse impact Mitigated by this being the least invasive position through existing wall fabric (medium for plant room. Will have negligible impact on to form access to significance with no asset as a whole. Existing wall has no discerning new store room. special features). Next features and remainder will be unaltered. to suggested location of previous fireplace, no longer present.

New opening and Limited loss of existing Minor adverse impact Uncertain this is original wall as layout has door at mezzanine fabric, uncertain if this is evolved. Considered necessary in order to level between unit original wall. No special create plant room access. 11 WC and store features to either side. room. Limited significance.

Basement

Creation of bike store Loss of small section of Neutral impact and shower facilities non-original

Addition of limited New facilities will mostly Positive impact The creation of bike store, showers and locker number of doors and fit within existing rooms, facilities is seen as a positive to ensure long term walls to form Shower, with some additional sustainability and viability of the building through locker and bike store. walls and doors required. limited intervention into historic fabric. No historic features present, other than plain walls.

Entrance- removal Fabric is modern and of Minor positive impact This is removal of a detracting, modern feature, of modern inserted no heritage significance. and will enhance the entrance. aluminium doors. It detracts from the character of the listed building.

Heritage Statement | St Margarets Chambers 14 Image 19: Existing entrance showing aluminium framed door and screen to be removed and wall area where new opening will be made to unit 7 (left hand side of photograph).

Heritage Statement | St Margarets Chambers 15 6.00 Planning Context

Proposals for works to St Margaret’s Chambers have been considered within the relevant legislation, policy and guidance.

As a Grade II listed building and within a Conservation Area, St Margaret’s Chambers is protected by law contained within the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, requiring authorisation of works affecting heritage assets where they affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF, updated 2019), provides the policy for heritage assets and the historic environment. The NPPF recognises that sympathetic changes to heritage assets are necessary to ensure their viable ongoing use. Of relevance is NPPF, paragraph 192, which states, ‘In determining applications, local planning authorities should take account of:

a) the desirability of sustaining and enhancing the significance of heritage assets and putting them to uses consistent with their conservation; b) the positive contribution that conservation of heritage assets can make to sustainable communities including their economic vitality; and c) the desirability of new development making a positive contribution to local character and distinctiveness.’ The proposed changes to St Margaret’s Chambers will sustain the significance of the property by retaining the ground floor units in viable end use, enhancing their condition and ensuring the property remains viable as an attractive location for tenants. The character of the building will be enhanced by carefully executed new additions.

When considering potential impacts of proposed development on an asset’s significance, NPPF states that ‘great weight should be given to the asset’s conservation…….this is irrespective of whether any potential harm amounts to substantial harm, total loss or less than substantial harm’. NPPF, para. 193. and that ‘where a development proposal will lead to less than substantial harm….this harm should be weighed against the public benefits of the proposal including, where appropriate, securing its optimum viable use.’ NPPF, para. 196.

Heritage Statement | St Margarets Chambers 16 Proposals will have an overall positive impact upon the significance of the building and demonstrate no degree of harm. The improved layout of WC facilities and new provision of bike store, showers and lockers will not cause substantial harm, and any degree of loss to historic fabric though creating doorways within existing walls will have a minimal impact upon the significance of the whole. The public benefits of ensuring the end use remains viable and that sustainable travel is catered for are seen to outweigh the limited harm.

Relevant local policy set by follows the principles established in the NPPF. In particular, Policy EN3, ‘historic sites and areas of particular heritage value should be both safeguarded for the future and, where possible, enhanced for their own heritage merits…’

It is considered that the proposals are a positive response to above council policy and will ensure the space retains a commercial end use. Furthermore, the proposed scheme will preserve and enhance the building and go some way to securing its ongoing viable end use.

7 Conclusion The proposed changes to the building will allow WC facilities to be improved, contributing to the ongoing viability of the building in attracting tenants.

The creation of a bike store, shower and locker facilities will contribute to the sustainability and the long term viability of the building. Any damage or loss of original fabric is very limited and is considered to be outweighed by the resulting improvements.

The building will retain its overall plan form and loss of fabric is limited to a non-original staircase and non- original WC block, and walls which, although have significance as part of the overall building form, have no features of architectural or historic significance in themselves.

The proposals are considered to meet the requirements set out in both local and national policy and the level of harm to significance, if any, is deemed to be less than substantial and outweighed by the improvements made.

Heritage Statement | St Margarets Chambers 17