Kingston Upon Hull Heritage Evidence Base

Kingston upon Hull Heritage Evidence Base April 2014 Executive Summary It is generally agreed that the city of Hull has a distinct character, identity and sense of place, however it is more difficult to pinpoint exactly what it is that makes the city distinctive. To help in this task, the City Council and the Architecture Centre for Hull and the Humber Region (Arc) organised various events during summer 2009 to explore the concept of ‘Hullness’. Perhaps not surprisingly, no definitive view was reached and the debate continues. However, the responses to the events have highlighted some recurring themes and factors that contribute to the distinct character of the city. These are set out below. ‘Hullness’ has been concerned with ‘character’ in all its senses, including cultural, social, economic, environmental and physical aspects. However, for the purposes of this study, ‘character’ is concerned with the impact of the above elements on the built form of the city. The physical setting of Hull in a flat landscape where the River Hull joins the Humber Estuary means that expanses of water and sky are characteristic features of the city. Hull is an industrial port city located some distance away from other large towns and set in the rural East Riding of Yorkshire. Traditionally it has looked to the sea and continental Europe rather than the rest of England. Unlike most other northern and midland cities, it is not part of a conurbation. This relative isolation has given it an independent and distinctive character. Trade with Baltic, Dutch and French ports over the centuries has influenced the built form, architecture, economy and culture of the city. 17th century prints show Hull to resemble a Dutch town, walled and almost surrounded by water, with buildings of Dutch-style bricks, gables and pantiled roofs. Construction of the Town Docks In the late 18th century brought water inland to what would become the city centre and development of the Georgian New Town began. The Old Town became, in effect, an island and today it still retains a defined identity and medieval street pattern. The 19th century brought expansion of the docks and development of associated industries. Distinctive communities developed linked to these industries: fishing in west Hull, with migrants from other coastal areas of the UK; cargo handling in east Hull; and oilseed processing to the north on both banks of the River Hull. The industrial area along the River Hull retains its historic character in the Wincolmlee area. The physical barrier of the River Hull and the limited number of bridge crossings has meant that the west and east sides of the city have developed with differing characters and identities, most notably manifested by the city producing two rival rugby teams. Physical expansion of the city resulted in a series of long, straight radial roads, with the streets between them packed with very high density housing of a type that is unique to Hull – ‘courts’ of short terraces at right angles to the street with pedestrian-only access. Although now far fewer in number, areas of these terraces still exist in the inner area today. At the same time, early planned developments of good quality houses began, such as the Avenues in west Hull and Garden Village in east Hull. Improvements to the city centre in the late Victorian period brought distinctively designed public buildings such as the Guildhall and City Hall, and wide new streets of commercial buildings, e.g. Jameson Street and King Edward Street. In the 20th century, particularly following the two world wars, social factors came to the fore with programmes of housing improvement through slum clearance and the evolution of town planning. The radial roads were extended into tree-lined dual carriageways and a ring of public housing estates were developed around the city. This type of development is found in most large towns and cities, and it reflects the styles of the time, e.g. garden city style estates in the interwar period and non-traditional layouts in the 1960s. These estates are a significant feature of the city, not least because of the extensive areas of land they occupy. During the post WW2 period the out-migration of more affluent people to East Riding settlements just beyond the city boundary, such as Cottingham and Willerby, has continued and accelerated. This process began in the 19th century with the arrival of the railway, while in the 20th century it has been largely enabled by the growth in incomes and car ownership. This has meant that the city has continued to be dominated by terraced housing for the less affluent, although this is being addressed with the development of new ‘aspirational’ housing in areas such as Victoria Dock and Kingswood. Economically, the period since the 1970s has seen a significant decline in Hull’s traditional industries, with resulting dereliction, although the port continues to thrive but with far fewer employees. Despite extensive war-time bombing and post-war redevelopment, the city centre remains spacious and this is enhanced by extensive pedestrianisation and the absence of through traffic. Neglect of the Old Town following WW2 inadvertently helped to preserve it. Regeneration of the area since the 1980s has capitalised on an asset that many visitors do not expect to find in Hull. A marked contrast is evident between the narrow streets and confined buildings of the Old Town and the wide streets and openness of the New Town, where much of the post-war commercial development has taken place. Following a period of post-war reconstruction with plain buildings of indifferent design, some distinctive buildings have been constructed in recent years that reflect Hull’s maritime character, in particular the Princes Quay shopping centre over the former Princes Dock and The Deep, a millennium visitor attraction located where the River Humber joins the Humber Estuary. Similarly, residential development on the former Victoria Dock has drawn inspiration from Hull’s maritime past, though many other developments consist of standard volume house- builder designs. Most recently the St Stephens shopping development adjacent to the rail and bus station has brought a bespoke design to a prominent location. Even with these developments, the city remains predominantly low-rise in character. The interaction of Hull’s physical setting with its economic and social development over time, and the resulting built form, has created the character of the present-day city. This character can be summarised, in simple terms, as an industrial port city set on an estuary some distance from other towns and cities, where the flatness of the land and expanses of sky and water are constantly evident. Particular features of Hull include: the city centre where the narrow streets of the Old Town contrast with the spaciousness of the New Town; radial roads lined by small shops giving way to tree-lined dual carriageways; inner city areas where late Victorian/Edwardian terraces stand alongside post-war redevelopment; extensive outer estates of public housing that are known largely only to the people who live in them; and post-1980s regeneration with distinctive new buildings in the city centre and waterfront area. Introduction Heritage provides a sense of place and local identity, with which people can readily associate. It can be a focus for engagement and discussion. It can establish a platform for a wide range of activities be they economic, cultural, social, leisure or environmental and provide a basis or vision for the ‘future history’ of a community. In a world changing at an increasing rate, heritage and history offer continuity and a backdrop to the immediate. Engagement in heritage and conservation offers a wide range of education, training and skills development opportunities. However, the historic environment is a fragile and finite resource, once an element of it is lost it is gone forever. Each element that goes to make the whole has its own intrinsic value and may come under a variety of increasing pressures. To ensure the historic environment is sustained for the enjoyment of future generation there is a need for collective responsibility for its care and stewardship. This requires an understanding of the nature and value of our heritage assets in order to ensure that any decisions taken and proposed changes positively preserve or enhance their unique value. The value of the historic environment is enshrined in national government policy and legislation. This is articulated by local government policy and practice, supported by local amenity groups and expressed in the popularity of historic buildings and places in the collective public mind. Kingston upon Hull has a rich, varied and unique heritage. The evolution of the city continues to be relevant to people living both within and outside the boundaries of Hull. The history and heritage of the city work to shapes people’s lives and the landscape around them. It is therefore important that we accord the historic environment the duty of care it deserves when considering proposals that affect it and ensure that all works are carried out in a sensitive and non-intrusive manner so that future generations can continue to enjoy the heritage offer of the city. This document reviews and brings together the Council’s evidence base on the historic environment. It sets out the history behind the growth and development of Hull, with emphasis on defining times and events and the assessment of the character of Hull. Planning Context Paragraph 17 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out 12 Core Principles for the planning system. One of these principles is: conserve heritage assets in a manner appropriate to their significance, so they can be enjoyed for their contribution to the quality of life of this and future generations.

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