Paisley Town Centre Conservation Area Appraisal March 2018 Paisley Town Centre Conservation Area Appraisal | Renfrewshire Council Contents Introduction ........................... 2 Part One Part Three Conservation Areas ............................. 2 Historical Development, General Planning Guidance Purpose of a Conservation Area Character and Boundary Local Development Plan .................22 Appraisal ............................................... 2 Historical Development .....................4 New Development Supplementary Using this document ........................... 3 Archaeological Interest .................... 10 Guidance ............................................22 Character Areas ................................. 10 Article 4 Directions ...........................23 Part Two Preservation and Enhancement Part Four Key Challenges ................................... 18 Background Historical Information Building Repair and Reuse ................ 19 The Thread of Paisley ........................24 Gap Sites .............................................20 Paisley’s Protagonists and Principal Public Areas ........................................20 Buildings .............................................26 Summary of Issues ............................ 21 Conclusion .......................................... 21 References and useful contacts ..............................................30 Prepared by The Heritage Place. Based on earlier drafts by Renfrewshire Council. Survey work undertaken Autumn 2015. Updated by Renfrewshire Council, Summer 2017. | 1 Introduction Renfrewshire Council is committed to the regeneration of its town centres. Paisley’s community has at its historic core outstanding architecture and a wealth of cultural assets and collections to help drive the regeneration of a vibrant town Council to formulate and publish to promote and support a sustainable economy. This proposals for their preservation document provides an appraisal of the character of the and enhancement. Local residents and property owners also have a Paisley Town Centre Conservation Area (Figure 1), outlining major role to play in protecting its unique character and distinguishing the assets that set and enhancing the character and it apart. The Conservation Area extends from Wellmeadow appearance of the Conservation Area by ensuring that properties are Street to the west, down to Canal Station (Causeyside Street) regularly maintained and original to the south, out to Paisley Abbey and Gauze Street at the features retained. east and to Gilmour Street Station and the boundary of Purpose of a Conservation Area Oakshaw to the north. Appraisal The purpose of an appraisal of the area unacceptable, but care must be taken Conservation Areas is to define its important features, its to ensure that the new development salient and significant characteristics Conservation areas were first will not harm the character or and to identify unique qualities. introduced by the Civic Amenities appearance of the area. Act 1967. The Planning (Listed This is the starting point for deciding Buildings and Conservation Areas) Conservation Area designation brings what should be protected and (Scotland) Act 1997 provides the the following works under planning enhanced by planning authorities, current legislative framework for the control: residents and property owners, and designation of conservation areas. Demolition of buildings what problems need to be addressed. The Act defines each as an area • It informs effective management of ‘of special architectural or historic • Removal of, or work to, trees the historic fabric of the town. interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve • Development involving small house The appraisal explains the area’s or enhance’. All planning authorities extensions, roof alterations, stone historic development, its special are required by this Act to determine cleaning or painting of the exterior, townscape and architectural interest, which parts of their area merit provision of hard surfaces, and and includes consideration of Conservation status. Renfrewshire • Additional control over satellite significant buildings and open spaces currently has 8 conservation areas dishes. which establish the character of the varying in character from this town area. centre, to elegant suburbs, planned Where a development would, in the or industrial villages, an historic opinion of the planning authority, The appraisal provides a context weaving centre and a commuter affect the character or appearance for the assessment of development dormitory. of a conservation area, the proposals within the area, identifies application for planning permission opportunities and priorities for In a Conservation Area the will be advertised in the local press enhancement, and sets out the policy architectural interest applies both providing an opportunity for public framework for the determination to the buildings and to the spaces comment. Views expressed are taken of development proposals. This between them. Planning legislation into account by the local planning appraisal is supplementary to the and policy is aimed at maintaining authority when making a decision on policies for Paisley Town Centre the integrity of the area and the application. and its built heritage set out in the promoting its special character. Renfrewshire Local Development Conservation Area status does not In order to protect the Conservation Plan (see Part 3, General Planning mean that new development is Areas, their designation requires the Guidance). 2 | Introduction Using this document The appraisal follows the recommendations set out in the Scottish Government’s PAN71: Conservation Area Management (2004). This sets out a series of issues which should be assessed in order to determine and thereafter manage the special character of a conservation area. 2 • A description of the general It is recognised that the successful location, geography, and geology management of conservation areas of the area. can only be achieved with the • A brief historical overview setting support and input from stakeholders out the development of the town. and in particular local residents and property owners. • An appraisal of key townscape features. Figure 1: (above) Paisley Town Centre • An assessment of the overarching Conservation Area character of the conservation area Figure 2: View of Paisley Abbey Identification of key issues in the 3 • Figure 3: Timothy Pont’s plan of Paisley future management of the site. | 3 Part One Historical From St Mirin’s church to the great From dependent village to Development, Abbey and its village market burgh Character and Paisley is sited on the White Cart The village was made a burgh with Boundary River at its highest navigable point trading privileges in 1488: the original from the Clyde and the lowest point ecclesiastical village was enlarged where it could be forded, on the and a planned burgh was established important route between the south- with the right to hold a market, Historical Development west and central belt of Scotland. held at the Cross. The construction As a result of its topography and a St Mirin is said to have built a chapel of the first bridge over the Cart (St long and fragmented history, Paisley at Seedhill on the east bank in the 6th James) about 1490 helped make town centre has great complexity and century, and Benedictine monks who it the principal market centre of variety concentrated in a relatively were granted lands here in 1163 built Renfrewshire. But the closure of small area. Even individual streets the abbey nearby (Figure 2). Their the monastery in the Reformation rarely have one consistent character monastic precinct occupied most of (1560) ended this stage of Paisley’s and most have exceptional fabric and the level east bank, so the dependent development. When the monastic an interesting story to tell. village grew up subsequently at way of life was swept away, with it Causeyside, between two burns on one of the main drivers for the town’s This brief history of the town is the more undulating west bank and economic growth disappeared. provided to assist the understanding next to a ford close to the Abbey. of why and how the town came to (Figure 3) This established the have its present form and character, distinct character of the east and and to help to make an assessment of west sides of the town. Without the the elements which make it today. legal rights and privileges of burgh Paisley’s history can be outlined status, it did not (indeed could not) as having five distinct periods of expand greatly, nor have a distinct development separated by four economic presence. In the later periods of stagnation. The breaks medieval period Paisley was a major in this history have created a town pilgrimage destination. centre which is irregular in layout, has areas of contrasting character, and buildings which often differ from their neighbours in scale and character. Plan 3: William Roy’s military map, 1754, showing New St and Orchard St added. Figure 4: William Roy’s military map, 1754, Figure 5: View from Saucel Hill by John Slezer, 1693 showing New St and Orchard St added. Old Tollbooth Bridge Abbey River Plate 1: View from Saucel Hill by John Slezer, 1693. and Causeyside Street. Starting with New Street in with slates. The only surviving landmark public building 4 | 1724, new streets were laid out incrementally without of this period is the High Church (Oakshaw Trinity) on the any overall plan, adding to the