Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 2008 Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal Contents Page 1 1.0 Introduction 5 2.0 Proposals deriving from the Appraisal 20 3.0 Guidelines for New Development 26 4.0 Other Projects 31 5.0 Community Involvement 33 6.0 Delivery and Funding 35 7.0 Appendix 1 Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Management Plan - Rainford I, II & III Conservation Area Management Plan Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 1.0 Background 1.1 Introduction Until the late 19th Century Rainhill was predominantly a rural community reflecting typical agricultural trades. Important changes took place in the mid 18th Century with the turnpiking of the highway from Liverpool to Warrington (Dickinson and Dickinson, 1968). The opening of the Liverpool - Manchester Railway (L&MR) in 1830 led to Rainhill being developed as a residential area. Of most historical significance, however, was probably the choice of Rain- hill as the venue for the locomotive trials to decide the type of engine which would operate on the new railways that really put it on the map. Today the village still retains most of its historic character. The railway line is still opera- tional and an exhibition in memory of the Trials is housed in the village library. The skew bridge taking the former turnpiked Warrington Road over the railway is also still intact. In recognition to its special architectural character and historic significance, part of Rainhill was designated as a conservation area where development control policies would seek to protect the essential character of the area (St Helens Council, 1976). Defined as “an area of special architectural or historic interest the character or appearance of which is desirable to preserve or enhance” a conservation area and its designation, however, should not be an end in itself. Rather it should just be a demonstration of the commitment towards positive action. As part of its statutory responsibilities, the Council, through its Design Team, is required to further undertake reviews as well as prepare and publish management proposals of at least one Conservation Area every year. This is set out in the Departmental Business Plan in response to the inclusion of Best Value Performance Indicators (BVPIs) in relation to con- servation – namely BVPIs 219b and c. A proportion of the Planning Delivery Grant (PDG) has been allocated towards meeting these BVPIs and Rainhill has been identified as the Conservation Area to be appraised and subsequent management proposals to be made towards its future development. This ap- praisal is St. Helens Council’s endeavour towards meeting this obligation and in the proc- ess protecting Conservation Areas from development that would adversely affect their char- acter. Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 1 1.0 Background 1.2 Rainhill Conservation Area: Issues Rainhill is a significant settlement and yet it was only in 1976 when a part of it was desig- nated as a Conservation Area. There are several key buildings and areas with character that contribute to its overall character but which presently lie outside the area of protection. There have been several instances where development proposals have been drawn up that would have potentially eroded these important historic assets. There is therefore an urgent need to re-consider the extent of the present Conservation Area boundary to see whether it should be extended to encompass other historic parts of Rainhill. Within the designated Conservation Area there are activities taking place that make this an appropriate time to prioritise Rainhill for developing conservation area management propos- als, in line with re-appraising the Conservation Area itself. There are also a number of ir- regular boundaries in the centre of Rainhill, which need to be improved. The boundary to the car parks of the Commercial and Victoria Hotels along Station Road and that between the two pub car parks give a poor impression of the area. The land between Station Road and the railway and in front of the station is unused and poorly maintained. Ownership and opportunity need to be investigated in these areas. In addition, from an historical viewpoint, this is a particularly important year for Rainhill Station and the Liverpool to Manchester line, commemorating the 175th anniversary of the opening of the railway. On reviewing the sta- tion area it has become apparent that there are significant issues in terms of the quality of sense of arrival at Rainhill Station. On the edge of the village centre the library and railway museum are unfortunately hidden away so that tourists looking for evidence of the Rainhill Trials would have no clear guid- ance either by signs or route marking. The setting of the library is also a pretty uninspiring point of arrival to a key public facility and the home to the Trials exhibition. This area is in serious need of immediate enhancement as well as a need to manage the form of any al- terations or replacement of buildings at the site. Some of the above opportunities may form part of a future programme of highway works, but others could be in partnership with respective owners to make a considerable impact on the area. However, in order to steer this investment it is important to have management proposals in place. Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 2 1.0 Background 1.3 Purpose of Appraisal The purpose of a Conservation Area designation is not to prevent change but to manage it in the interests of the existing character of the area. This means to preserve as well as en- hance the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. It is also recognised that development plan policy, development control decisions, proposals for preservation or en- hancement and the “management” of Conservation Areas can be best achieved when there is a clear and sound understanding of the special interest of the conservation area (DNH and DoE, 1995). The Council must therefore ensure that any new developments within the Area help to preserve or enhance its character or appearance. The purpose of this appraisal is to identify the factors that make Rainhill an area of special architectural and historic interest, in accordance with the PPG15 advice and to assess any impact upon it since designation. Its therefore value is two-fold. First, its publication will improve the understanding of the value of the built heritage. It will provide property owners within the Conservation Area, and potential developers with clearer guidance on planning matters and the types of development, which are likely to be encouraged. Secondly, it will enable the Council to improve its strategies, policies and atti- tude towards the conservation and development opportunities and priorities within the Con- servation Area. In other words, the appraisal will form a sound basis for establishing effective Conservation Area policies; support the effective determination of planning and listed building applica- tions; and form relevant evidence in planning appeals. The issues that will be looked into in this appraisal include: • The historical development of the area; • The character of individual streets; • An assessment of the characteristic buildings types; • An examination of historic detailing; • An analysis of the success or otherwise of recent developments; • An overview of possible enhancement proposals; and, • A review of the Conservation Area boundary. Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 3 1.0 Background 1.4 Document status Section 71 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act, 1990 places statutory duty on a Local Planning Authority to “from time to time formulate and publish pro- posals for the preservation and enhancement of any parts of their areas which are Conser- vation Areas.” PPG 15 – “Planning and the Historic Environment” urges Local Authorities to prepare detailed assessments of their Conservation Areas. It states “the more clearly the special architectural or historic interest that justifies designation is defined and recorded, the sounder the basis for local plan policies and development control decisions, as well as for the preservation and enhancement of the character and appearance of an area” DNH and DoE, 1995). This document presents a Conservation Area Appraisal for Rainhill Con- servation Area and is intended as the framework for such consideration. The approach to the appraisal closely follows that recommended by English Heritage in ‘Guidance on Conservation Areas Appraisals’. It is hoped that its recommendations will form the basis of a Management Plan for Rainhill Conservation Area. Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal— Rainhill I, II & III Conservation Area Appraisal 4 2.0 Location and Population 2.1 Regional context Rainhill is one of the 15 townships into which the parish of Prescot was historically divided (Dickinson and Dickinson, 1968; Farrer and Brownbill, 1990). It is located in the Northwest of England, about 10 miles east of Liverpool and 3 miles south of St. Helens. It is one of the two southern-most portions of the Metropolitan Borough of St. Helens. To its southeast lies Widnes in Cheshire and to the west and south Prescot in the Borough of Knowsley. Having been well served by both road and rail since the late 19th Century, the village has enjoyed good communication facilities. The village's position some ten miles east of the thriving port of Liverpool meant that major communications have always passed through the area. Later, when the idea of a railway between Liverpool and Manchester became a reality that too passed through Rainhill village. This is marked on 19th century maps as the cross- roads where two highways passed through Rainhill - one from Prescot to Warrington and the other from Cronton to Eccleston.