Post on 05-Jul-2020
Cornwall Shopfront Design Guide
Appendix 1 St . Auste l l
Contents
1 Using this guide2 Heritage assets: Conservation Area3 Heritage assets: Listed buildings4 Fore Street5 Fore Street6 Western gateway7 Other shopfronts in key views 8 Clay Town ceramic design9 Clay Town ceramic design10 Townscape Heritage scheme11 Modern shopfronts12 Links
Page
This guide has been produced for Cornwall Council and
St Austell Town Council as part of the Heritage Lottery funded Townscape Heritage
by Tim Kellett Urban Design
August 2017
1
Us ing th i s gu ide
This guide is an appendix to the Cornwall Shopfront Design Guide, so you must refer to that document for more detailed information on design options, technical advice and good examples. It also complements the St Austell Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan with more information on the heritage of the town and its future management.
Historically, shopfront designs were often based on the same pricniples and main components but they did vary tremendously in their detail. Again, the main Shopfront design Guide will illustrate these.
In this document we are looking at some of the specific characteristics and opportunities in St.Austell itself so any work can be more relevant and locally distinctive. We should aim to restore the lost character of the historic retail core to ensure it is still attractive and distinctive in order to be competitive.
The town centre can provide an alternative shopping environment of specialist and local businesses mixed in with new commercial and community activities. It can revive its connections to its past through repair and restoration but it can also develop new attractions through the incorporation of arts crafts and ceramic design.
2
Her i tage assets : Conser vat ion Area
St. Austell town centre is mostly designated as a conservation area. See map above. This is divided into character areas that have evolved in different periods for different reasons. The important areas for shopfronts are 1 The Church Core, 2 Fore Street and 3 The Western Gateway. Shopfront designs in the Conservation Area will need to ensure they preserve or enhance its special character.
A Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan has been produced for St Austell to help to manage any changes in a positive way. It can be seen on the Cornwall Council Conservation Area pages. Shops such as this at 25 Truro Road are one of the few historic shopfronts surviving in the Conservation Area. It was designed as an integral part of the building and at one time home to a monumental mason. The first floor niche once held a statue.
3
Her i tage assets : L i s ted bu i ld ings
There are many listed buildings in St Austell which can be viewed on the British Listed Buildings website.
Most of these [listed below] currently incorporate shopfronts or commercial frontages and would require listed building consent for any alteration that affects its character as a building of special interest. Clearly many of these are deserving of future restoration or enhancement work because a lot of that original character has been lost. z 6-7 Church St
z White hart hotel Church street
z The Red Bank Church Street
z 3-7 Fore Street
z 12a 12b Fore Street
z Commercial Hotel High Cross Street
z 15 High Cross Street
z 1 Market Street
z Market House Market Street
z Queens Head Hotel Market Street
z The Old Manor House North Street
z 13 and 15 Truro Road
z 3 Vicarage Hill
z 1 and 3 Victoria Place
z 6-12 Victoria Place
z The Stag Inn Victoria Place
6-7 Church Street and adjoining 1 and 3 Victoria Place are listed buildings in a very prominent position opposite the Holy Trinity Church. There is a great opportunity to install better subdivided shopfronts, cornices and framed signs to enhance the elevations
The historic consoles and fluted columns that remain show the significance of this listed building shopfront in 6-12 Victoria Place. They give a good starting point for a very significant restoration project.
The listed No. 1 Market Street is a very prominent corner building in the Church Core. Its listing description includes ”..large incongruous modern shopfront” - it is a good candidate for reinstating a traditional shopfront. Historic photos (on the right) give clues to the original design.
4
Fore St reet
CONTEXTSt Austell is a historic market town. Fore Street is the street that ran “before”, or up to, the market. That was when it was originally held outside the church, in the very centre of town. Fore Street became the most commercial street, and in the Victorian period demonstrated the retail strength and diversity of St. Austell. The number of classically based shopfront designs gave this street its special character.
While the general scale still remains, there has been a gradual loss of shopfront features such as cornices and traditional fascias, mullions and transom lights, pilasters and console brackets, that created the special character of the street.In addition, the loss of several buildings in the middle section, following the great fire of 1940, and replacement by low, wide, horizontal buildings, set back from the main building line, has created a weak section of townscape. Fore Street has been pedestrianised but recent competition with online and out of town shopping, and the development of White River Place, has meant that Fore Street and its outlying shops have become less popular as a primary retail destination, resulting in more vacancies.
These two photographs, from the early 20th century, look along Fore Street in both directions. The subdivision into narrow shop units, the projection of strong cornices, and the enclosure of the narrow street, all contributed to the special view that culminated in the landmark of the church tower.
ISSUES• Most historic shopfronts have been lost in the town centre, only remnants remain.
• Poor quality shopfronts in very prominent locations
• Large flat signs dominate the shopfronts and add little to the architectural quality.
• There is little subdivision to the ground floor shopfronts to reflect the buildings above..
• Demolition and re-development in the 70’s has changed the scale and the building line of Fore
Street detracting form the strong historic townscape.
• Shops are closing down on the edges of the retail centre.
• Side streets and alleys are losing the small businesses that draw visitors through.
Source Old Cornwal l Society
Source Old Cornwal l Society
5
Fore St reet Fore St reet
OPPORTUNITIESThere are a number of key principles, that could be followed, to help this area regain some of its special character.• No more loss of historic fabric - Owners and
designers should examine the buildings and
identify any historic features.
• Repairing historic shopfront features as a priority
and incorporate into new shopfronts.
• Do not cover over historic features with new
signs or panels.
• Reinstate characteristic features such as
projecting cornices, framed fascias, pilasters
and console brackets.
• Ensure any contemporary designs are of the
highest quality and create a strong frame for the
shopfront in the elevation.
• Promote the redevelopment of the 60s and 70s
buildings in the centre, to restore the original
building line, and scale of the street.
• Promote the re-development and improvement
of side streets such as Chandos Place to
incorporate active frontages with shopfronts to
make them more attractive routes.
• Use glazed ceramics in the shopfronts bringing
colour, and quality design to support the clay
town initiative.
These modern buildings, at 19-23 Fore Street, have been identified as part of a retail redevelopment site in the Allocations Document of the Local Plan. This creates an opportunity to restore the original street line and original building heights, to create an attractive retail frontage, to create an active route on Chandos Place with shop frontages leading into the redevelopment.
Shop owners could investigate what may be hidden under new fascias and signs. Elements of earlier shopfronts may be evident and worthy of restoring
Flat fascias could be replaced with projecting cornices and new fascias to bring back some of the strong character of the street.
6
This group of modern buildings curves around the end of Fore Street [Nos. 45 and 47] and Trinity Street [Nos. 1-10]. They are at one of the most important entrances into the commercial town centre leading the eye (and the visitor) up the hill and around into Fore Street. They present a great opportunity for a co-ordinated enhancement scheme of the shopfronts and the elevations. It could be a flagship project for the “Clay Town” initiative using ceramic design in the shopfronts and building frontages.
Western gateway
CONTEXTThe streets of Bodmin Road, Truro Road, Trinity Street and
Fore Street, all converge at an important junction known as the
Western Gateway into the Town Centre. It is a vehicle dominated
route, and currently difficult for pedestrians to negotiate
comfortably. It does, however have some good retail, community
and business opportunities and is enhanced by the distinctive
China Cafe mural by Janet Shearer and its adjacent public space.
OPPORTUNITIES
A public realm scheme to improve the accessibility and comfort for
pedestrians at this whole junction would pay dividends. All of the
surrounding buildings have great scope for shopfront and facade
improvements to help create a memorable place.
The Assembly Rooms and adjoining small building, have an opportunity to develop more complementary signage to improve this space and its historic building.
7
Other shopfronts in key v iews
There are many important historic buildings in highly visible locations on the corners at junctions or at the end of key views. Nearly all of these have lost their historic shopfronts and they have not been replaced with anything as significant in terms of design quality or being complementary to the building. These should be prioirities for design improvement, to enhance the character of the whole street which will make the area more attractive, as a whole, to visitors and customers.
This is No 1 Fore Street, opposite the entrance to the Churchyard at a very prominent location.
It includes a curved corner that once had a very significant two storey shopfront. there are numerous historic photographs which could be used to assist a reinstatement project.
This is one of several target buildings for the Townscape Heritage scheme.
No.9 Church Street is another prominent curved corner building opposite the churchyard.It once had a more significant shopfront as evidenced from photographs.
Should the opportunity arise this could be reinstated and is also targetted in the Townscape Heritage scheme, and could create a bigger impact with new shopfronts in the listed buildings on the other side of the street.
For example No.1 Vicarage Hill will become more prominent in this view if the Vicarage Place retail development is undertaken in line with the advice given in the Conservation Area Management Plan.
8
Clay Town ceramic des ign
This regeneration initiative is being pursued by key partners to celebrate St.Austell’s history of clay production and the industry it supported. One opportunity is to identify ways that ceramic work can be used to enliven the town’s environment and build a really distinctive character. Ceramics in shopfront design have a long history using glazed tiles, glazed bricks, faience, terrcotta and mosaic. There are examples in Cornwall, however inspiration for more creative use can also be found further afield giving some idea how this visitor and commercial environment could be transformed by a few well chosen schemes and supportive retailers or property owners.
Dos Riberas shopfront
Cour tesy: Pol lenoid
9
Bike shop Jubi lee Wharf Penryn
Litt le Jems Penzance
Jubi lee Wharf PenrynWhite glazed brick Brompton
Mosaic shopfront Paris Falmouth stal l r iser and threshold
Faience shopfront Devon image Poole MuseumTradit ional glazed s ign Falmouth
Red Bank Terracotta
Clay Town ceramic des ign
10
Townscape Her i tage scheme
A Townscape Heritage scheme is proposed for St Austell. This is a bid for funding from the Heritage Lottery and Cornwall Council to support the repair of historic buildings and the reinstatement of lost historic features including shopfronts.
A target area has been identified focussing on the historic town centre and specific target buildings have been selected in order to get the maximum impact from the scheme. It is hoped the scheme will run between 2017 and 2021.
Below: 34 Fore Street could be in the Townscape Heritage scheme.
WEST
5
4
5
House
St Austell
7 to 11
6
Methodist
7
5
24
PRIO
RY
ROA
D
2
25a23
4
Post
PLACE
14
33
Old Vicarage Place
11a
1
8
Court
Post
Club
6 4
6
1
412
31
MARKET HILL
1 to 3
CHURCH
2
25a
Hall
STREET
9
7
10
1
The Old
Bank
10
9
Savoy Building33
Sembal
4
St John's
Posts
8
46
36
3
21
Posts
15
12
40
1
Posts
2
Bank
Market
30
VICTORIA PLACE
5
1
1 to
8
PH3
Studi
o Hou
se
5
Church
16
Oravia
27
68.9m
10
1a
TREVARTHIAN R
OAD
5
8a
11
23
30
41
9
66.8m
HILL
82
20
16a
COLLEG
E GR
EEN
16
66.5m
9
19
65
4
9
16
GRANT'S WALK
Aylmer Place
White River Place
6
10
12b
31
10NO
RTH
STREET
2
1
2
41
14
5
TCB
MARKET STREET
29
The
4
29b
7
8
2527
Hall
37
Friends Meeting House
5
28
El Sub Sta
Audiology
El S
ub S
ta
FB
1313
8 to23 to 29
1
1918
25
18
1719
12
TRURO ROAD
2
Baptist Church
9
22
TRINITY STREETBurton H
ouse
7
Piran Place
Car Park
2
FORE STREET
24
CHA
ND
OS
Club
PC
PC
Bank
11 to 14
11
9
China
1
Car Park
PH
22
7
20a
28
9
60.7m
Cornwall
7
Memorial
6
12
(Hotel)
6
TCB
11
2
CR
9
El Sub Sta
The Sycamores
14
49
39
to
21-23
38
West
12 to 49
Globe Yarda
19
TCB
1 47
2
Cinema
a
42
Trelawney House
Bowling Alley
TCBs
Posts
1 to 2
11
2
El Sub Sta
VICARAGE
8
1
6
12
Elm Terrace
11
House
20
17
War
Holy Trinity
8
19
511
1PH
Job Centre
17 19
14 to 54
8 CattleGrid
The Loft
COACH H
OUSE
LANE
47 1
St Austell Station
33
1 to
14
26
80
74
1
16
11
HillCourt
13a
Church
5b
73
81
2
3
14
8
31
47
Posts
Posts
Biddick's Court
12
7-8
12a9
18
PC
21
9 to 11
5
21
4
EAST HILL
68.3m
1
ED Bdy
LB Centre
Club
45
22
88
to72
9
20
6
9a to 11a
11
27
LB
Penhaligon
16
44
PCs
Post
29
451 to 55
25
28 26
63.4m
Club
Mengue Hall
4 to 9
15
Posts
3
3
El Sub Sta
Club
10
DUKE STREET
15
House
14
4
14
TREGARNE
6
White Hart
2Bank
14
1 to 3
Institute
12
2
14
15
Car Park
12
1 to 12
6
Fn
45
86.0m
THE MALTINGS
15b
15
50 to 68
2513
Shelter
45
10
Bank
6a
3
40
Post
34
27
23
1816
19
Posts
9
3
LB
HILL
63.4m
18
PH
2
33
The H
all
19
8
55.8m
PC
6
2523
TERRACE
3
1
CROSS LANE
Women's
Bank
5
Head Post Office
29
20
Bus Station
43
Tregarne
7
© Crown copyright and database rights 2015 Ordnance Survey 100049047.
¯
LegendNew Shopfront opportunities
Traditional shopfront repair opportunities
St Austell Target Area
Target BuidlingHigh Priority
Medium
Reserve
St Austell Townscape Heritage Scheme:Shopfront Repair & Reinstatement Opportunities
1 1
Modern shopfronts
White River Place is a modern, mixed-use
development creating a new retail area with
larger units to cater for particular commercial
needs.
It is particularly important that it creates an
external street network rather than an internal
facing “mall”, which allows it to become part of
the town centre. However the design does not
allow the main linking route on Aylmer Place to
have many active frontages which would have
created a much more animated link This is
important to take into account in the next phase
with Old Vicarage place and Chandos Place
The buildings in the new development have some
variation in cladding and their simple forms to
reflect the smaller scale of town centre buildings.
The shopfronts, however, are relatively standard,
with similar flat piers or exposed steel beams,
forming a framework for standard shop-glazing
and the corporate graphics of the mainstream
retailers. These shopfront designs would not
translate well to existing buildings in the town
but with a little more modelling and developing
a contemporary cornice feature, could work even
better.
Modern shopfronts in White River Place retain
the smaller scale of a traditional retail centre
but their character is made up of corporate
graphics.
Aylmer Place is one of several small routes
that link the old and the new shopping areas.
It would benefit from smaller shops and active
frontages.
1 2
L inks
Click the title to link to the website
Cornwall Shopfront Design GuideThe parent document to this appendix with comprehensive design guidance on shopfronts.
St Austel l Conser vation Area Appraisal and Management PlanThis is the recently approved descript ion of the historic development of the conservation area and its special
features. It includes urban design guidance and an Action Plan.
St Austel l Al locations DPDCornwall Council planning document focusing on St Austell with objectives, strategy and allocated sites for development
St Austel l Town PlanProduced by St Austel l Town Counci l in 2012 with the local community.
St Austel l Old Cornwall Society A contact point for the historical society with information and historic photographs of old St Austel l , which
may help with shopfront restorations.
St Austel l BIDBusiness Improvement Distr ict- set up to improve th etrading environment for St Austel l town centre.