IPSWICH URBAN CHARACTERISATION STUDY Introduction · Ipswich Conservation Area Appraisals and...

IPSWICH URBAN CHARACTERISATION STUDY

Introduction

The Council is committed to high quality change which safeguards the best of the town’s urban

character and neighbourhoods and secures positive improvements. In order to ensure that planning

policies and decisions enhance the environmental characteristics of the Borough, an Urban

Characterisation Study has been undertaken to define the environmental characteristics of the area

as a whole. This study is being prepared as a supplementary planning document (SPD) which means

that it is a material consideration in the planning process. The document will be subject to formal

public consultation before its adoption by the Council.

The map shows the extent of the study. It comprises eight Urban Character Areas, divided between

inner and outer urban zones. The study for the inner urban areas will be adopted in due course. It is

expected that the outer urban areas will be completed and adopted by 2016.

Position the mouse over the map to select an Urban Character Area or Conservation Area.

The Study area does not include the Borough’s 14 Conservation Areas, which have separate

Conservation Area Appraisals. It also does not include a small number of town centre sites which are

designated as part of the Opportunities Areas within the IP-One Area Action Plan. Geneva Road and

Cecil Road are uncategorised within the Study, but are established residential areas where

redevelopment issues are considered unlikely to arise.

The Purpose of the Ipswich Urban Characterisation Study

The Ipswich Urban Characterisation Study is an area-based study which identifies and highlights the

distinctive characteristics of Ipswich Borough. The Urban Character Areas are considered to have

shared and locally distinctive features which are worthy of recognition in the Development

Management process.

This does not mean that development and change is not welcome within these areas. Rather, the

Study draws attention to features which help define the sense of place in a particular location, and

which should be reflected in the design of development proposals.

The Study is one of a suite of Conservation and Design documents intended to inform the planning

process, assist planning applicants and be of general interest to the public :

Ipswich Urban Characterisation Study (SPD)

Ipswich Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Plans (SPG)

Ipswich Consolidated List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

Ipswich Local List (Buildings of Townscape Interest) (SPD)

Some or all of these documents may apply to an application. If in doubt, please contact the Council’s

Conservation and Design Team.

Methodology

The preparation of the Study has followed established urban characterisation practice. The character

area boundaries do not correspond to administrative or political boundaries (although ancient

boundary lines such as the river are included). Instead, the extent of the areas has been established

through a process of desk and field research. Characteristics which appear to be shared within an

area have been mapped:

Social and economic history (for example medieval, 18th or 19th century, early 20th century)

Architectural history (is there a dominant pattern of built form ?)

Patterns of architectural survival and replacement (how much evidence is there of change ?)

Underlying topography (for instance is the ground level or sloping, low lying or upland?)

Natural features such as springs, the river and estuary.

Tree cover (for instance areas of woodland, street tree planting or garden trees)

Pattern of open spaces (the pattern of open space, for instance parkland, recreation

grounds, private gardens ?)

Street types and junctions (for instance major through roads, local service roads, culs de

sac?)

Four urban character areas were established for the first section of the Study:

California (19th century Freehold Land Society housing and private housing on level land,

terraced housing, regular street grid, private front gardens, few trees or public open spaces).

Gipping and Orwell Valley (early medieval historical associations, waterfront, commerce,

road and railway corridors, 19th century industrial development, modern redevelopment,

nature and wildlife areas)

Norwich Road (early and later 19th century terraced housing in a variety of styles, major and

minor road frontages)

Parks (sloping landform with springs and woodland, mixed 19th century residential

development, public open spaces, views across the town centre).

Each of these areas was then tested through a process of more detailed desk research, consultation

with local heritage societies and site visits. Every street within each character area was visited and

photographed. Although individual buildings were recorded, the emphasis has been on the shared

characteristics of an area, for instance streetscape types and open space.

Finally, the researched material was compiled into a draft character area document, which was then

submitted for comments to interested parties and the Council’s independent Conservation and

Design Panel.

In addition, the process has been subject to the normal SPD consultation process.

How to Use the Ipswich Urban Characterisation Study

Planning applicants should consult the Study for background information on their site. Each

Characterisation Area is described in terms of:

history and archaeology

transport and access

open space and biodiversity

landform and views

urban analysis

detailed area and sub-area descriptions

The local distinctiveness of an area is typically a combination of factors. A residential area may be

characterised by the historic period in which it was developed. Similar housing nearby may be

distinguished by its location in a hilly area, which produces a different streetscape with more views

and perhaps more mature tree cover. The Valley area stands out because of its long historical

associations with the river and estuary and the continuing presence of commerce and industry.

Within these settings a huge range of development design responses is possible, from traditional to

modern. The Council does not favour one architectural style over another; rather it wants to

encourage design which acknowledges and responds to its setting. This is often best achieved

through high quality modern design rather than historical pastiche. Similarly, the best response to a

site may be to create contrast rather than complement.

The Study provides an easily accessible reference for site owners and agents considering a

development design. Ideally, it should be consulted at an early stage in the process (although it can

be referred to any point). It will be a reference document during the Council’s Pre-Application Advice

process. Where a Design and Access Statement is required, applicants will find the Study provides

useful contextual information which can be used to justify a chosen design approach.

Links

• Ipswich Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Plans (SPG)

• Ipswich Consolidated List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

• Ipswich Local List (Buildings of Townscape Interest) (SPD)

Draft Site Allocations and Policies (Incorporating IP-One Area Action Plan) (DPD)

VALLEY CHARACTER AREA

INTRODUCTION 1

Picture: The River Orwell. The riverside provides public realm and environmental enhancement opportunities

The Valley character area follows the course of the Gipping from thepoint where it enters the borough near Sproughton to its exit in the southeast as the Orwell, a tidal estuary and important shipping route. Threecharacter sub areas have been identified:

• Gipping Valley• Stoke• Orwell Estuary

As the source of Ipswich’s trading wealth, the river valley is the mostdynamic part of the towns landscape. It is characterised both by ancientsettlement patterns, in the vicinity of Stoke and the docks, and aconstantly changing landscape of industry, transport routes anddockside developments.

There are strong contrasts. Historic maltings stand alongside residentialstreets, and the streetscape of Stoke looks out across the broadexpanse of the docks and estuary. It is also a landscape of transport; railand road corridors help define distinct areas, but also createfragmentation and can make access for pedestrians difficult.

The development challenge in the Valley is to continue to provide acompetitive location for business whilst taking every opportunity tocreate a more legible and attractive environment for residents andvisitors.

The Valley urban characterisation area and sub-areas. The Wet Dock is a Conservation Area and not included in this study.


HISTORY 2

Top: .Debbage Marina crane. There has been a goods crane at Ipswich Docks since at least the 15th Century.Bottom: Orwell Estuary, West Bank (where West Bank Terminal is now located), early 20th Century. The boats belonged to theowners of houses fronting Wherstead Road, who enjoyed special mooring rights on the estuary

The Valley area in 1938 (Ordnance Survey map)

During construction of Stoke Railway tunnel in 1846, Ice Age remains werediscovered of mammoth, rhinoceros, bears, wolves and tortoise.

History The history of Ipswich begins in the 7thcentury AD in the river valley area. Theestuary provided access to the north seatrading routes and it is likely that therewere moorings, warehouses and a rivercrossing (probably a ford) from theearliest times.

By the time Stoke Bridge wasconstructed, in the 9th – 10th century,settlement was established either side ofthe river. The only visible evidence fromthis period is in the survival of streetalignments, on the Stoke side includingGreat Whip Street (which leads to theoriginal ford crossing), Austin Street(formerly Boars Head Lane) and BellLane.

Stoke itself is mentioned in earlyrecords, including the grant of the parishto Ely Abbey in 970. A church almostcertainly existed on the site of St MaryStoke at this time, though the buildingthat stands there now mostly dates fromthe later medieval period.


HISTORY 3

Either side of the river the valley landscapewould have been thinly populated, mostlymarshes, reedbeds and mudflats crossed byunsurfaced roads. Although it retained thisundeveloped appearance well into the 19thcentury, the river corridor was of vitalimportance for Ipswich. Upstream, recordsshow that watermills existed in the middle agesat Handford and Horsewade whilst in the sameperiod downriver, moorings were established tohelp deal with the overseas trade incommodities such as wool.

The coastal trade enabled the export to Londonand elsewhere of locally ground flour fromIpswich’s water, tide and windmills. Otheractivities that flourished in the pre-industriallandscape included maltings and fulling mills. Asthe port’s capacity grew, related trades such assail and ropemaking crowded in around thedocks and in the 18th century shipbuildingstarted up in yards at Nova Scotia and Halifax.By the middle of the century, the Cobbolds hadestablished their brewery at the Cliff Quay site.

Economic development in the 19th and 20thcenturies transformed the appearance of thevalley beginning with the construction of theWet Dock and the railway. Ipswich’s first railwaystation opened near Croft Street in Stoke in1846. The Ransomes established theiragricultural implements business during thesame period, and by the second half of the 19thcentury had diversified into railway equipmentand established large engineering premises onboth sides of the Orwell.

The opening of the new station at Princes Streetin 1860 crowned a period of dramatic economicgrowth. The trim terraced streets in Stoke werelaid out during this period, providing housing forworkers employed in the factories, the docksand the railways. Residential expansion south ofthe river was limited, however, by the need toprovide land for industry.

Alongside the expansion of the railway, roadroutes were improved and new connectionscreated throughout the Valley area. Ranelaghroad was laid out during this period, linking thestation to Hadleigh Road. The imposingtramshed complex was built at ConstantineRoad in 1901, alongside the new electricitygenerating station.

Sandy Hill Lane, near Greenwich Farm in the 1890s.The Orwell can be seen in the background.

Stoke Bridge in 1912 and the same view in 2014. The early photograph shows the iron bridge constructed in 1812. The bowstring trussbridge that replaced it in 1925 is still in use.

New Cut East. The completion of the New Cut and Wet Dock in1842 and the opening of the railway in 1846 lead to a vastincrease in trade and industry in Ipswich in the second half of the19th century.


HISTORY 4

In spite of the loss of heavy industry in the postwar era, the area has continued to adapt to changingeconomic circumstances. The importance of the valley as a transport corridor has been reinforced bythe creation of an enlarged road network, and in 1973 the West Bank Terminal complex wasconstructed. Business parks have expanded over the low lying land next to the river, and historicindustrial buildings such as the Maltings have been converted to residential and office use. Theopening of the Orwell Bridge in 1982 created a dramatic landmark across the estuary.

Railway lines and sidings, photographed from the London Road bridge looking towards Hadleigh Road. The railway arrived at Ipswich in1846 with the first station at Croft Street in Stoke. The tunnel was built at the same time.

Stoke Bathing Place. This was one of a number of swimming areas enclosed within the Orwell; the water was tidal and not filtered!

Regatta, 1896. The paddle steamer is packed with spectators. It is moored at the end of New Cut, with the Cobbold Brewery at Cliff Quayvisible in the background. The Cobbolds were enthusiastic promoters of both the Wet Dock and the railway.

Orwell Bridge, completed1982. At the time, the190m main span was thelongest pre-stressedstructure in the world.


TRANSPORT AND ACCESS 5

Transport and accessThe character area is defined by the historictransport routes that cross it – the river, railwayand roads. The creation of a ring road aroundthe edge of the town centre cuts across many ofthe historic routes into the town, making accessfor pedestrians and cyclists difficult in places.The damaged environment of Princes Street, agateway route from the railway station, is a goodexample; investment and urban planning needsto consider how the environment can beimproved.

1 Princes Street Bridge. Animportant gateway to thetown centre that couldbenefit from pedestrian andcycle route improvements.

2 Old Bourne Bridge. Amodern road bridge hasreplaced the 19th Centurystructure, which is nowused by pedestrians andcyclists.

3 Some of the major roadjunctions such as LondonRoad/Ranelagh Road lackattractive designcharacteristics and are anobstacle for pedestriansand cyclists

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OPEN SPACE 6

Farmland near the Orwell Bridge

Much of the Valley’s sense of space is providedby open expanses of water overlooked by anetwork of promenades and paths.

The design of new development has improved access to the waterside, for instance the university campusand residential sites in the docks area. Furtherdownstream, the Orwell Country Park is anattractive area of farmland and semi naturallandscape overlooking the estuary and OrwellBridge.

Elsewhere, industrial development hasencroached on areas of former meadow andforeshore. Where open space remains, it is oftenon private land and inaccessible.

I t is important that future development improvesaccess and provides both open space andlinkages to existing spaces. Connections to thewaterside and the recreation of natural habitatare particularly important in this area.


BIODIVERSITY AND ARCHAEOLOGY 7

Biodiversity

The GippingThe river is the main biodiversity feature of thischaracter area, but in parts it is quite hidden.For many years the town turned its back on theriver and this has only recently been reversedthrough new housing development addressingthe river and the provision of the riverside cyclepath.

The aquatic habitat of the river and its banks hasCounty Wildlife Site status for much of itslength. Areas of associated habitat e.g.Riverside Road meadow and Alderman Canal,increase the Gipping’s habitat value. Forexample, associated with the Alderman Canalthere is wet grassland containing orchids.Any development that takes place on landforming part of the setting of the river shouldenhance the biodiversity of the corridor. Railwaylines form the south-western edge to, andtraverse, the Gipping section of the characterarea and these also provide important corridorsfor wildlife movement, linking to sites such asGippeswyk Park which is a major landscapefeature.

The OrwellThe Orwell Estuary has national andinternational designations for its wildlife value –Site of Special Scientific Interest, SpecialProtection Area for Birds and Ramsar Site. Thevalue is predominantly for overwintering wadingbirds.

Its banks are dominated by industrial and portuses but on the east side there are sites whichcontain important habitats, form part of a keywildlife corridor and provide an importantlandscape feature when viewed from the westbank. These areas, such a Hog Highland andPipers Vale, link through to the ancientwoodland at Braziers Wood and on into OrwellCountry Park. This in turn links into the SuffolkCoast and Heaths Area of Outstanding NaturalBeauty.

Looking at species found in the entire Valleyarea, the north-west and south-east ends arenoted for reptiles. Other species of note are:Dittander (a nationally scarce plant), Great GreenBush Cricket, birds ranging from summermigrants occupying scrubby areas in openspaces (e.g. Nightingale and Blackcap).

Kingfishers and Waders occupy the tidal sectionof river up to the weir (e.g. Cormorants, Egretsand Oystercatchers). Water mammals such asWater Voles and Otters have been sightedduring the last ten years. The water itself isnoted for Grey Mullet and, in the estuary,non-native marine life that travels in with ships.The canopy cover across the Valley area isrelatively low at 7.3%.

ArchaeologyThe River and Valley sides were a focus ofoccupation and burial from Prehistoric timesonwards.

On the north bank of the river, around the site ofthe former medieval moated Boss Hall (close toBoss Hall road), there is evidence for Anglo-Saxon occupation and a 6th-7th century Anglo-Saxon cemetery. Anglo-Saxon occupation,predating the earliest foundation of Ipswich itselfor immediately contemporary to it continuedwestwards of Boss Hall, towards the site of StAlbright’s Chapel (at the junction of BramfordRoad and the Railway), and further west still to a7th century site recorded around Tower MillRoad. To the south, on the south bank, an AngloSaxon cemetery was excavated aroundHadleigh Road/Allenby Road, with anothercemetery and Anglo-Saxon and Romanoccupation across the bridge on HandfordRoad. At Philip Road, another Saxon cemeteryis recorded.

Earlier Bronze Age urned burials are recordedaround Brunel Road.

Prehistoric artefacts are frequently found on orclose to the foreshore, particularly Neolithicstone items from Cliff Quay and Neolithic andBronze Age flints from Piper’s Vale.

There was previously a marshy area between theriver and the Late Saxon town defences (wherethe Football Ground is now); historic sites

(medieval and Roman) are found around itsedges. The ponds and spring atHolywells were a focus for medievaland prehistoric activity.

Palaeolithic artefacts are frequentlyrecorded along the Valley, and two

major sites of that date wereinvestigated at Bramford Pit (between

Bramford Road and Sproughton Road) and theStoke Tunnel.

Boss Hall brooch. A gold and garnet Anglo Saxon brooch foundin a burial at Boss Hall near Sproughton

1 Pipers Vale Country Park. The area containsa variety of habitats including heath, scrub,reedbeds and alder carr. More than 100species of bird have been recorded here andrare plants such as Sulphur Cinquefoil,Hemlock, Water Dropwort and Meadow Rue.

2 Cliff Quay Brewery.Many former industrialsites have become overgrown andrecolonised by wildlife. Protected speciessuch as bats are conserved when areas areredeveloped.

3 Heathland and habitat near the OrwellBridge.

4 Alderman Canal local Nature Reserve. Anurban nature reserve that is carefullymanaged to protect habitiat and allow publicaccess.

5 Belstead Brook near Bourne Bridge. Greyseals are regular visitors to the marina.

6 River Gipping near the London Road bridge

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LANDFORM AND VIEWS 8

Landform and viewsThe Gipping meanders across a low lying flood plain, mostly developedfor commercial and transport uses, then opens into the Orwell estuary.Higher ground closes the view to either side, its height emphasised bymature tree planting on Stoke Hill and in Holywells and Landseer Parks.Residential areas are built on the higher ground, including the medievalcentre of Stoke, and there are fine views across the town and estuary,with the Orwell Bridge a prominent landmark.

Viewsa Gippeswyk Avenue – streetview of

Gippeswyk Hallb Belstead Road – view of Wet Dock/

Universityc Philip Road – view of Holywells Parkd Luther Road – view of estuary and Orwell

Bridgee Croft Street – view of Holywells Parkf Bourne Bridge – view (east) of Ostrich

Creek (west) Belstead Brook g Stoke Quay/New Cut West – view(s)

across Wet Dockh Orwell Quay/Helena Road – view(s)

across Wet Docki Landseer Road – view of the estuary and

Stokej Pipers Vale Close – view of estuary and

Orwell Bridgek Sandyhill Lane – view(s) of estuary and

Orwell Bridge Gainsborough Lane –view(s) of estuary and Orwell Bridge

l Gainsborough Lane – view(s) of estuaryand Orwell Bridge

m Foreshore – view(s) of estuary

Landmark Buildings1 Ranelagh County Primary School2 Gippeswyk Hall3 Sir Bobby Robson Footbridge4 Ipswich Crown Court5 Ipswich Town Football Club6 Churchmans7 The Maltings8 Station Hotel9 Ipswich Railway Station10 19 Willoughby Road11 St Mary at Stoke12 Peoples Hall13 Old Bell Inn14 Stokebridge Maltings15 Dance East16 Old Custom House17 UCS Waterfront Building18 Luther Road almshouses19 Uncle Toms Cabin20 Felaw Maltings21 Rapier Street Housing22 Cliff Quay Brewery23 Stoke Park Arch24 Bourne Bridge25 Orwell Bridge

The WetDock. Thehistoric dockhas beensuccessfullyredevelopedas a marina,universitycampus andresidential/evening economyarea


URBAN ANALYSIS 9

Features causing visual and physical separation. Transport networks and industrialinstallations have contributed to the fragmentation of the valleys urban pattern -the railway for instance, road widening schemes and dockside developments. Theriver, of course, is a natural barrier. The commercial nature of activity in the valleymakes this unavoidable in many cases, but every opportunity should be taken tocreate physical and visual connections, particularly with the riverside, adjacenturban areas and the town centre.

Improved connectivity. Recent development has greatly improved accessibilitywithin the Valley area, in particular to the river and docksides. The Ranelagh Roadresidential development, for instance, opens up public access to the river frontageand provides a landmark foot and cycle bridge (the Sir Bobby Robson Bridge).

Active, well defined street frontages.

Urban gateways requiring improvement. The Valley contains points of entry to boththe urban edge and the town centre. Urban gateways requiring designimprovements include: • Railway Station/Princes St (town centre gateway)• London Road (town centre gateway)• A137 / Bridge Street (town centre gateway)• A137 / Bourne Bridge (urban edge gateway)

District Centres and 10 minute walking radius

Local Centres and 10 minute walking radius

Industry, transport andhouses are closetogether in this

character area; the mixis distinctive but can

also help fragment theurban fabric.

Recent improvementshave created an

attractive watersideenvironment.

Improving pedestrianand cycle access

within and across theValley character area isan important objective


CHARACTER AREAS 10

Over Stoke Over Stoke is the historic heart of the Valley character area. Itsmedieval street pattern has been overlaid by dockside industry, therailway and modern roads but retains the character of a compactsettlement. Development of all types – residential, industrial and officebased - should seek to reinforce this pattern and recreate links with thedocks and riverside.

The original street layout is preserved around the church of St Mary at Stoke andin the north-south alignments of Wherstead Road and Great Whip Street.However the creation of the A137 and site redevelopment has helped break upthis pattern and separated Stoke from its dockside, reducing the legibility andpermeability of the area.

Development should take into account Stoke’s characteristic street scale and frontage pattern, forinstance along Wherstead Road between the Station Street junction and Uncle Toms Cabin publichouse. It should also, where possible, recreate pedestrian and cycle links with the riverside includingthe historic river crossing point at the north end of Great Whip Street.

The name Over Stoke is a reference to locals crossing over Stoke Bridge to reach the small hamlet onthe other side of the river.

1 Former Almshouses, Luther Road. 1895, by Brightwen Binyon the localarchitect who also designed the Ipswich Corn Exchange.

2 Great Whip Street. One of the oldest streets in Ipswich, Great WhipStreet originally lead to the river crossing, now moved westwards to theposition of Stoke Bridge. In spite of road and dockside redevelopment,the area retains its 19th century residential character.

3 Willoughby Road. Decorative details such as the contrasting brickwork,stone window dressings and window box ledges are typical of housingbuilt for the Victorian middle classes.

4 Little’s Crescent. Much of the red brick terraced housing in Stoke isintact. The sloping streets are a distinctive feature.

5 Developments which create barriers along road frontages should beavoided.

6 Stoke’s historic streetscape is broken up in places by modern trafficinterventions. Where possible, the negative visual impacts should bemitigated (or, preferably, reversed) by more sympathetic layouts whichemphasise pedestrian priorities and reduce clutter.

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CHARACTER AREAS 11

Stoke expanded westwards in the 19th centuryacross the slopes of Stoke Hill. The suburb isthe best preserved part of Stoke’s historictownscape containing a variety of terracedhousing types. Future development in the areashould respect the distinctive streetscape, inparticular the scale, density and active

frontages. Although street tree planting is largelyabsent, some streets have narrow front gardenswith space for planting behind walls, and thelarger rear gardens have tree planting. The finedetail on many street elevations, for instance ondoor and window lintels, should be conservedwhere possible.

The railway station is at the western extremity ofthis area, facing Ipswich across the river. Newdevelopment in this important gateway locationshould provide a well designed arrival point forvisitors and a setting for the 19th century stationand the Station Hotel. Good public realm is along term objective for the area, linked to thePrinces Street gateway to the town centre.

The low lying area between the A137 and thedocks has a contrasting sense of scale,reflecting industrial development over manyyears. Listed buildings such as Felaw Maltingshelp preserve the street pattern and sense ofidentity in spite of site clearance in recent years.There are opportunities for innovative, highquality modern development in this area,supporting the creation of public access to thedockside and new public realm.

Red brick is the characteristic building material, though often used in conjunction with other colours and materials. The industrial heritageof the area means that robust materials and honestly expressed construction works well; the examples shown include painted cast ironand glazed terracotta. The terracotta initials are of the Eastern Union Railway and belong to the former EUR hotel.

1 Vaughan Street. Although red brick predominates, there is aneclectic mix of building materials. The residential areas of Stokehave a distinctive scale and density which new developmentshould reflect.

2 Rapier Street Housing. Former dockside land that has beensuccessfully redeveloped to create higher density housing. Thescale, bold design and detailing are appropriate in this setting.

3 Brownrigg Walk. The scale and materials of 19th century Stoketerraces have been reinterpreted in this modern public housingscheme.

4 Modern materials can be used successfully in this characterarea provided they form part of an overall design approachwhich respects context.

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CHARACTER AREAS 12

The Gipping ValleyThe Gipping Valley includes the areas of low lying formermeadowland either side of the Orwell/Gipping upstream of StokeBridge. It is mostly industrial and commercial in character and isdominated by road and rail corridors. In spite of good connectivity it ischaracterised by poor permeability and legibility, lacking landmarks ordistinctive viewlines. Modern development should support placemaking,particularly in relation to the river and public access along the riverside.

The Portman Road area is an exception, possessing a public park and a number ofdistinctive historic and modern buildings (including the stadium of Ipswich Town FC).The Alderman Canal is a historic feature which has been managed as natural riverside habitataccessed by wooden walkways. This is an approach which should be developed whereverpossible in the Valley character area.

A wide range of building types and designs is possible in this setting. The area lacks good connectivityto the town centre, however (commercial buildings along Civic Drive have created a wall-like barrier).Masterplanning for vacant sites in the Portman Road area should take into account the need for alegible new street network which links where possible with the inner urban area.

Priority should also be given to thePrinces Street corridor between therailway station and the town centre, andthe creation of clearly defined frontagesalong this route which connect existinglandmarks such as the Station Hotel,The Maltings and the Willis building.

1 Ipswich Town Football Club, Sir Alf Ramsey Stand.The club have been at Portman Road since 1884;before this they were based at Broomhill Park (seeNorwich Road, page)

2 Alderman Park

3 Canham Street. Commercial buildings along CivicDrive create an abrupt change of scale, and blockvisual and physical links between the Portman Roadarea and the town centre

Above: Weir on the Gipping in the 1880s and the same view today. The historicimage shows the point where the Gipping becomes the tidal Orwell. The towermill that can be seen in the distance is on Tower Mill Road. The modern imageshows the sluice gate that stands in the same position today, near YarmouthRoad.

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CHARACTER AREAS 13

1 Endeavour House, Russell Road. Recentcommercial buildings have contributed toplacemaking in the Portman Road area, and set ahigh standard for commercial development.

2 River Gipping, near Beaconsfield Road. Thecreation of riverside footpath and cycle links hashelped reconnect the natural environment of theGipping with the adjacent residential areas,including areas of new housing

3 Bayswater Close. New housing has beendesigned with through routes for pedestrians andcyclists between riverside and Bramford Road.The housing layouts create active street frontagesand enclose green spaces with protected trees.

Paired doorways are a characteristic feature, leading to hallways. They allowed forarchitectural expression, for instance carved lintels or decorative canopies.

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This could be through the creation of habitat and accessalong the river corridor, and the use of distinctive moderndesign. The lack of a clearly defined historic context, apartfrom the natural landscape, allows much more flexibility fornew build proposals.

Recent residential development between the north bank of theGipping and Bramford Road has already helped addressriverside access issues, and provided housing which is wellconnected with existing district and local centres. Thisprocess should continue to be the basis for futuredevelopment; connectivity, responsiveness to setting andoriginality should be the design watchwords.

Further upstream the Valley isdefined by a loop of the Gippingwhich encloses the Hadleigh RoadIndustrial Estate. The lack of a designresponse in this area to the rivervalley setting is particularlynoticeable, and new design shouldaim to address this where possible.

Above: Sir Bobby Robson footbridge. A 60m cable stay bridge, opened in 2009.


CHARACTER AREAS 14

The Orwell Valley The Orwell Valley is the land to east and west of the Orwellbetween the Wet Dock and the Orwell Bridge. Historically, land useshave been connected almost exclusively with river and docksideindustry, and much of the level ground is still occupied by port activities andstorage. On the east side of the estuary, steep slopes have restricteddevelopment and allowed wooded ridges to remain with fine views acrossthe Orwell.

West BankWherstead Roadforms a gateway toIpswich, bounded by therailway line to the west and (untilrecently) the historic shoreline tothe east. Although diminished intownscape significance theconstruction of the West BankTerminal in the 1970s, thedistinctive relationship betweenthe road and the estuary can stillbe seen in the area of the marina,near Bourne Bridge.

Development along WhersteadRoad should reflect the domesticcharacter of the existing roadfrontages.

There are also opportunities fordistinctive or landmark design,which could benefit from the longsightlines and gateway identity ofthe area.

The historic crossing point atBourne Bridge is a meeting pointfor rural, estuary and townscapeviews, but the setting is poorlydesigned and dominated by roadengineering. New developmentshould consider how thisimportant area, including itspublic realm, can be enhanced.

East BankThe east bank of the Orwellextends from the universityquarter on the edge of the towncentre to the countryside southof the Orwell Bridge. The areahas benefitted from re-development in recent years,most of it to a high standard.The scale of industrial buildingswhich used to occupy the areahas been reinterpreted to formhigh density blocks of office,residential, education andleisure uses, using moderndesigns and cladding materials.High quality public realm hasbeen provided at the same time,and clear visual and physicallinks between residential areasand the dock side.

1 Cliff Quay brewery.Started on the site in 1746the brewery was rebuilt in1896, although the BreweryTap in the foreground ispart of the earlierestablishment.

2 Fox’s boatyard andmarina, established 1927.

3 Wherstead Road, lookingnorth.

4 Cliff Cottage, Cliff Quay

brewery. Ornamentalcarving around mainentrance.

5 Belstead Brook LocalNature Reserve, fromBourne road bridge.

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CHARACTER AREAS 15

Further south, the level ground alongside theestuary is hemmed in by steep slopes. Cliff Quayand other waterside areas are occupied by port,commercial and utilities uses and are notaccessible to the public. The opportunities toopen up views across the Orwell from the slopesof Hog Highland are currently limited, but thepotential in this landscape for access, openspace and future development design shouldincreasingly be taken into account.

The southernmost section of the Orwell valley ismade up of high quality natural landscapeoverlooking the Orwell Bridge. Public access isalready in place and the area is protected by anumber of nature conservation designations, forinstance the Braziers Wood County Wildlife Site.The further enhancement of this area, forinstance the provision of visitor facilities, shouldreflect the quality of the setting.

A wide palette of materials is possible in this character area, drawing on the industrial heritage of wooden shipbuilding, metalwork andengineering as well as ornamental Victorian brickwork. Honestly expressed structure is a better reflection of the areas character.

1 and 2 Orwells Furniture, Wherstead Road. The modern timberframed frontage is a successful addition to the streetscape, andthe manufacturing plant on the riverside is carefully integratedinto the residential setting.

3 Commemorative plaque on Bourne Bridge showing theBorough boundary marker which runs through the middle of thebridge.

4 and 5 University buildings near the Wet Dock.

6 Orwell Bridge, viewed from within Pipers Vale Local NatureReserve.

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CALIFORNIA CHARACTER AREA

INTRODUCTION 1

The California character area is a late 19thcentury residential suburb on the east side ofIpswich. It occupies level ground and its regulargrid of streets is bisected by the Felixstowebranch railway line, which runs in a cutting, andimportant east-west road connections such asthe Felixstowe and Woodbridge Roads.

The main roads are busy thoroughfares. Leadingoff from them at regular intervals are straightresidential streets lined with late 19th centuryhousing, an attractive mix of red brick terracesand detached houses, most with front gardens.

Many houses still have original features - slateand clay tiled rooves, sash windows anddecorative detailing in the brickwork and lintelsover doors and windows.

The orderly streetscene is interrupted by regularintersections and corner shops. Other buildingsprovide focal points - Victorian churches,schools and pubs, and small industrial sitestucked into backland plots.

As with other 19th century suburbs there is arelative lack of open greenspace or street treeplanting, but the garden plots are generous andthere are mature trees in both front and backgardens which help soften streetscapes. Anumber of public open spaces are located closeto the edge of the character area.

Pictures:

Top: Murray Road andthe Racecourse

Recreation Ground

Bottom: Clifford RoadSchool and housing


HISTORY 2

History California is one of the best examples in Ipswichof a planned suburb and it remains a popularresidential area over 150 years after the firstplans were laid.

In 1849 the Freehold Land Society (now IpswichBuilding Society) was set up in order to helpaddress the problem of poor housing in the townand create a class of landowning workingpeople who would be able to vote and(hopefully) support the cause of further socialand political reform.

The Society acquired the 98 acre Cauldwell Hallestate, between Foxhall and Woodbridge Roads,in 1849. It was criticised at the time for buyingland too far from the centre of Ipswich; in themid 19th century its site must have lookedremote and rural, separated from the town byopen countryside. The Society, however,understood their market and planned for longterm growth. Over time, Ipswich expanded toabsorb the estate and by the 1870s it was

significant enough to be provided with its ownstation on the new Felixstowe branch line.

At this early stage in their history the Societywere not builders. Instead, they acquired land,divided it into plots and laid out roads (hencethe area's regular street grid). The plots wereallotted to Society members who could becomefreehold owners through payment ofsubscriptions, and had to pay for theconstruction of property on their land.

This helps explain one of the areas distinctivefeatures - the pleasing mix of individual housetypes. A typical California street hasconventional terraced housing alongsidedetached villas of various types, including somequite substantial houses. The variety of sizesand styles was governed by personal preferenceand market demand - several early subscriberswere local builders who saw a good long terminvestment prospect.

Extract from theoriginal Cauldwell HallEstate Plan showingthe layout of newstreets and plots.

The California area in 1926 (Ordnance Survey map)


HISTORY 3

The success of the Cauldwell Hall estate laid thefoundations for the Societys future as a localsupporter of housing projects and homeownership - the initials 'FLS' can be seen onproperties all over Ipswich. It also helps explainthe area's name - the rush to invest in 1849became associated in the popular imaginationwith the California gold rush of that year.

Above: St John the Baptist, Cauldwell Hall Road. Architect, SirArthur Blomfield. Schools and churches are landmarks in theCalifornia area, built to serve the growing suburb in the lateVictorian period. St Johns would have been even moreconspicuous if a planned spire had been built. Another largechurch nearby, St Bartholomews in Newton Road, was intendedto have a tower but this also was never built.

Above: The ‘Garden Farma’ were houses built within two acreplots facing Foxhall Road. The plots have long since beenredeveloped, but a handful of the semi-detatched housessurvive.

The earliest houses on the Cauldwell Estate, such as theseexamples on Freehold Road, have flint walling. Bricks wereexpensive in the mid 19th century, even though there wereseveral brickworks in Ipswich at the time

Above: Clifford Road housing and school

Left: The Asylum Hotel, Foxhall Road. Now a TescosExpress. Families visiting patients at the nearby StClements hospital would have used the hotel

Archaeology


TRANSPORT AND ACCESS 4

Transport and accessAlthough the street grid was laid out for horsesand pedestrians, it still functions as a permeableroute network for local traffic and on the mainroads for heavier through traffic.

The straight residential roads are wide enoughfor on-street parking on both sides, and this isalso an effective speed control measure (withouthaving to resort to speed humps).

The adaptability of the street grid has helpedcompensate for the relative lack of marked cycleways or pedestrian footpaths - most residentialstreets are pleasant to walk and cycle along, andprovide practical through routes.

The lack of road widening or enlargement is animportant aspect of traffic management in thearea, helping maintain the appearance of streetsand junctions.

Many ofCalifornia’sstreets retaintheir originalappearance

The well preservedscale and detail ofstreet corners is

an importantaspect of the

character area.


OPEN SPACE 5

BiodiversityThe California area is notable for its lack of openspaces. Those which do exist do not containhigh quality habitat, such as RacecourseRecreation Ground. This makes gardenscritically important for biodiversity in this area.Canopy cover is relatively low at 6.8% and thegardens are not particularly big, but they arenevertheless important in the absence of otherhabitat. The area is traversed by the Felixstowerailway line, which will be an important corridorfor wildlife movement, linking this area intohabitats elsewhere. The St Clements Hospitalsite is adjacent to California and RushmereHeath SSSI is a short distance to the east sothere are valuable habitats nearby.

Swifts nest in this area and should beaccommodated in new development through theinstallation of swift bricks.

Above right:Gardens are an important habitat

Right: Pollarded trees, Marlborough Road

Racecourse Recreation Ground and houses on Murray Road

No public open space was planned by theFreehold Land Society, apart from the grid ofstreets. The 282 private plots on the CauldwellHall estate, however, were large enough forowners to grow their own produce and thesehave survived as mature front and rear gardens,which contribute to the streetscape. The loss offront gardens to paved parking areas is asignificant threat to the quality of the localenvironment.

New development should provide formaintainable, defensible garden space towardsthe street, and for street tree planting wherepossible. The focal space between the RailwayHotel and the station is poorly laid out anddeserves a more masterplanned approach topaving, street furniture and street tree planting.


LANDFORM AND VIEWS 6

Landform and viewsThe street grid, laid out in the 19th century onlevel ground, is the dominant feature. Althoughthe site overlooks the town centre to the west,there are few views beyond the streetscapeenclosed by the areas distinctive perimeterblocks.

Landmarks also tend to be local - pubs andchurches for instance - and there are no reallyprominent buildings visible across the area. Themain roads and the railway cutting provide themajor points of orientation for visitors - awayfrom these features it is easy to get lost.

Views

a Gordon Road – view of St John theBaptist

b View down St Johns Road from CauldwellHall Road / Freehold Road junction

c View along Marlborough Roadd Derby Road – view of The Railway Hotel

1 St Marys RC Church

2 The Case is Altered (public house)

3 Golden Key (former public house – now a

Sainsburys Local)

4 Barclays Bank

5 St John the Baptist

6 Old Times (public house)

7 Ipswich Cooperative Society, Stables and

Confectionary Bakery (former)

8 The Lions Head (public house)

9 Clifford Road School and Air Raid Museum

10 The Railway (public house)

11 The Heathlands, formerly The Asylum Hotel

(public house)

12 St Clements Hospital

13 Alan Road Methodist Church

14 St Bartholomews Church

15 The Royal Oak (public house)

Top: Alan Road Methodist Church

Left: The Railway. This former hotel was built at the same time asthe Derby Road station. The site was also used for stabling forthe horse drawn trams and later garaging for the electric trams


URBAN ANALYSIS 7

California’s urban character reflects its 19thcentury origins as a speculative development.The area has a dense grid of streets with activefrontages and a minimum of blank or inactivesites. The large number of junctions andintersections with major through routes hasenabled the development of successful localcentres with a range of shops and services.

There is a lack of urban masterplanning,noticeable in the area's relatively poor legibility;there is very little hierarchy of building form, orlandmark buildings, to signify where the focus ofthe community is or the relationship to the towncentre. This is particularly noticeable in the areabetween the railway station and the RailwayHotel - a natural focal space which lacks anysense of coherence and is dominated by trafficand traffic engineering.

New development should follow the establishedperimeter block form, with active frontage facingthe street. It should also (where appropriate)contribute to placemaking, for instance throughthe creation of new local landmarks and anemphasis on urban focal points.

Left: Traditional shopfront, corner of Woodbridge Road and Schreiber Road

Below: Typical residential street, well defined frontage althoughlacking terminal features of focal interest


CHARACTER AREAS 8

Character area descriptionThe development pattern established by theFreehold Land Society, of straight residentialroads running north-south between existingthoroughfares, was continued by otherdevelopers. The urban character across thewhole area is consistent, so no sub areas havebeen identified and California will be describedas a single unit.

The typical California residential property is asolid red brick two storey 19th century house.Terraced, semi or detached - and all three typescan be found in a typical street - the houses areinvariably set back behind a wall and garden,sometimes with its original decorative ironrailings. The terraces form elongated perimeterblocks, enclosing the long narrow back gardenswhich cannot be seen from the street.

New development should take this context intoaccount; each street has an established patternof scale and form which depends upon buildingand eaves height and position of frontage andfront door in relation to the street. Garden type isalso important, and architectural detail which insome cases is quite ornate. Front doors, forinstance, are often paired under an ornamentalstone hood and bay windows sometimes havedecorative mullions. Window proportions anddetails are particularly significant.

Infill development which is aiming to reproducevernacular detail should do so with reference tosurrounding designs - the depth of reveal ofwindows for instance, and the proportions ofwindow openings. The distinctive pattern ofindividual plot development allows for someflexibility in the design of individual houses,provided the scale is approriate and the qualityof the detailing is good.

New development which has a contrasting styleis also be acceptable provided it maintains thetypical active and overlooked street frontage andreflects the contribution made by front gardensto the streetscape. The mixed architecturalcharacter of California allows for innovation, andcontextual modern design is welcome.

Building projects which contribute newlandmarks and improve the legibility of thestreetscape are welcome, provided they followthe established pattern of good active frontageand avoidance of dead space - eg carparkingareas - at the back of pavements. Developmentson street corners make a particular contributionto the area, and their design should reflect thebuilding line and proportions of the junction.

The Derby Road junction between the stationand the Railway Hotel is a poorly defined area atthe heart of California. New build and newlandscape in this area should emphasise itsfocal role and improve its placemaking qualities.

Backland plots have already been redevelopedin a number of places, though several modernhousing developments lack the permeability anddistinctiveness of the surrounding area. Futuredevelopment should aim either to integrate withthe surrounding streetgrid, or create analternative, more imaginative layout thatprovides a different kind of streetspace. Avoidstandardised solutions, eg culs de sac.

The thoroughfares which bisect the Californiaarea tend to be busier and are fronted with largercommercial buildings. They are also part of thedense street grid, however, and commercial andother development types should reflect thestreet frontage and corner plot pattern in theresidential side streets. Lower density modernretail units which are set back from the roadbehind carparking and create inactive gaps onthe road frontage should be avoided.

1 Rosehill Library. The locally listed 1895 building is a typical'village' scale landmark

2 Hatfied Road Congregational Church. An example of a modernbuilding (1957) successfully designed into a traditionalstreetscape

3 Parkside School, Spring Road. Modern materials are usedsuccesfully alongside the decorative brickwork of a 19th centuryschool building

Rosehill Road . Individually developed plots, mid-late Victorian Bristol Road. More regular development pattern, typical of theEdwardian period

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CHARACTER AREAS 9

California streetscape materials. Red brick predominates, often in combination with decorative materials such as carved stonework.Other building materials include flint, Suffolk white brick and painted render; the typical streetscape is colourful and there is scope foradditional finishes, eg timber cladding

Traditional shopfront, Felixstowe Road. These should beretained and restored wherever possible

Marlborough Road. A particularly well preserved street of early20th century housing. The distinctive semi detached villas werebuilt by a local developer and have decorative porches andindividual name plates

Decorative cast iron front garden railings. These examples were cast at the Crown Street Ironworks in Ipswich


CHARACTER AREAS 10

Typical mixed California streetscapes.1 Cauldwell Hall Road2 Alan Road3 Hatfield Road4 Murray Road

1 and 2 Some modernbackland development lacksthe streetscape quality andlegibility typical of theCalifornia area.

3 The Felixstowe BranchLine, opened by theFelixstowe Railway and PierCompany in 1877, runs in acutting through California. Itprovides a valuable wildlifecorridor through the urbanarea

4 Some backland areascontain long establishedbusinesses. The traditionalyard and outbuildingsarrangement works well inthe residential setting.

7 Cauldwell Hall Road. Housing adapted to form shopfronts. This kind of flexibilityis typical of the 19th century suburbs in Ipswich; modern development should alsobe capable of being adapted to different uses.

5 Felixstowe Road. Maturetrees are relatively rare inthis area, and worthy ofspecial protection for theirstreetscape value.

6 Marlborough BowlingClub. A rare example ofgreen space within thecharacter area. Its retentionwould be desirable.

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IPSWICH URBAN CHARACTERISATION STUDY Introduction · Ipswich Conservation Area Appraisals and...

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Transcript of IPSWICH URBAN CHARACTERISATION STUDY Introduction · Ipswich Conservation Area Appraisals and...