heywood station conservation area appraisaldemocracy.rochdale.gov.uk/documents/s27506/heywood...

Final Draft– June 2014

CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL

Heywood Station

Mark Robinson

Head of Planning

Planning Services

Directorate of Economy and Environment

Conservation & Design

Rochdale Borough Council

Number One Riverside

Smith Street

Rochdale

OL16 1XU

Telephone: 0300 303 8873

Email: [email protected]

Conservation Area Appraisal: Heywood Station

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Contents

1.0 Introduction

2.0 Summary of Significance

3.0 Planning Policy Context

4.0 Location and Context

5.0 Historic Development & Significance

5.1 Historic Map Regression

5.2 Historic Interest

5.3 Archaeological Potential

6.0 Spatial Analysis

6.1 Spatial Analysis Map

6.2 Key Views and Vistas

7.0 Character Analysis

7.1 General Character and Plan Form

7.2 Landscape and Setting

7.3 Architectural Character

7.4 The Public Realm

8.0 Management

8.1 Strategic Challenges and Pressures

8.2 Enhancement Opportunities

9.0 Variation to Conservation Area Boundary

10.0 Useful Information & Contact Details


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1.0 Introduction

The Heywood Station Conservation Area lies to the south of Heywood town cen-tre in an industrial area near the M62, off the A6046 Manchester Road.

The area was designated as an ‘area of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which, it is desirable to preserve or enhance’ in 2007 [as defined by The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990]. This appraisal has been produced to establish the special character and significance of the existing designated conservation area, along with the fol-lowing proposed extensions to the con-servation area:

Green Lane (Phoenix Brewery, the Railway Cottage)

The Canal Head

Navigation Inn

The East Lancashire Railway Preservation Society formed in 1968 with the aim of restoring the East Lancashire Railway

Trains returned to Heywood in 2003, when the Heywood to Bury line was re-opened by The East Lancashire Railway

(ELR) to its former glory. The ELR was opened as a heritage railway in 1987 and extended to Heywood in 2003; bringing a popular heritage attraction to the town. The ELR has now developed into one of the largest tourist attractions in the North West with over 100,000 visi-tors per year.

In 2008 the ELR Trust commissioned a study on the regeneration benefits the ELR has triggered over its 20 year history and to develop a 10 year strategy. This has been translated into the develop-ment of a masterplan to guide future action. In terms of the Bury to Heywood section of line one of the main conclu-sions of the report was that Heywood is “the least exploited stop on the route and currently there is little reason for visi-tors to disembark and explore the area” (ELR Trust Summary Report, 2009 p14).

This appraisal will inform emerging herit-age-led regeneration plans for the area by establishing the special interest of the area and identifying opportunities for enhancement.


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2.0 Summary of Significance

The significance of the Heywood Station Conservation Area lies in the fascinating story of economic growth as an early transportation terminus and of the local relationship between the canal and rail-way that was illustrative of the wider changes modernising British transport in the 19th Century; witnessed through the historic built environment.

The conservation area provides the his-toric context for the railway warehouse and loading shed at the Old Goods Yard, Sefton Street (Grade II listed). The warehouse and shed is an early exam-ple of such a building, associated with the railway engineer Thomas Gooch and formed part of the Manchester and Leeds Railway built jointly by Gooch and George Stephenson in 1836-41. It is a rare survival and its significance is en-

hanced by the historic context of the conservation area through which the appreciation of its historic function is en-hanced.

There is strong group value in the collec-tion of historic buildings related to the industrial growth linked to the canal and railway: Phoenix Brewery, The Former Navigation Inn, Goods Shed and Ware-house and Railway Cottage.

The industrial character of the conserva-tion area and its on-going use for trans-portation and industry provides a contin-uous history of goods shipment from the Georgian period.

Trains continue to form part of the special character of Heywood Station Con-servation Area.


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3.0 The Planning Policy Context

The Planning (Listed Buildings and Con-servation Areas) Act 1990 imposes a du-ty on local planning authorities to survey and keep under review their district for areas which are of special architectural or historic interest, the character of which it is desirable to preserve or en-hance, and to designate those areas as conservation areas. This duty is an on-going requirement of local authorities.

The Castleton and Heywood Masterplan ‘Unlocking the Potential’ was completed in October 2010 and presents a vision for Heywood and Castleton which incorpo-rates short-term and long-term proposals and initiatives to regenerate the areas around the ELR and the canal head. The ambition for the Heywood Station Con-servation Area is to develop the herit-age and educational offer around the cultural built heritage, supported by lei-sure and residential developments in the longer term.

The masterplan can be viewed on the East Lancashire Railway Website:

www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Castleton-and-Heywood-Masterplan-Autumn-2010.pdf

The Unitary Development Plan (UDP) which was adopted in June 2006 is the current statutory land-use plan for the Borough. The UDP contains conservation and design policies to sustain and en-hance the Borough’s heritage assets and to ensure new development re-spects the historic environment. These policies can be accessed on the Coun-cil’s website: www.rochdale.gov.uk/planning.

Site specific policies relating to this area contained within the UDP include:

R/4(h) Sefton Street/ Green Land/ Rail-

way Street Area of Opportunity, Hey-wood.

This area is allocated for mixed uses, through redevelopment and conversion of existing land and buildings, that: com-plement the operation of the East Lan-cashire Railway as a tourist attraction and gateway to Heywood; provide ad-ditional facilities and attractions for pas-sengers and visitors; and improve the lo-cal environment.

A/20 East Lancashire Railway

The Council will actively promote the res-toration of the Heywood to Bury railway line for passenger and freight services. In order to safeguard the link with the na-tional rail network, the council will not permit any development likely to preju-dice the continued use of the line be-tween Heywood and Castleton for rail-way operation.

The Council is currently in the process of replacing the UDP through a new Local Plan. The first stage of this is the Core Strategy which sets out strategic plan-ning policies for Borough up to 2028. This will be followed by an Allocations Devel-opment Plan document which will set out specific land allocations. The Core Strategy retains a focus on conservation and design and also acknowledges the opportunities linked to the East Lanca-shire Railway as identified through Cas-tleton and Heywood Masterplan.

As part of an ongoing survey of the bor-ough, Heywood Station has been identi-fied as an area of significant architectur-al and historic interest. The designation recognises this value and seeks to pro-tect its significance and character for current and future generations to enjoy.


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4.0 Location and Context

Existing & Proposed Conservation Area Boundary

Heywood lies between the industrial towns of Rochdale and Bury, approxi-mately 10 miles north-east of Manches-ter. Like many Greater Manchester towns, Heywood suffered from econom-ic decline in the latter part of the twenti-eth century. Since then the town has seen investment from the Government’s New Deal for Communities regeneration initiative which invested £52 million into the area in 2001.

The Heywood Station Conservation Area is situated to the south of the town cen-tre in an industrial location near the M62, off the A6046. The dispersed industrial area with large sheds set in yards con-trasts with the dense terraces of residen-tial and commercial areas bounding the

conservation area to the west and north-east.

The current conservation area boundary contains Heywood Station; open on se-lected days as a tourist attraction, and the old goods yard from which a haul-age company are operating. If the pro-posed extensions are adopted the con-servation area will include further busi-ness/industrial uses, leisure, commercial and residential. There are opportunities to increase leisure and tourism within the conservation area and its surroundings linked to the transport heritage.


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5.0 Historic Development and Significance

Heywood Station c1910 courtesy of Heywood Local Studies (Link4Life)

Each conservation area is unique. In the case of Heywood Station Conservation Area its special interest is primarily in the history told by the surviving transport infrastructure, landscaping, buildings and other features.

This section of the appraisal sets out that history through maps, photographs and an account informed by historic re-search undertaken at Local Studies and at the Lancashire archives.


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1851: Circle identifies approximate location of Heywood Station & canal basin

Heywood Station Area 1893


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Heywood :

From the eighteenth century Heywood grew from a few hundred fustian hand-loom weavers and manufacturers to one of the largest and most populous villages in Lancashire by the 1840s. Its location, meant Heywood had both a cotton and woollen industry, unlike the majority of Lancashire which focussed on cotton production. The advance-ment was due to excellent nearby coal mines in the townships of Bamford and Hopwood and the coming of the canal (1834) and railway (1841) to Heywood which allowed goods to be exported more easily and food brought in to feed a growing manufacturing population. By 1855, many mills and other enterprises had sprung up around the transport ter-mini at Sefton Street and in the town. The increased traffic, particularly from the mills and breweries required a goods yard in Heywood., which was built at Sefton Street. The extent of the yard de-fined by its high boundary walls and gate piers still exists today along with a warehouse and goods shed (Grade II listed).

The Rochdale Canal:

The scale and pioneering nature of the Trans-Pennine Rochdale Canal made it an engineering feat and its opening was a gala event attended by thousands. It was the first and by far the most success-ful canal to connect Yorkshire and Lan-cashire, but like all canals suffered from drought in summer and frosts in winter. The Heywood Branch of the Rochdale Canal opened on 10th September 1834. At this time a Canal Wharf Warehouse for cotton was erected, but was de-stroyed by fire in 1871. The canal con-veyed cotton, coal, lime, timber and flags amongst other articles. It also served as a passenger connection with the train service to Manchester through a packet boat service from the canal wharf in Heywood to the Blue Pits train station in Castleton which opened in 1839. For over 40 years the Rochdale Canal was the key arterial route for goods transport between Yorkshire and Lancashire and carried not only local, but cross-country cargos between the ports of Hull and Liverpool. The canal’s traffic peaked in 1888 and long distance trade was eventually lost to the faster and more efficient railways.

The Former Navigation Inn provided hostelry for those travelling by canal and then railway to Heywood and stabling for horses. Photograph c1992 courtesy of Heywood Local Studies (Link4Life).


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Photograph courtesy of Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Society (1964 )

Whilst the canal branch has been filled in, the outline of the canal head of the termini at Sefton Street can still be seen behind the high retaining walls.

The Manchester and Leeds Railway:

The Manchester and Leeds Railway Company formed in 1825 with the aim “to open and improve communication between the great Commercial and Manufacturing Districts, in the County of Lancaster, and the West Riding of the County of York.” However, it wasn’t until 1836 that parliament approved the building of the railway due to delay in part caused by sustained opposition from the Rochdale Canal Company. George Stephenson was employed to establish the most favourable route with his friend and former pupil Thomas Gooch.

By 1842 the Manchester and Leeds Rail-way was considered “one of the princi-pal lines of railway throughout the king-dom forming, as it does, the main link in the great transverse chain between Liv-erpool and Hull.” It led achievements in trans-Pennine rail transport and George Stephenson laid his reputation on the safety of the Tunnel through Summit. The Railway linked areas producing corn,

grain and other agricultural products to the highly populated manufacturing dis-tricts. It fed these growing populations and allowed them to export their goods as far away as the East and West Indies, Canada, the United States, and South America.

The Manchester and Leeds Railway was primarily a freight rather than passenger railway. In 1845 the aggregate extent of the flooring in the Company’s ware-houses would cover 6 acres and the sacks of flour within these warehouses would cover 11 acres. The railway’s im-age was “very much that of the North of England at the time, hard-working, inten-sively developed, a little grimy, innova-tive yet allowing itself few indulgencies and above all commercially clear-headed to the point of boredom.” De-spite the focus on freight, the Company was socially pioneering in opening up affordable rail travel for the working clas-ses through their wagon class and was the first railway company to introduce printed tickets.

The Coming of the Railway to Heywood:

During initial proposals for the Manches-ter and Leeds Railway, Heywood was omitted from the list of proposed branch



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Photograph c1970 showing a new footbridge being installed at Heywood Station

Courtesy of Heywood Local Studies (Link4Life)

lines. However, by 1836 this had changed. Either the growth of Heywood had been sufficient for the Company to acknowledge the benefits of a branch line or the Company was looking ahead to amalgamations which would extend their reach to Liverpool and achieve their ambition of “A Grand Line of Rail-way between the Eastern and Western Seas.” It is likely both played their part and Heywood became one of the first branch lines off the Manchester and Leeds trunk line.

Work on the Heywood Branch com-menced in November 1840 at a cost of £10,000. It was opened to horse-drawn wagons on 15th April 1841. The horses were stabled at the Navigation Inn (now Il Vecchios Restaurant), which changed its name to the Railway and Navigation Inn in recognition of the dual transport terminal.

In 1847 the Manchester and Leeds rail-way became part of the newly formed Yorkshire and Lancashire Railway and the first steam powered locomotives travelled along the Heywood Branch Line. The following year the line was

opened up to Bury, and Heywood changed from a local terminus to a through route, which provided the rail-way company with an avoidance line around Manchester. The resultant sweep of the track which creates a dis-tinct feature in the townscape, was so severe that large locomotives, such as the Royal Scot, were barred from using the Heywood branch

The canal and railway were no doubt in competition for trade; the canal had to lower its tolls to retain business. The Roch-dale Canal Company had vehemently opposed the passing of the Manchester and Leeds Railway Bill in the 1830s. How-ever, the canal lost out and was leased to a consortium of railway companies, Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Com-pany being the largest stakeholder, in 1855.

Heywood Station

The purpose of the branch was principal-ly commercial as shown in the plans of 1843; the station is dominated by the early 1840s warehouse and loading



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Canal at Green Lane Heywood 1973, courtesy of Heywood Local Studies (Link4Life)

shed. In 1848 a survey described the sta-tion as a terminus train shed served by a single line whilst a small building marks the very end of the line.

Although the railway line to Heywood opened in 1841, there was no station building until 1853, when temporary sheds were built. A permanent station building was only built in 1871 and re-built in 1883. It consisted of a urinal, lamp room, porters’ room, station mas-ter’s office, general waiting room, ladies waiting room, parcels office and book-ing office, on the Rochdale-line plat-form. The station building has long since been demolished and the current plat-form and station furniture have been installed by the East Lancashire Railway.

20th Century Decline:

The importance of the canal in Hey-wood began to decline from the com-pletion of the railway line between Bury, Heywood and Manchester in 1848. At the turn of the 20th century it carried

little or no traffic, although the surround-ing mills continued to draw water for in-dustrial use. In 1949 the Rochdale Canal Company unanimously decided to seek Parliamentary powers to close the navi-gation citing the economies to be made on lock and bridge upkeep.

“The canal has long outlived its useful-ness as a medium of transport, and, alt-hough it still plays a very minor part in the industrial life of the town, its present stag-nant state is a constant reminder of the changes wrought in the name of pro-gress” (The Heywood Advertiser January 14th 1949).

As the mills declined in number through the 20th century and those that remain turned increasingly to road transport, as did passengers; the traffic along the rail-way gradually decreased. In 1970 the line to Heywood was closed to passen-gers and remained open to freight only for several more years.



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5.3 Archaeological Potential

There are no scheduled ancient monu-ments within the site, but significant sec-tions of the conservation area are likely to be of archaeological interest relating to the growth and development of the area as a transport terminus and later avoidance line around Manchester. When the station was rebuilt in 1871 there were reports that a stone axe was found during excavations, suggesting earlier archaeology may be found on the site. There may also be archaeologi-cal value in the sites of the former Iron Works and mills outside of the conserva-tion area and opportunities for archaeo-logical investigation. The conservation area’s industrial archaeology is of im-portance because:

it is testament to a railway compa-ny that was instrumental in open-ing up efficient trans-Pennine transport and therefore the eco-nomic growth of Yorkshire and Lan-cashire in the 19th and 20th centu-ries.

of the association with the excep-tionally well-preserved goods warehouse and loading shed and in a setting which is still used for goods transportation and storage. The sites of interest have not been built upon, offering the possibility of well preserved archaeology and an insight into local goods transport.

The canal warehouse on the site of the canal head, replacing an earlier warehouse which was de-stroyed by fire earlier that year. Courtesy of Heywood Local Studies (Link4Life)


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6.0 Spatial Analysis

Spatial analysis identifies the key buildings, views, vistas & landmarks, such as the Phoenix Brewery Tower (above)


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6.1 Spatial Analysis Map


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1. View east from Railway St, across the railway tracks & goods yard with distant view of Pennines (photograph

Dec 2009)

2. The Former Railway Warehouse & Loading Shed (Grade II) features prominently in views into the station site & from

Sefton Street (photograph August 2013)


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3. The view north along Manchester Road would be en-hanced by the removal of clutter from the foreground.

(Photograph 2012)

4. The view towards Phoenix Brewery along Sefton Street is harmed by the poor appearance of vacant land and self-seeded trees. Development on the site should have a strong building line and

frame views of the brewery tower to enhance the visual connec-tion between the goods shed and yard and the brewery.

(Photograph 2014)


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5. View south along Green Lane towards Phoenix Brewery (Photograph 2014)

6. Views north-west (left) & south-east (right) along the railway track (Photographs 2013)


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The historic buildings and structures associated with the canal and railway, the engineered landscape and continued use as a railway and haulage base is central to the conservation area’s special character.

7.0 Character Analysis


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7.1 General Character and Plan Form

The retaining walls are a defining characteristic of the area:

looking south-east from Railway St to Sefton St across the railway tracks.

The overall character of the Conserva-tion Area is typified by industrial devel-opment spanning from the late Geor-gian period to the present day. The area was a terminus for the railway and canal branches transporting goods to and from Heywood. The urban landscape is dominated by the Georgian and Victori-an engineering and construction relat-ed to the railway and canal. As the land slopes downhill to the north east both railway and canal used large retaining stone walls to create suitable flat areas for their termini. These impart much of the unusual character to the area today and define the historic boundaries of the termini. Those both side of Sefton Street sweep around the bend of the road and terminate with a single pier at the entrances to the railway goods yard and the canal basin. The sweep of the road was a consequence of the railway extension to Bury and is an important townscape feature.

Mills and factories grew up around the railway and canal and today, the sur-rounding area is characterised by their modern shed replacements. However, a number of historic industrial buildings and structures, and buildings strongly associ-ated with the transport termini survive. Their spatial orientation relates to the his-toric transportation routes and the area’s development as Heywood grew in im-portance and traffic increased. There is no dominant architectural style, scale or materials unifying the conservation area and the proposed extensions. Instead, the cultural built heritage is unified by its historic interest in being associated to the existence and development of the canal and railway in Heywood. Together they create an area of historic and ar-chitectural interest, the character of which it is desirable to preserve and en-hance. Critical to the coherence of the conservation area are the visual linkages between landmark buildings; the railway warehouse and loading shed, the Phoe-nix Brewery and the Former Navigation Inn.


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7.2 Landscape & Setting

The topography and open character of the station area, goods yard and cleared land to the south-east of it, pro-vide long views out to the Pennines in the east and north east which make im-portant visual linkages with the rural hin-terland where sheep grazed and provid-ed Heywood with a woollen, as well as cotton, industry. It also puts into context the pioneering achievements made in Trans-Pennine transport that allowed canal and rail connections between Lancashire towns, like Heywood, and the Yorkshire County. The industrial char-acter of the town and Borough can also be appreciated in the panoramic views which are interspersed with mill towers such as Mutual Mills in Heywood.

The immediate setting of the conserva-tion area is a challenging one. As an industrial area, the modern sheds and industrial development are a continua-tion of the area’s historical character. Whilst at the same time they form an unattractive backdrop to the architec-tural significance and townscape char-

acter of the conservation area and chal-lenge the aspiration of encouraging visi-tors to the area to learn about its herit-age.

Residential development is encroaching into the area and there is a high likeli-hood residential proposals will come for-ward only Sefton Street in the direct set-ting of the conservation area. Such de-velopment would significantly alter the character of the conservation area and would need to be carefully planned and designed to ensure the area’s historic industrial character was no diluted and opportunities to enhance the character and interpret the history of the area were utilised.

Historic maps show the growth of housing and business along Manchester Road in the vicinity of the conservation area fol-lowed the arrival of the railway. As such it is an important part of the conservation area’s context.

The topography of the conservation area provides views across to

The Pennines. Photograph December 2009


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There is no dominant architectural style, scale or materials unifying the conserva-tion area and the proposed extensions. Instead, the cultural built heritage is uni-fied by its historic interest in being associ-ated to the existence and development of the canal and railway in Heywood.

Railway station, goods yard and ware-house:

Prominent stone walls and retaining walls define the perimeter of the railway area which comprises the station yard north of the track and the goods yard south of the track. The current platform and station buildings replaced those

demolished in 1969. The majority of the station yard is surfaced in sandstone setts; retaining a historic character and along with enhancements by the ELR creates an attractive environment.

The railway track separates the station yard from the goods yard and is a partic-ularly interesting feature within the town-scape. The line to Bury curves into a low cutting as it leaves the station and goes under Manchester Road. The retaining walls and fall to the track creates a dra-matic and enclosed feature that con-trasts with the otherwise open character of the station area. As the line straightens there is a long flat vista along the line

Townscape Analysis Map detailing buildings which contribute to the character of the area


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towards Castleton. The interest of the railway track is increased by the railway features introduced by ELR; the lamps, signage and so on. The station building, whilst not historic is generally in-keeping with the railway historic character.

The early 1840s Warehouse and Loading Shed (Grade II) is the only remaining building in the goods yard and is an ex-cellent example of vernacular architec-ture adapted for the railway. It is con-structed of sandstone with a slate room in a subtle classical style. Its design was based on the neighbouring canal ware-house (destroyed by fire in 1871). Its style marks the transition from canal to rail-way transport and pre-dates standardi-sation in the design of such buildings. It was built by the Manchester and Leeds Railway Company and is unique on the former Lancashire and Yorkshire Rail-way. Neither are there any other known examples of such a building within the Greater Manchester Area. The building survives remarkably intact with only some superficial alterations to the exteri-or. The corrugated metal sheeting with a modern porch on the south east ga-ble wall is detrimental to the character of the building and the building would

benefit from its removal and exposure of the vertical timber planking behind.

Many of the features within the Old Goods Yard have been preserved; the gate posts at the entrance to the yard exist in situ and the stone setts running alongside the warehouse remain well-intact. The retaining walls around the goods yard define the extent of the goods yard and are generally in good condition, although in need of re-pointing in places. It is unknown whether tracks or evidence of rail tracks and cranes exist under the current surface to the rear of the goods shed and should the opportunity arise it would be benefi-cial to investigate their survival.

Green Lane (Phoenix Brewery, the Rail-way Cottage):

The section of Green Lane proposed for inclusion in the conservation area is a short length of attractive townscape leading down to the railway crossing on Green Lane. This is an attractive vista along Green Lane which greets those approaching the Conservation Area

Railway Cottage, Green Lane


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from the north down Green Lane. The character here is less industrial due to the residential dwellings and mature planting on the east side of Green Lane. Views back to the station and goods yard are screened by self-seeded trees along the west of Green Lane; however these trees also act to screen the dere-lict site adjacent to the Conservation Area. There is a clear opportunity for en-hancement here. The best views of the station from Green Lane are at the level crossing. The railway signs, signals and the railway cottage combine to create a strong node of railway character at this location.

Railway Cottage (c1840s) is vernacular in style and an attractive survivor of the railway line that adds character and interest to the Heywood Station Conser-vation Area. It is painted green with a slate roof and although some historic features have been lost is in a good state of conservation.

Phoenix Brewery was one of three brew-eries operating from Green Lane in the nineteenth century and the only one remaining today. At its peak the Phoenix

Brewery Company owned 120 premised included the Navigation Inn. It was incor-porated in 1874 to acquire from Edwin Crabtree, the Phoenix works, Green Lane, formerly an iron works. The brewery is a phased industrial complex compris-ing an office, maltings, stables and brew-ing tower, arranged around a central setted courtyard, with offices facing Green Lane, set back from the road side. The date on the tower is 1895 and the offices were opened in 1903, but the maltings are believed to be old and rec-ords of a Phoenix Brewery on Green Lane go back to at least 1879. Whilst the brewery design was practical; based on the functions within, the ornamentation is playful. The architectural style is best de-scribed as freestyle incorporating ele-ments of classicism, Gothicism and ver-nacular details. It is a red brick construc-tion with contrasting yellow sandstone details including a pedimented porch to the office, cills, finials and arch into the courtyard. The brewery is a prominent feature in the townscape, in particular the tower with its ornamental iron crown which is seen from a distance and makes the brewery an important landmark. The tower, with its decorative iron crown, is also prominent in views along Green Lane. Approaching the conservation ar-

Phoenix Brewery


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ea from the north along Green Lane, the view of the level crossing, railway cottage and brewery is particularly at-tractive and clearly expresses the rail and industrial character of the area. As such it is an important contribution to the character the conservation area. On Sefton Street, the retaining walls on the corner turn by the entrance to the railway goods year reveals an impres-sive vista along the street terminated by the Phoenix brewery brewing tower.

Between Railway Cottage and Phoenix Brewery are two residential dwellings dating to the late nineteenth century with twentieth century additions. Only not clearly related to the railway or ca-nal, they fall within a local conservation area boundary and make a substantial positive contribution to the character and appearance of the area.

The Canal Head:

The footprint of the canal head and the wharf warehouse are still visible and can be seen from the aerial photographs. The former canal wharf is enclosed by retaining stone walls that combined with

the retaining walls of the goods yard and station; create a dominant feature of the conservation area. Although the canal warehouse has long since disappeared, the still visible in-filled canal head demonstrates the evolution of transport and the coming of the railways resulting in the Rochdale Canal becoming obso-lete. It is important for the context of the conservation area and presents an op-portunity for future development to inter-pret the history of the site.

The Former Navigation Inn:

As Manchester Road crosses the railway, the townscape opens up. A substantial landmark is the Georgian Inn, the Former Navigation Inn, set apart from surround-ing uniform townscape; it is the focal point of views along Manchester Road and marks the northern gateway into the Conservation Area.

From outside the Inn there are pictur-esque views across to the Pennines, mak-ing visual linkages wit the rural hinterland where sheep grazed and provided Hey-wood with a woollen as well as cotton

The canal head from the rear of Manchester Road properties


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industry. It also puts into context the pio-neering achievements made in Trans-Pennine transport that allowed canal and rail connections between Lanca-shire towns like Heywood and Yorkshire. In views to the Pennines in the north, Mu-tual Mills can be seen; a complex of listed mills (Grade II, 1884-1914) an im-portant example of how Heywood in-dustrialised following the arrival of the canal and railway.

This area has been pedestrianised, stop-ping traffic between Railway Street and Manchester Road. There is an interpreta-tion board and some public art, howev-er the overall quality of the public realm is generally low and the area is clut-tered. This could easily and inexpensive-ly been improved to create a focal point marking an entrance from Man-chester Road to the Station.

The former Navigation Inn frames this area of public realm and has a strong connection with the canal and railway; demonstrated by its previous name, ‘The Navigation and Railway Inn.’ Now Il

Vecchio, an Italian restaurant, it was an Inn and stable warehouse first leased in 1837. Its stable warehouse housed the horses that pulled barges and carts deliv-ering goods to Heywood. It was sold to the Phoenix Brewery, also in the Conser-vation Area, in 1889. Similar to the railway goods shed and warehouse it is in a ver-nacular style with some classical fea-tures. It is constructed of red brick with sandstone copings to the gable and sta-ble warehouse cornice. The roof is slate. Its exterior is in a good state of conserva-tion with some alterations to the stable warehouse to form toilets. There is a small twentieth century addition to the east elevation and the original windows have been lost.

The Former Navigation Inn (2010)


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7.4 The Public Ream

The quality and historic value of the public realm varies across the conserva-tion area and proposed extensions. Sandstone is the predominant historic material within the historic public realm. The station and railway goods yard has a predominance of sandstone setts and, along with the canal head, are enclosed by sandstone walls. In addi-tion, there are some areas of local brick.

There is no historic street furniture. Street furniture added at the station and on Railway St contribute to the general rail-way character. However, the public realm at the station entrance and out-side the Former Navigation Inn (Il Vec-

chios) is in a poor condition with broken paving and overgrown flower beds, cre-ating a neglected and abandoned character.

The public realm is also poor along Sef-ton Street which challenges the ability to entice visitors to explore the wider area and partake in a heritage trail. The self-seeded trees on the vacant brownfield site between the railway and Sefton Street block views and connectivity across the Conservation Area. The vege-tation encroaches onto the footpaths and the barriers onto the site are detri-mental to the character and appear-ance of the conservation area.

The public realm immediately south of The Former Navigation Inn (left) and examples of the railway equipment which adds character and interest to the public realm (right)


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8.0 Management

Effective management of conservation areas identifies threat and opportuni-ties to enhance their special architectural and historic character.


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The Castleton and Heywood Masterplan ‘Unlocking the Potential’ set out the long term vision for Heywood following consultation and input from stakehold-ers.

The key challenge for the Heywood Sta-tion Conservation Area is reconciling current industrial uses in and surrounding the Conservation Area with realising the full potential of Heywood station as an East Lancashire Railway visitor attrac-tion. The area’s industrial heritage is the raison d’être for the conservation area and industrial use in principle, is not in-compatible with preserving and en-hancing the character of the conserva-tion area.

The conservation area contains exam-ples of how industrial uses can contrib-ute to preserving and enhancing the conservation area through retaining his-toric buildings in sustainable use. Howev-er, there is an issue of signage in the conservation area which detracts for the architectural and historic character.

There is a poor visual connection be-tween the Station, conservation area

and Manchester Road which needs to be addressed if visitors are to be encour-aged to visit the Station.

The greatest opportunity for enhancing the Heywood Station Conservation Area would be the development of the va-cant brown-field site between Sefton Street and the railway. Whilst it does not fall within the Conservation Area bound-ary, it is within the setting. Development on the site has the potential to contrib-ute to the special character and ap-pearance of the area and to aid inter-pretation and visitor movement across the conservation area.

The poor quality and maintenance of the public realm detracts from the spe-cial character and appearance of the conservation area. The pavements are poor along Sefton Street which presents a risk for pedestrians particularly given the number of HGVs using the area.

Aside, from the Masterplan, a number of smaller scale actions, some derived from this work have been identified to secure short to medium term enhancements through a funding bid.

The railway goods shed has been re-used as an office for a haulage company.

8.1 Strategic Challenges & Pressures


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8.2 Enhancement Opportunities


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When the Heywood Station Conserva-tion Area was designated under the Council’s Urgent Designation Procedure in 2007, The Heywood Township Commit-tee report included a wider conserva-tion area boundary for consideration following an appraisal of the area’s spe-cial architectural and historic character. This included for consideration the des-ignation of 1-15 Manchester Road. A study of the proposed boundary area and the wider area along Manchester Road and Green Lane was undertaken to assess the historic character and ap-pearance.

1-15 Manchester Road:

Whilst the continuity of terraces along Manchester Road, only broken in some places, provides an attractive town-scape, many of the properties have lost historic features.

To the rear of 1-15 Manchester Road, on Quay Street, is a modern workshop. His-toric map research shows previously that the site was a coal depot (1840s), works (1893), a smithy (1909) and a urinal (1936). Whilst the existing building is not

of special interest, any future opportunity for an archaeological investigation on the site should be utilised.

Manchester Road is a Victorian Town-scape of brick terraced houses and shops. The height of the buildings relative to the street width, and the predomi-nance of long terraces give a strong hor-izontal emphasis which draws the eye down the street. The loss of historic fea-tures has resulted in the cumulative ero-sion of character and historic interest. Leading to the rear of the Hazel Bank Terrace is a cobbled lane. The canal ba-sin wall runs along the back of the prop-erties.

Following the assessment of this area, it is recommended that the area not be in-cluded within the conservation area but the boundary be drawn carefully to in-clude the retaining walls for the canal basin.

1-15 Manchester Road do not have the architectural and historic interest to merit conservation area designation. .


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10.0 Useful Information

National Guidance

General Guidance on Conservation Areas:

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/professional/advice/advice-by-topic/landscape-and-areas/conservation-area-guidance/

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/caring/listing/local/conservation-areas/

Conservation Bulletin 62 (English Heritage):

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/conservation-bulletin-62/

Conservation Area Consent:

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/professional/advice/our-planning-role/consent/conservationareaconsent/

Local Guidance

Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council, Planning:

www.rochdale.gov.uk/planning_and_building.aspx

Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council, Unitary Development Plan:

http://www.cartoplus.co.uk/rochdale/text/00_cont.htm

heywood station conservation area appraisaldemocracy.rochdale.gov.uk/documents/s27506/heywood...

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