Annual Awards 2011

This year, we decided that we would award only one plaque. The other winning entrants would receive a certificate by local calligrapher, Helen Hayman. As usual the public were invited to nominate projects that were completed in the previous year. The nominations can be for restoration work, new buildings or landscaping that enhance the townscape or countryside within the former County Borough of Halifax, which gives scope for a wide variety of projects. The outright winner was Clare Hall. This is the conversion into apartments of the former Halifax High School/Clare Hall School on Huddersfield Road, opposite the swimming pool which is roughly on the site of the original Clare Hall. This project has been monitored carefully by Halifax Civic Trust since the school closed in 2005, when a substantial file was submitted by the late Merial Evans in support of the spot listing of the building. Grade II status was subsequently awarded. The listing stated that the building was “of special interest as a carefully designed late nineteenth century board school, one of a small number intended to provide secondary education. The complex made maximum use of its sloping site and was executed with confidence, resulting in a building which has continued largely in its original form over 120 years.” Opened in 1882 with additions in 1883 and 1894, unusually the school provided secondary subjects, including sciences, geometry, algebra and French, therefore beyond the remit of the education acts covering 5-13 year olds which meant that it was not strictly legal under the legislation relating to board schools. 

The most striking feature of the building is the hall that rises from the roof and extends the full width of the main frontage between the stair towers of the original building, which was symmetrical and ornate in the more restrained late Victorian style. This unique structure has been converted into penthouse apartments that take maximum advantage of the original high level windows and roof beams. On the floor below with its tall windows, each classroom has become a split-level apartment. On the lower ground floor at playground level there were Victorian arches under which the children could shelter in bad weather. Unfortunately, not long before the school closed these arches were removed to enable the area to be enclosed in stone and glass to extend the indoor facilities. The present developer regretted that it was not possible to restore the arches to match the originals that still exist on the extension, but has converted these spaces into attractive small garden apartments. Great care has been taken to clean, repair and replace missing masonry features. The original stairs in the towers have been retained and the octagonal tower will provide quirky accommodation.

Inside, the great surprise was the imaginative style of the interior décor, described by the developers as both “funky” and “spectacular”. The long main corridor has been retained. High arches have been filled in with sparkling transparent glazing and light cream doors that echo the spirit of the original but have a totally modern appearance. A uniform style has been created by deep aubergine carpets and flocked wallpaper with a huge contemporary design, the rich darkness of which is punctuated by a series of large metal and crystal light fittings consisting of irregular clusters of tiny lights - bold, avant-garde and effective. The developer Jed Clark of J. Clark Properties has paid great attention to detail and succeeded in imprinting his personal vision on a building that started life with a totally different character. The removal of the functional 20th century buildings surrounding the school has drawn attention to a late Victorian building with echoes of a French chateau. We think that this conversion harmoniously combines sympathetic restoration with a modernity that sits comfortably in the space available.

For some years now improvements have been in progress on the wings of Hope Hall, which is Grade II*, the centre part being the home of the Albany Club on Clare Road. The house was built as a residence for a cloth merchant in 1765. Restoration has been carried out on the south wing but is not yet complete. The north wing had long been a derelict eyesore adjoining the old Co-op dairy, recently demolished. The wing had been acquired by Philip McGuire and the front part had been converted into a dwelling in 2004. Philip then sold the rear to developers who intended to put a new modern building on the dairy site and convert the listed wing into flats.These plans fell through, so two years later he bought back the wing to convert it into flats with some external landscaping. This less ambitious project then stalled due to the unfortunate illness and then the death of the owner. However the project has now been completed with the assistance of Brad Davison of Stott Thompson.

The rear part of the wing, which was originally the front of the Georgian building, has been totally restored/rebuilt with windows to match the rear of the matching south wing as evidenced by C18 illustrations. English Heritage authorised the insertion of suitable timber double glazed Georgian sliding sash windows on the side where there were none. The worn stones were replaced or refaced with high quality slips to match the originals. It now houses offices on the ground floor and flats above, one of which contains the splendid new rose window. The parking area has been surfaced and provided with stone walls and iron railings and gates.

The result is total transformation in keeping with the rest of this fine building. In view of the high quality of the work, this project was highly commended for outstanding restoration. Considering the number of firms and people involved in the project over a long period of time, perhaps the credit should go posthumously to Philip McGuire who was the prime mover.

The second building to be highly commended, this time for outstanding materials and workmanship, was Brook House at Warley. This is a brand new private dwelling, designed for Leonard Januszczyk by Stott Thompson. Architect Guy Brown told us “The brief was to design a traditional stone built family dwelling to nestle within the grounds of Warley Croft.

There was a great attention to detail with natural stone kneelers, quoins, copings with leaded parapet upstands, detailed mullions, jambs and heads including stone dormers. The design was to have plenty of accommodation, but to keep the first floor areas within the roof void, incorporating sloping soffits and the stone built dormers to keep heights down.” The stone balustrades on the terrace were carved by a local craftsman. The interior was finished with the same attention to detail and materials. The owner stressed that wherever possible the work had been done by local craftsmen using local materials. We feel that the house sits well in the village, is well designed and built with references to the local vernacular idiom, but is totally modern in character.

A town centre landmark which will be familiar to many residents of Halifax area is the Royal British Legion premises attached to Hopwood Hall at the bottom of Hopwood Lane. It is Grade II listed and parts of it are much older than appearances suggest. It was probably part of the stabling at Hopwood Hall with accommodation for servants and carriages. The RBL acquired it early in the 20th century. At the time when the initial survey and specification were done by Jessica Sutcliffe, the conservation architect who acquired Square Chapel, it was used mainly for storing poppies and for occasional meetings and was in poor condition. Subsequently Grant Stott of Stott Thompson became involved.

Major repairs have been carried out on the exterior, including roof and gutters. The railings and gates have been reinstated and the steps rebuilt at a safer distance from the front door. The large room inside was opened up to create a meeting space and the existing small rooms on either side of the front door were refurbished. Modern toilets and a kitchen occupy the lean-to at the side which may have been added in the early 20th century. The work on the rear space revealed an original brick arch, old beams and an old stone cottage fireplace behind a wall. Quoins and a stone door surround that were features of the exterior of Hopwood Hall were revealed. We commended this project for repair and restoration. It has now become a practical building that is well used by the RBL.

The final certificate goes to a smaller project, a conservatory built onto an outbuilding next to Ash Barn which is the home of Mr and Mrs Bob Walker at Syke Lane, Causeway Foot. From a distance it looks interesting and closer inspection reveals a hand-made structure in French oak, seasoned not treated or coated, constructed with traditional pegs and mortise and tenon joints and set on Yorkshire stone footings, roofed in stone slates and of course double glazed to modern standards. There is a glazed passage linking it to the main barn and a jaunty weathercock on the apex of the roof. The work was done by Mr Walker’s next door neighbour at Ash Farm, David Ellis of DLE Construction and the architect was Brad Davison of Stott Thompson. The result is handsome, with a genuine traditional look. It is pleasing to find such attention to detail and workmanship when the conservatory industry is dominated by mass production. We had no hesitation in awarding this structure a commendation for exceptional craftsmanship.

Despite the problems associated with weighing up all the pros and cons, the sub-committee has enjoyed seeing all the projects. It is worth mentioning that two of the listed buildings benefitted from funding contributions from the Townscape Heritage Initiative which has now ceased to be, although a small number of projects remain in the pipeline. During its life under the auspices of Yorkshire Forward and English Heritage, this body distributed funds from sources such as the Single Regeneration Budget and the Heritage Lottery Fund to a variety of worthy recipients, some small scale, some large, which have made a visible difference to the appearance of the Halifax townscape. This considerable achievement was only possible thanks to the sterling professional work done by CMBC officers Sheena Campbell, then Jenny Dadd, then Sue Oakley. HCT was represented on the grants panel by Meriel Evans and June Paxton-White, together with representatives of various other local organisations. Finally, on looking down the list, it is no surprise to find that Stott Thompson Architects were involved in several projects. They have a proven record for quality in both conservation and new building and this is not the first time that their projects have received awards from Halifax Civic Trust.  

Past Triumphs

The Halifax Civic Trust was founded in 1962, but it was in 1978 that it achieved its greatest public recognition and its most complete victory. The Trust successfully led the fight against the comprehensive redevelopment of part of the town centre by the developers Town and City Properties to create an Arndale centre.

This huge shopping centre would have seen the obliteration of several listed buildings and Halifax's most popular street called Woolshops. It would have also seen an end to far-reaching views from the town centre of the medieval parish church and the mighty Beacon Hill that looms over the town.

The Trust hired its own firm of architects to produce an alternative scheme, at considerable financial risk and at the subsequent public inquiry the Arndale scheme was thrown out leading to the more modest and scaled down version which opened in 1983.

Awards