A Summary of "Newtown Conservation Area - A Better Place to Live?" by Newtown Area Residents' Association

The Newtown area of Trowbridge has much to commend it. It is relatively close to the amenities of the town centre and is provided with many of the local facilities to be expected in a well-established and primarily residential area. It is densely built up, giving it a definite urban character and being laid out and constructed within a relatively short period, it has a uniform quality. The new buildings that appeared during the latter half of the 19th century were primarily dwellings although, as the design of the slightly earlier workshop attics in the three-storey buildings along Newtown testify, many of the properties had close connections with the local woollen industry. Red brick was used in considerable quantities but the appearance of the area is dominated by Bath stone which was used for most front elevations and boundary walls. In recognition of the special character that has been created, the West Wiltshire District Council designated the locality a Conservation Area in 1985. Yet, since that time, there has been a feeling amongst many of the residents that there has been a relatively sharp decline in the attractiveness of the area.
Conservation in its widest sense can involve a whole range of measures and initiatives. At one extreme it might mean preservation and strict control over change. Indeed there are certain different regulations that apply in Conservation Areas. On the other hand, conservation might involve positive measures to improve and enhance the character and appearance of the area. The designation of a Conservation Area, in fact, places a duty on the Local Planning Authority to pay special attention to the desirability of preserving and enhancing the character or appearance of the area. Also, the District Council has a duty to formulate and publish proposals for the preservation and enhancement of Conservation Areas. The designation of a Conservation Area should thus be only the first step. In order, therefore, to encourage the Council to adopt a positive scheme for the Newtown Conservation Area, N.A.R.A. would comment as follows.
The area is primarily residential in character and most properties are in private ownership. Throughout the area there are signs of poor quality repairs and under-maintenance of properties. Also, housing problems appear to be most acute where properties have no direct frontage to the adopted highways. There are quite a large number of terraced dwellings set at right angles to the road, creating a distinct shortage of private and public open space. Such conditions may be acceptable where the quality of the buildings and surrounding spaces is high, but in the area between Bond Street and Waterworks Road, for instance, the terraced houses and narrow paths and tracks that serve them are inadequately maintained.
The front boundary walls and railings play a very important part in the appearance of the whole area. However, a number have been lost to make way for parking areas immediately outside front doors of properties. In other cases, traditional designs have been replaced with unsympathetic materials, e.g. concrete blocks, rustic type stones, and even cheap interwoven fences. Remaining original stone walls are typically in need of major repairs. If restored they could add to the charm of individual properties and to the public side of the houses.
In many of the streets there are lanes leading off serving communal rear yards and garage courts. Without exception the entrance to these lanes is badly eroded causing stones and dirt to spill into the public streets.
The dominant feature in many streets is an almost unfathomable mass of overhead wires. The principal offenders appear to be telegraph wires which radiate from poles which themselves have extremely ugly bunches of wires attached to them.
The time is apposite for the impact of the existing traffic management scheme to be reviewed with particular regard to possible refinements and the removal of redundant signs and sign posts that were erected at the time of the new traffic orders. Also, the opportunity could be taken to upgrade the quality of kerbs and pavings added in Gloucester and Waterwork Roads. The use of crazy paving and basic concrete is inappropriate to the Conservation Area. The over-riding problem with traffic in the area, however, relates to the residents' own cars. Very few properties have off-street parking spaces, hence the narrow streets are cluttered and congested with cars. Measures are needed to reduce the amount of street parking in order that the streets can return to civilised places where pedestrians, and particularly children, can pass with freedom and safety. A great deal more radical thinking than a few one-way streets is needed if this problem is to be solved.
There is no single approach for promoting and achieving the improvements advocared in this document. A co-ordinated plan of action needs to be drawn up which will emply expertise, time and money of such bodies as Local Authorities, Public Utilities, local businesses, the Chamber of Commerce, the Civic Society, and voluntary bodies such as N.A.R.A. Ongoing lines of communication need to be established between the various agencies to produce a cohesive strategy which avoids overlap and achieves a cost-effective policy. It will take a few years to achieve and therefore priorities must be identified and a programme of work organised with costing for each year with an inflationary index built in. N.A.R.A. us submitting this document to all the above bodies asking for their reponse.
A range of possible options is given in the full report. N.A.R.A. is aware that there can be no overnight panacea and improvements will, of necessity be spread out over, say, a 10 or 15 year timescale. Some of the suggestions are long term objectives, even strategies, whilst others are short term and more limited. Hopefully, none are contradictory but clearly there would be an advantage if a detailed plan or strategy could be agreed.
As well as Conservation, the District Council has responsibility for planning, leisure, amenities, housing and the environment and accordingly the authority is capable of an enormous contribution towards the upgrading of the area through the promotion of grant schemes, careful planning control, enhancement and the promotion of new and positive ideas.
The local authorities have a duty to preserve and enhance the Conservation Area. N.A.R.A. feels that at present the Councils are falling someway short of this objective. N.A.R.A. hope the Councils, especially the District Council, will accept the relevant proposals suggested in this document. If they are unable to agree the suggestions, N.A.R.A. request that they produce their own proposals outlining the courses of action they consider necessary to preserve and enhance this special part of Trowbridge. With everyone working together towards improving the Newtown Conservation Area it could, indeed, become "a better place to live."
A full copy of the report can be purchased from N.A.R.A. Contact the Chairperson on Trowbridge 769223.