Notice of Intent to Register as a Building of Local Interest:
12 Halkett Street, St. Helier.
This report has been prepared by the Jersey Heritage Trust as part of its responsibility under a Service Level Agreement to provide reports and recommendations to the Minister for Planning and Environment on the registration of historic buildings and sites.
The Planning and Environment Department requested in February 2008 that the Jersey Heritage Trust assess the architectural, historical and other interests of 12 Halkett Street ahead of discussions with the Ministerial Registration and Listing Advisory Group.
Author of report: Roger Hills BA(Hons) MA DipBldgCons (RICS) IHBC Curator of Historic Buildings
Date of report: 6 March 2008
File ref: HE1854
Relevant interests of the site (also see assessment form)
12 Halkett Street is currently unregistered.
12 Halkett Street has historic and architectural interest as an early 1830s shop that was part of the unprecedented expansion of the town from its small historic core in the early 19th century.
Parts of the original shopfront survive - notably the cornice and fascia, and the frame and fanlight to the side door that gives independent access to the rooms above. The remainder of the shopfront is late C20. The first floor is rendered and scored in imitation ashlar. The original windows survive but have been modified by the removal of the glazing bars to create 2-pane sashes.
The external envelope of the 1830s building remains largely intact, although the original pitched roof was replaced by a mansard roof in the late C19 / early C20 and the property was also extended to the rear around that time and internal access formed with the original building.
The ground floor has been remodelled internally to form a larger open space and there is little evidence of surviving historic fabric on this level. There is a separate corridor alongside the shopfront accessing the first floor, which retains its original plan form and is arranged with a front room across the full width of the property and a narrower room at back, to allow for a dog-leg staircase and landings in one corner at the rear. Access through to the late 19th century rear extensions has been created on the half-landing. This plan form is also discernible on the second floor although within the later Mansard roof.
There is a notable amount of original structural fabric and joinery including a 1830s staircase, skirtings and door frames. The windows on the first floor retain their original reveals, architraves and panelled aprons, although the sashes have been altered. The original chimney piece has been removed from the front room and appears to have been removed (or boxed over) in the rear room. Large areas of floorboards have also been removed. The 1830s staircase rises to the second floor landing and some original joinery survives on this level, but within the rooms the fabric is of late C19 / early C20 character.
12 Halkett Street has group value with other 19th century historic buildings in the street, and the building makes a positive scenic contribution to the streetscape and character of the area. A report prepared by Jonathan Carey, on behalf of the owners, in 2002 concludes, “it must be agreed that Nos.12 and 14 Hilgrove Street and No.12 Halkett Street still make a contribution – albeit significantly reduced – to the character of their respective streets. Their unsophisticated form, scale and simple architectural detailing are pleasant reminders of an earlier age, and in walking around St Helier, I have found few other surviving examples of this sort of 19th century ‘secondary’ shop”.
Advice received (MRLAG or others)
The Ministerial Registration and Listing Advisory Group carried out an external and internal inspection of the property on 25 February 2008.
Members agreed with the historical and architectural interest of the building as set out above, and noted the alterations to the building - in particular the remodelling of the ground floor and the addition of a mansard roof. Members were unanimous that the alterations to the ground and second floors preclude listing as an SSI but all concluded that the historic interest, external architectural interest and group value of No.12 would justify its registration as a BLI.
JHT recommendation
It is proposed that the internal changes to the ground floor and second floor of the building preclude it from listing as an SSI. It is recommended that 12 Halkett Street be added to the Register as a BLI.
Justification relating to criteria
Registration as a Building of Local Interest is justified as 12 Halkett Street is of historical and architectural interest as an early 19th century shop with living accommodation above – a building type that is becoming increasingly scarce in St Helier.
12 Halkett Street makes a positive contribution to the streetscape and character of the area, and has group value with neighbouring historic buildings in the street.
Registration as BLI is in accordance with the selection criteria which states that any building which survives in recognisable form from before the middle of the 19th century will normally be of registerable quality for its historic interest.
Attachments
Assessment form and photographs, February 2008
Report on the history and significance of Nos.12 & 14 Hilgrove Street by Jonathan R Carey, Dip.Arch., RIBA, of Donald Insall Associates, dated November 2002.
Board of Trustees
Chairman: Jurat John de Veulle OBE Vice-Chairman: Philip Le Brocq
Rowland Anthony, Geoffrey Crill, Connétable Simon Crowcroft, Blair Gould, Clive Jones, Deputy Carolyn Labey, Paul Nicolle, Jane Stubbs,
Jonathan Voak
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