Almorah Crescent, St. Helier

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A decision made (06/05/2008) regarding: List as Site of Special Interest: Almorah Crescent, St. Helier.

Decision Ref:	MD-PE-2008-0081
Subject:	List as Site of Special Interest: Almorah Crescent, St. Helier
Decision Summary Title:	DS - List as Site of Special Interest: Almorah Crescent, St. Helier
DS Author:	Janet Dore, Principal Historic Buildings Advisor
DS Date:	28/03/08	DS Status:	Public
Written Report Title:	WR – List as Site of Special Interest: Almorah Crescent, St. Helier
WR Author:	Roger Hills, Curator of Historic Buildings, Jersey Heritage Trust
WR Date	18/03/08	WR Status:	Public
Oral Rapporteur:	Roger Hills, Curator of Historic Buildings, Jersey Heritage Trust
Decision(s):	The Minister for Planning and Environment determined; That the listing of Almorah Crescent, St. Helier as a Site of Special Interest is confirmed with the extent as shown on the attached plan and schedule.
Reason(s) for Decision:	1. The special interest of Almorah Crescent, St. Helier, as defined and assessed relative to the published criteria for selection, justifies its inclusion on the List of Sites of Special Interest in accordance with the provisions and purposes of the Planning and Building (Jersey) Law 2002 and the States Strategic Plan. 2. It accords with the States Strategic Plan commitment of protecting and sympathetically managing the Island’s built heritage assets.
Legal and Resource Implications:	None
Action required:	Update the List Notify the owners Notify Development Control
Signature:
Position:	Minister for Planning and Environment
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different to Date Signed):

Almorah Crescent, St. Helier - listed as SSI

List as a Site of Special Interest:

Almorah Crescent, 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 on 6 September 2007 that the Jersey Heritage Trust assess the architectural, historical and other interests of Almorah Crescent 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: 18 March 2008

File ref: HE0004

Relevant interests of the site (also see schedule)

Almorah Crescent was listed as an SSI in 1972 but the boundary of the SSI was not clearly defined.

Almorah Crescent is the finest Regency terrace in Jersey. The crescent is of great scenic and townscape value, built on rising ground to the north of the town in 1844-45. It comprises ten houses and incorporates much of the subtlety and delicacy of the Regency period. The two end houses project slightly forward from the main façade and the whole front is joined with a continuous headed balcony complete with openwork iron pillars. The rendering of the ground floor is rusticated with boldly recessed false joints, whereas at the upper levels the rendering is plain and decoration is provided by delicate canopies continuous at first floor level and individual at second floor level. Additional emphasis is given to the second and third floor windows by forming shallow recesses around each opening. The generous overhanging eaves supported on moulded brackets complete a skilfully designed façade.

The composition of the crescent includes communal gardens to the front of the terrace, including sets of granite steps that lead up from Ralegh Avenue and Upper Midvale Road, and an area of rear service buildings on La Pouquelaye – all of which are an intrinsic part of the site. The area of rear service buildings has been subject to some C20 redevelopment and only those buildings and structures relating to the mid-19th crescent are of interest.

Advice received (MRLAG or others)

Almorah Crescent was discussed by MRLAG at its meeting on 8 October 2007. Members agreed that the terrace of houses and the setting of the crescent, including its gardens and the flights of granite steps leading to the crescent should be considered as part of the SSI. It was discussed whether the SSI should include the area of the former service buildings to the rear of the crescent and members advised that the original buildings and structures, particularly from Nos.7-10, should be included but it was recognised that some other service buildings have been demolished or replaced in the twentieth century.

Following the meeting, officers of the planning department sought clarification from law officers with regards to the inclusion or exclusion of buildings and structures within the boundary of an SSI.

JHT recommendation

The SSI listing for Almorah Crescent should include all elements of its original composition, including the terrace of houses, the communal gardens to the front of the terrace, the flights of granite steps that lead up from Ralegh Avenue and Upper Midvale Road, the area of rear service buildings on La Pouquelaye and within it the 19th century buildings and structures relating to the original 1840s crescent.

Those buildings within the rear service area that are twentieth century additions (such as those to the rear of Nos.4-6) are not of interest.

Justification relating to criteria

Confirming the SSI listing of Almorah Crescent is in accordance with the published selection criteria, in particular: the special interest of the crescent extends substantially to its authentic fabric, plan form and interior features; the site is of special interest for its architectural design, style, artistic decoration, craftsmanship, composition, and use of materials and details; and Almorah Crescent illustrates a significant aspects of Jersey’s social and cultural history.

Attachments

SSI schedule and plan

Photographs

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