Shandon Conservation Area

The Shandon Conservation Area was originally designated on 29th March 1996. The areas located approximately three miles west of the centre of Edinburgh, south of Gorgie/DaIry.

The conservation area is bound to the north-west by the Glasgow-Edinburgh rail line, to the north-east by Ashley Terrace and Shandon Place, to the south-east by the rear boundary walls of the rear gardens of Cowan Road and to the south-west by another rail line.

The conservation area has two distinct areas which are separated by a former Caledonian railway line. To the south, the 'Shaftesbury Park' Colonies which were built in 1883-1904 and to the north, there is the smaller Shandon housing development which was built in 1880-1883.

The conservation area is within the ward boundary of Shandon.

HISTORICAL ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT

Origins

Historical maps show that the land now covered by the Shandon Conservation Area, prior to development was open farm land. In 1880 - 1883 Shandon Crescent/Place/Road/Terrace/Street developed as an area comprising larger terraced dwellings and a small number of large detached villas. This housing development was built to cater for lower-middle class families.

In 1883 a 10-acre site to the south of the former Caledonian Railway was bought by the Edinburgh Co-Operative Building Company (ECBC). The site was formerly in the possession of George Watson's Hospital and was known as Shaftesbury Park. Between 1883 and 1904, the ECBC built 330 houses at Shaftesbury Park. Similarly, as in Shandon, the type of social class that the Shaftesbury Park housing was aimed at lower-middle class families.

In the mid-19th century, Scottish housing reformers sought an alternative to the traditional tenement and there was a deliberate movement to find a working-class housing pattern which broke with the tradition and gave every family a front door and its own garden. The model idea for artisan housing in Scotland was pioneered in Edinburgh with a scheme by Patrick Wilson for the Pilrig Model Dwelling Company. This was the first colony type development in Edinburgh. In 1857, the Rosebank Cottages were developed by James Gowans, and were modelled from the Pilrig System.

The form and layout of the Rosebank Cottages provided a prototype for a number of Colony developments by the Edinburgh Co-operative Building Company. The company was formed in April 1861 by a group of Edinburgh building workers with its principal aim being to improve Living standards amongst the working classes. To achieve this, the ECSC provided affordable housing to encourage mortgages and home ownership. At Shaftesbury Park, the social emphasis shifted away from housing predominantly artisans, to lower middle classes.

The original design of the colonies was unique in that each family had access to their home through their own front door. Earlier colonies schemes had a road and main door access to a ground floor flat with a garden. A similar road accessed the other side of the block which had an external stone stair and garden for the upper flats. Later colony developments, beginning at Shaftesbury Park, would dispense with the external staircase in favour of an internal staircase, but accessed on the same side as the ground floor flats, thus allowing private back gardens for all four flats in the block.

The ECBC built housing at the following locations:

Genogle Park (Stockbridge)- 1861-75

Shaftesbury Park (Shandon)- 1884-1903

Hawthornbank 1863-64

Ferry Road - 1865-67

Dairy- 1867-70

Abbeyhill - 1867-1877

Restalrig Park - 1868-83

Barnton Terrace (Craigleith Road) - 1877-95

North Merchiston Park- 1877-83

Hermitage Park - 1890-1906/1946

Saughtonhall (Balgreen/Glendevon) i903-07/1934

The ECBC survived until the 1950s and built over 2500 new homes in Edinburgh

The conservation area evolved as two distinct areas. To the north, there was the triangular shaped housing development built in 1880 1883 and the rectangular shaped Shaftesbury Park Colony housing to the south of the former Caledonian Railway.

Both developments were built in response to the transport links into central Edinburgh. Merchiston Rail Station was built between 1879 and 1883 and this provided easier commuting into central Edinburgh. The first housing to locate in the area was the North Merchiston Park Colonies followed by the Shandon housing and with work beginning on the Shaftesbury Park Colonies in 1883.

However, in the following years, as more industry was built, the need to commute into central Edinburgh was reduced. The Union Canal and subsequently the Caledonian and Glasgow - Edinburgh Railways provided a stimulus for industrial development outwith central Edinburgh for which there was a need for local housing to provide a labour force The types of industry to locate in the area were breweries, distilleries and works associated with the railways. By 1904, when the Shaftesbury Park Colonies were completed, there was a large industrial and residential presence in the area.

The industrial presence has subsequently diminished in the surrounding area However, the layout and townscape of the Shandon Colonies is untouched. Although some of the traditional features have been lost and the car dominates the area, it remains a good example of 19th century model housing and the high standard of housing that was promoted under such schemes.

The conservation area is located on a north facing slope, between the Union Canal and Water of Leith. The north boundary of Shaftesbury Park is bound by the former railway line, which is now heavily planted at the sides by trees and thick foliage. Consequently, the views to the north out of the Shaftesbury Park area are terminated by trees and greenery, providing a sense of enclosure. The elevated land to the south, beyond the Union Canal at Craiglockhart, provides further enclosure. Narrow views and vistas west along the valley are possible to the open space at Meggetland and further to the Pentland Hills beyond on the horizon.

Spatial Structure

Shandon Conservation Area ties to the south-west of the city centre, adjacent to Slateford Road which forms one of the main radial routes into the city, and also adjacent to one of the main rail routes between Glasgow and Edinburgh. The main road servicing the conservation area links Polwarth to Shandon with shops at certain points and a school. The area is largely bounded by tenemental properties with a colony development lying immediately to the north-east being an earlier development than that forming part of the Shandon Conservation Area.

The conservation area evolved as two distinct areas physically separated by a former railway line now serving as a cycle/footway and access way into the former sidings at Slateford junction.

Shandon

The Shandon area lies to the north~west of this former railway tine and extends up to the Edinburgh to Glasgow line. It forms a triangular shaped area of development clearly bound on two sides by rail lines and a main road at its base. Access is limited to one side giving an internal enclosed street structure with cul de sacs. This area comprises five streets all having Shandon as part of their street name. (Shandon Crescent/Place/Road/Terrace/Street)

Shandon forms what is essentially a cul de sac layout, having two accesses into it. The main street in this area (Shandon Crescent) is a shallow crescent running from north-east to south-west with the Edinburgh/Glasgow line lying on the north-west side of the crescent. The remaining streets follow a north-east/south-west orientation with the rear gardens of Shandon Street and the fronts of Shandon Terrace overlooking the former rail line, which is now a cycle/footpath and access way.

Both rail lines lie in cuttings and have dense vegetation lining them and this with the recent planting of trees protected by tree guards along Shandon Crescent give a distinct softening affect along these edges in what is a distinctly urban area.

The streets and buildings are laid out according to classical principles using gateways1 crescents and terminated vistas. Development forms are generally continuous terraces enclosing private, individual and shared common garden spaces.

Enclosure by well defined boundaries and a street layout which excludes through traffic gives an introverted, secluded and private character.

 

Continuous terraces of two or three storey properties, enclosing garden spaces

 

There are no development opportunities that present themselves in this area

Shaftesbury Park

The Shaftesbury Park Colonies form a rectangle bounded to the north west by the walkway/cycleway/access road which separates the colonies from Shandon; to the south west there is another rail line; to the south east by the rear gardens of Cowan Road; and to the north east by Ashley Terrace.

The street pattern within this rectangle forms a tree structure, with a single road access from Ashley Terrace (Shaftesbury Park) that forms a cul de sac trunk running just off centre of the rectangle with five cul de sac branches running off at right angles on either side. In the centre of the trunk there is a small open square being set back two building plot widths on either side of the central road.

The reason that Shaftesbury Park runs just off centre through the development is to allow a direct link to Harrison Gardens lying on the opposite side of Ashley Terrace, thus connecting streets and illustrating a good urban principle.

Townscape

The Shandon conservation area is located in a Victorian urban setting and was built in response to the new transportation links by tram and suburban rail. Yet despite this urban setting the two distinct parts of the conservation area are separated and isolated from each other and their surroundings by the configuration of existing and past railway lines This gives each area a feeling of introversion and seclusion. The exceptions to this being Shandon Crescent, which looks out across the tree lined banks of the Edinburgh to Glasgow rail line to the tenements and mixed industry beyond. The other exception being the northeastern boundary of the conservation area, namely, Shandon Place/Ashley Terrace which is a busy road linking Slateford Road with Polwarth.

There is a strong sense of uniformity through the layout and style of housing in both areas. The replacement of doors and windows with non original materials and styles, including the removal of stone central mullions in some windows is unfortunate, but this does not detract from the overriding integrity of the conservation area.

Both areas are fully developed and present no opportunities for any further development.

There are two street entrances into Shandon. The primary entrance being Shandon Crescent, which is slightly set back from the busy junction of Slateford Road and Shandon Place at the point where the Edinburgh to Glasgow rail line is bridged. This means that the Crescent is not seen until the junction is reached and then presents a gently curving street with a two storey terrace over the first half of its length continuing with three storeys over its latter half all with small front gardens. Halfway down the Crescent there are two pavilion blocks framing the corners of the junction of Shandon Road with the Crescent.

The corner block at Shandon Crescent/Place is two and a half storeys in height with shops on the ground floor. This block is set forward on the corner to the heel of the pavement. The remainder of the terrace on Shandon Place is set back with small gardens to the front. A series of bollards run down the pavement on Shandon Place

Looking back down the Crescent towards Slateford Road the view is pleasantly terminated by the octagonal tower corner of a four storey tenemental block. At this junction are two large wheelie bins sitting on a pavement build out. There is also a disused police box overlooking the rail line and sited adjacent to attractive stone walls forming part of the bridge spanning the rail line. The view facing the Crescent is towards the railings and vegetation of the banks of the cuffing which contains the live Edinburgh to Glasgow rail line.

The second entrance is Shandon Street which enters the area from busy Shandon Place to the North. The east side of the street consists of plain fronted two storey terraced housing, with bay windows to the rear overlooking the back gardens. The west side of the street consists of bay windowed three storey tenements. Both sides have small front gardens. The junctions at each end are framed with pavilion blocks. A single villa closes the vista at the end of the street, which is one of only three in this area.

The development pattern is predominantly terraced housing being two and two and half storey, with one row of three storey tenements and three villas. Virtually all the properties have low stone garden walls to small gardens at the front of the buildings. Some of these gardens still retain their original railings. All properties have access to larger rear gardens.

The streets and pavements are all tarmac and there has been some improvement to the Crescent with the regular planting of trees protected with tree guards along the boundary with the rail line. Parking is on street.

This colonies scheme developed by the Edinburgh Co-operative Building Company was the first one to dispense with the characteristic external stairs that were used in all earlier schemes. In Shaftesbury Park within the two storey terraces, the upper flats are accessed by internal stairs from a front door at ground level, an internal passageway allows the upper flats access to a garden area at the rear. As a consequence, there is no requirement for a road to be provided to the rear of each terrace, which allows a greater degree of privacy in protecting rear gardens.

With the exception of a small number of projecting shops on Ashley terrace, the block format is entirely residential and is almost completely uniform with a single central spine road feeding five terraced cut de sacs placed at right angles on either side. The main access spine road is fronted by gables joined by high garden walls which, with the lack of windows and doors to give life to the street, gives an impression of severe, repetitive uniformity. The exception to this uniform layout ties at the head of Shaftesbury Park which becomes Alderbank Place where the standard block design is turned at right angles and the four door blocks face the central spine. A small square is formed at the centre of the spine road which is entirely tarmaced and given over to car parking, all streets and pavements are tarmac and parking is on street.

Ashley Terrace is lined on both sides with utilitarian pedestrian railings stopping pedestrians crossing the street and also reducing the width of the pavement.

The single access into the development allied to the uniform terraced, two storey densely developed cul de sacs and the fact that the area is strongly bounded by two railway lines, a busy main road and the rear gardens of tenements gives an introverted, secluded, hard urban feeling to the development. This is only partly relieved by the end point views at the north westerly ends of the cul de sacs which look out onto the tree lined bank of the cycle/footpath cutting which divides Shaflesbury from Shandon. tn the opposite direction the view is primarily to the rear of the tenements on Cowan Road.

The front gardens to the streets are lined with small stone walls a small number having onginal railings. The rear gardens are closed to view from the central spine road by stone walls approximately 1800 mm high.

Unified street blocks with a single design concept

Rhythm of gables gives an impression of severe uniformity

The narrow pavements and streets, which are all tarmaced, give a hard urban appearance which lacks reliet contrary to street names

Architectural Character

Both Shandon and Shaftesbury Park are characterised by the use of stone, slate small front gardens with dwarf stone walls and timber doors and windows. However, each area is quite distinct and markedly different from each other. The roads and footpaths in Shandon are wider than Shaftesbury and the plot sizes are also bigger. This means that Shaftesbury has a denser more urban feel than Shandon.

Shandon

This area contains the only listed buildings in the conservation area; these being 2-18 Shandon Crescent (inclusive), 1-5 Shandon Road and 29 Shandon Street all listed category C (s). The buildings on the Crescent that are listed comprise of 16 identical houses being 2 storeys in height with bay windows over the ground floor only. The bay windows are capped by small cast iron balustrades or brattishing. Each house is separated by stone skews and corniced stone stacks with octagonal clay pots.

The remainder of the terrace is two and half storeys in height having dormer windows and bay windows extending over the ground and first floors.

All buildings in the Shandon area are constructed of warm coloured sandstone with long and short cream coloured dressings to door and window margins. This with the use of natural slated roofs, moulded eaves gutters, four panelled timber half doors, timber sash and case windows and octagonal chimney pots gives a sense of unity to the area. The use of natural materials and standard detailing gives further cohesiveness. The area is characterised by mainly two and two and a half storey terraced buildings with three separate villas.

Within the Shandon area, a number of original timber sash and case windows have been replaced with non-traditional uPVC windows. However, the majority of features are original and the original character and appearance remains

The density in the Shandon Area is 55 - 60 houses per hectare.

Integrity of architectural design in use of materials and detailing leads to a unity throughout the area over a small variety of house types

Vistas are closed and corner buildings have a different architectural treatment, adding interest to the area

Repetitive architectural features including brattishing, windows and chimney pots, giving a rhythm to the buildings

Shaftesbury Park

This area is very uniform being two storey stone built, bay fronted terraces, lying at right angles to the main spine access road. There are no listed buildings in the area. Each block consists of four door entries placed next to each other, the centre doors giving access to the upper floor flats on either side and the outer doors giving access to the ground floor flats. Each block is separated by stone skews with corniced stone stacks. Natural slate is used on the roof. All doors and ground floor windows have curved stone heads. Original windows are timber sliding sash and case and doors are timber, four panelled.

As with Shandon there have been replacement UPVC windows and doors. However, it is estimated that 60% of the colonies still have their original timber doors and windows which creates an overall visual impression of uniformity. A number of velux rooflights are apparent along with a few box dormers, but these are mostly to the rear elevations of the properties. Although it is a concern that non-traditional features are eroding the character of the conservation area, the original character and appearance of Shaftesbury Park still predominates.

The rear of each block has a stone offshoot which contains a kitchen and bathroom for each flat. The garden ground for each flat has original drying poles. Dwarf waits contain the front gardens, some of which still have their original railings.

The density in Shaftesbury is 75-80 houses per hectare.

Activities and Uses

The predominant use in the conservation area is residential and there are very few other uses found in the area. The only other use within the conservation area is retail and is found in two areas.

At the north end of Ashley Terrace, there is a small group of retail units, although only two of which are located within the Conservation Area with The Royal Bank of Scotland and an electronics repair shop. The former is situated on the corner of Ashley Terrace and Shandon Crescent at ground level and the latter is situated adjacent to the bank on the West Side of Ashley Terrace. Residential dwellings are located above.

The second group of shops is at number 30-36 Ashley Terrace. In the same style as other colony housing, there are retail units at ground level with the upper levels in residential use. These units were built as part of the colonies but for retail purposes.

The surrounding area, outwith the Conservation Area is urban and predominantly residential in character. The industry that provided employment to the residents of the housing at Shandon and Shaftesbury Park has been replaced by housing and there is little evidence of any of these old industries.

Conservation area is almost exclusively residential

Natural Heritage

The conservation area is predominantly a built environment and there are very few areas of open space or natural landscapes. However, the former railway that forms the green corridor between the two parts of the conservation area is an important landscape feature within the conservation area. Historical maps show that the railway ceased to function in the I 960s and has since been converted into a short walkway/cycleway and vehicular access to the sidings located to the south of the area.

A tarmac road/footway with street lighting runs down the middle and there is dense semi natural vegetation at the sides.

The corridor is significant in the context of the character of the area as it reflects the historical heritage of the area and its continued protection is vital. The Edinburgh Biodiversity Action Plan contains guidance on wildlife corridors and its objective is to 'maintain and enhance the biological diversity of the network of terrestrial wildlife corridors in Edinburgh for the benefit of both wildlife and people.'

The boundary hedgerows and garden trees on the front streets also become important features within the urban fabric- The front and rear gardens to the properties vary in size but there are a small number of villas with larger gardens. Where these are to the rear a substantial area of green space is created, enabling larger trees and garden shrubs to thrive.

The Conservation Area is a built environment with few natural landscapes or 'green' areas. Garden boundary hedgerows and trees and the rear garden areas are important to the streetscape.

Vegetation along the railway boundaries softens the area and terminates the views into other urban settings, providing a sense of enclosure.

Urban Wildlife Site and walkway provide haven for wildlife and opportunity for access to local footpath network.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENHANCEMENT

Original windows and doors are important features in the elevation of any building and their replacement with different materials and designs can seriously affect the historic and architectural character of a conservation area. This is particularly the case where the visual rhythm of the timber panelled doors and sash and case windows forms an essential part of the architectural character. Consequently, when traditional windows and doors are replaced with modern substitutes, the result can have a seriously adverse affect on the overall character and appearance of the historic environment.

In Shandon, the original doors and windows, including their detailing, materials and method of opening make a significant contribution to the historic and architectural character of conservation area. These features are being lost by the substitution of modern replacements, including double glazed uPVC and metal windows, uPVC and standardised timber doors, so the visual harmony and character of streets is being eroded.

Early consideration should be given to preparing a strategy for encouraging window replacement with traditional timber sliding sash and case windows and the reinstatement of the traditional four panelled doors, to reinstate and enhance the character of the conservation area.

The roofscape is important, particularly in the Colonies, as the spatial structure allows both the front and rear elevations to be visible. There have been a number of box dormers introduced into the Shaftesbury Park area, mainly to the rear elevations. These are intrusive features that dominate the traditional roof form and its proportions. Where new dormers are acceptable, they should be in the style of the traditional bay dormer window, to match those already existing in the area.

There are a number of modern velux windows, again predominantly to the rear of the properties. These interrupt the uniform character of the slate roofs, particularly the larger windows that project above the roof plane. Traditional rooflights are the preferred option, particularly on the most visible roof slopes.

There are examples of original railings within the conservation area but generally1 the railings were removed as part of the Second World War effort. The railings were relatively ornate and consideration could be given to reinstating railings throughout the conservation area.

The well defined urban structure of the area means that there are no opportunities for any further development in either Shandon or Shaftesbury Park.

Although this walkway and cycle route is a designated urban wildlife site, it is used for the dumping rubbish. There is therefore a good opportunity to improve the site by considering an alternative surface to help create a more natural environment and introduce access restrictions for vehicles to deter tipping.

Pedestrian and cycle access into the site could be improved by providing connections with other city wide routes and by considering more local access to encourage greater usage of the area.

The corner of Shandon Crescent and Shandon Place is an entrance into the conservation area and would benefit form improvement.

The central square is currently an area of tarmac, taken over for car parking. Although it is recognised that there is a pressure for parking within the area, this square presents an opportunity to create an area of local significance, through possible environmental improvements to the surface and changes in the vehicular use.

it is essential that property owners accept their maintenance responsibilities. The emphasis should be on the repair rather than replacement of original features, as these contribute to the conservation area's character as a whole. Alterations or additions should be sympathetic to the original style and of an appropriate scale.