28 CONTEXT 175 : MARCH 2023 REBECCA STYLES Lowestoft’s heritage action zones Two heritage action zones protect and celebrate the town’s rich architecture, history and culture; set standards for future development; and involve the local community. Lowestoft, the UK’s most easterly point, is known for its golden sands, rich heritage and emerging cultural scene. The town is one of only seven places in the country to benefit from two heritage action zones (HAZs): the North Lowestoft HAZ, covering the historic high street, scores and former fishing village; and the London Road, Lowestoft HAZ, covering the Victorian town, seaside resort and the commercial area of Kirkley. It is an exciting time for Lowestoft, and the heritage action zones are part of the current regeneration projects taking place in the town. Current investment in Lowestoft totals over £312 million, including £24.9 million from the government’sTowns Fund, £96 million in flood defences and over £126 million invested in the Gull Wing Third Crossing. The scale of investment and regeneration reflects Lowestoft’s ambition, and heritage is a key thread of East Suffolk Council’s commitment to revitalising the town. Heritage action zones are heritage-led regeneration schemes funded by Historic England and local partners, in this case East Suffolk Council. They use funding to improve the appearance and condition of buildings, repairing traditional detailing, reinstating lost architectural features and bringing vacant buildings back into use. The main thread of the heritage action zones involves offering grants to historic property owners to improve the appearance of their buildings. Traditional building repairs and techniques are at the heart of HAZ-funded projects. Building archaeology, evidence from historic photographs and archival documents are used to inform how buildings looked before later alterations, and help to inform designs for reinstatement schemes. Across the two Lowestoft HAZs, over £800,000 of funding has been awarded to 27 private buildings/units for a range of projects, drawing in over £450,000 of match funding contributions from owners. Works funded have included the repair of original sash windows; redecoration of buildings using breathable, mineral-based paints; commissioning traditional sign-writing for shopfronts; replacing modern UPVC casements with traditional sliding sash windows; completing repairs to masonry and stone; reinstating traditional cast-iron rainwater goods; repairing roofs and chimneys; reinstating traditional shopfronts; and rebuilding a collapsed flint wall. The flagship scheme in the London Road, Lowestoft HAZ is conservation repairs to the Grade II listed former Post Office, purchased by East Suffolk Council in 2017. The Post Office, designed as a single-storey building in the 1880s, was the first dedicated Post Office in Lowestoft, replacing operations which were previously taking place in postmasters’ houses. The building was extended to provide a first floor around the turn of the century, and a second floor around 1909. The building suffered from a series of unsympathetic alterations in the 20th century, including re-roofing with asbestos tiles; replacing the ground-floor timber sashes with aluminium windows; and removing the original entrance door and relocating it to the side of the facade. Funding was made available through the HAZ and Towns Fund to reverse these inappropriate alterations, and extensive conservation works to the exterior of the building started on site in January 2022. The funding has allowed the roof to be reinstated with natural Welsh slates and the ground-floor fenestration restored to its original appearance. A detailed schedule of repairs to the external fabric of the building has been competed, including replacing heavily weathered balusters at the parapet; timber repairs to the roof structure; repairs to the chimneys, including some replacement of stone; and renewing leadwork and rainwater goods. A shopfront before and after restoration
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjgyMjA=