Shop restore and renovate

12-14 HIGH STREET KEIGHLEY 

Located within the historic core of Keighley, High Street is believed to be one of the earliest parts of the town and is depicted in the 1612 plan by William Senior. Designated as a Conservation Area, the historic context is protected under planning legislation to prevent inappropriate alterations detracting from the historic value of the town and its architecture.

As pictured in mid Dickensian times the building was a modest cottage with two small shops to the ground floor and, typically, living space above. However during the second half of the 19th Century – a time of industrialisation and redevelopment of the town, the building underwent a significant makeover. Consistent with perceived Victorian resourcefulness, the alterations included raising the height of the front elevation, the addition of a more traditional shop front and the insertion of a series of windows to the first floor with decorative stone surrounds.

Carried out as part of the Keighley Townscape Heritage Initiative, the works involved removing late 20th Century shop fronts and replacing these with new; designed and detailed to closely echo those from the original period of construction. A careful study of the building and its historic development not only ensured surviving details were maintained but also the proposed reinstatement was specific to the building and not simple a ‘typical’ shop front. The historic research also informed the design and reinstatement of the first floor windows.

As a part of the remedial works, to alleviate issues of penetrating damp and allow the external solid walls to breathe, inappropriate cementitious render was also carefully removed from the building elevations and replaced with a 3 coat lime render which used horse hair as a natural binder.

The successful completion of the Works has not only impacted on how the building owners use the space, but has also transformed the appearance of the building; making a positive contribution to the wider historic context.

PROJECT INFO

Project type: Private Commercial
Categories : Conservation, Repair, Design, Shop Front, Traditional Skills