Project Name: St Thomas’ Hospital, Stockport Campus, Shaw Heath, Stockport. Grade II

Type of Project: Historic Buildings Appraisal, Schedules of Significance, Visual Impact Assessment, PPG15 Justification Statement

Date: May 2006 – June 2007

Architect: Austin Smith Lord LLP

Special Interest: The original Stockport Union Workhouse, built in 1841, was designed by the Manchester architect Henry Bowman. The workhouse subsequently became St Thomas’ Hospital when the NHS first occupied the site in the 1950’s. The former Workhouse is representative of those built following the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, which was closely modelled on plans produced by Sampson Kempthorne in 1835. The architecture and plan form expresses the draconian intentions of the Act, with late 19th and early 20th alterations made as the function of the site evolved. The principal elevations contribute to the street scene.

Scope of Professional Services:
Heritage Architecture Ltd were commissioned to undertake the following:

• HISTORIC BUILDING APPRAISAL: Heritage Architecture Ltd assessed the history and development of the Stockport Union Workhouse buildings on the site of the former St. Thomas’ Hospital site in Shaw Heath. The cultural significance of the buildings subsequently informed the design process in relation to the proposed master plan and future development on the site.

• SCHEDULES OF SIGNIFICANCE: Heritage Architecture Ltd carried out a detailed inspection of the property and produced a report on the findings relating to the relative significance of the fabric.

• VISUAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT: Heritage Architecture Ltd assessed the likely visual impact of the proposed development on the character of the Town Hall Conservation Area and the setting of listed buildings in the immediate context of the proposed development. The visual impact assessment focussed on matters related to setting and included the consideration of views, vistas, aspects and prospects.

• PPG15 JUSTIFICATION STATEMENT Heritage Architecture Ltd formulated two PPG15 Justification Statements for alterations and extensions to the two listed buildings on the site and examined the impact of the proposals in accordance with PPG 15.