Five grand houses in the Malone area of South Belfast are set for listed status, after City Hall lent its support to the proposals.
At the January meeting of the Belfast City Council Planning Committee, elected representatives supported the listing of Ardleevan 180 Upper Malone Rd Belfast BT17, Ardleevan 178 Upper Malone Rd Belfast BT17, 17 Notting Hill Belfast BT9, 2 Malone Hill Park Belfast BT9 and 6 Malone Hill Park Belfast BT9.
A listed building is one included in a list of buildings of special architectural or historic interest. The Stormont Department of Communities is responsible for giving the status for lists of buildings of special architectural or historic interest, but all prospective lists are put through the council for noting before going to consultation.
READ MORE: Nationalist parties at Belfast Council try to block privileges for British Army members
READ MORE: City Hall "does not have the power" to give Sandy Row a rates cut
The second survey of all of Northern Ireland's building stock, is currently underway, to update and improve on the first list of buildings of special architectural or historic interest, which began in 1974. This second survey in Belfast was due to be completed in 2017 but is ongoing.
178 and 180 Upper Malone Rd are two-storey plus attic Arts and Crafts style houses of the early 20th Century by Blackwood and Jury Architects, located off a long private road to the east of Upper Malone Road in South Belfast.
The house was divided into two separate dwellings between 1963 and 1988, with 178 to the southwest and 180 to the northeast. The villa is set in expansive grounds with the main southeast elevation taking full advantage of sweeping views across the formal gardens and beyond to the Lagan Valley.
180 was altered with the removal of the original motor house and chauffeur’s quarters which was replaced by a two-storey extension in the late 20th Century. The proposed NIEA listing for these houses is B2.
17 Notting Hill is a handsome Italianate villa, and a very complete and well preserved dwelling of a type that was prevalent in the mid-19th century in the Malone area. It was designed by the architect James Mc Nea in 1861.
The house is a surviving example of a development of six dwelling houses, all constructed by William Magill Collins and located in an area demarcated on the second edition OS map as 'Pleasure-House Hill' - now Notting Hill.
The council report on the house states: “Its style and composition encapsulate the self-assurance of the burgeoning prosperous middle classes, whose development of their domestic dwellings within the neighbourhood of south Belfast reflected the rapid industrial growth of the wider city of Belfast.” The proposed NIEA listing for this house is B1.
2 Malone Hill Park is an asymmetric storey-and-a-half Arts and Crafts style, brown brick detached villa with steeply sloping rosemary tiled roof, constructed in 1932, located on a large corner site with mature landscaping on Malone Hill Park at the junction with Malone Road in South Belfast.
The report states: “The original owner had a Dutch connection which may possibly account for the ‘low countries’ character particularly to the end gable of the house with its multiple windows.” The proposed NIEA listing for this house is B2.
6 Malone Hill Park is a two-storey, Arts and Crafts style, painted roughcast, detached villa with hipped Westmoreland slate roof, built 1927-28, to designs by the architect Thomas William Henry as his own residence. The proposed NIEA listing for this house is B1.
Listed buildings in Northern Ireland are divided into four categories. Grade A Special buildings are of national importance including both outstanding grand buildings and the fine, little-altered examples of important style or date.
Grade B+ Special buildings are those that might have merited A status but were reduced over detracting features such as impurities of design, or lower quality additions or alterations.
Grade B1 and B2 Special buildings refer to those of more local importance or displaying good examples of period style. Degrees of alteration or imperfection are acceptable in this category.
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.
English (United States) ·