Union Road South Residential Precinct
Union Road and Bona Vista Avenue and The Avenue and Warwick Avenue SURREY HILLS, BOROONDARA CITY
-
Add to tour
You must log in to do that.
-
Share
-
Shortlist place
You must log in to do that.
- Download report
Statement of Significance
What is Significant
Union Road South Residential Precinct, Surrey Hills, is located between Canterbury Road to the north and Riversdale Road to the south, Union Road to the west and The Avenue to the east. The precinct, in two main areas, comprises 'significant' and 'contributory' dwellings from the1880s through to early 1940s, and has a comparatively high level of intactness. Properties included in the precinct are concentrated alongand to the east side of Union Road in the northern section of the precinct. In terms of the topography, the precinct slopes down from the north to the south with, as a general pattern, larger and older housesat the north end and smaller and more modern dwellings further south. In the higher areas of Union Road, houses are also often elevated off the ground, which enhances their presentation and prominence. A large number of dwellings are of timber, a building material which is characteristic of Surrey Hills; there are also brick buildings in the precinct. In terms of the eras and styles of development, there are two main periods albeit with intervening bursts of building activity. They are the late Victorian and Federation periods of development, following the initiall and sales of the 1880s which resulted in houses being built from the1880s (a limited number) into the 1890s to 1910s; then the second major phase of development following World War One with houses in the precinctdating from the 1920s through to c.1940 (and effectively the early yearsof World War Two, prior to the 1942 ban on non-essential construction).
How is it Significant
The Union Road South Residential Precinct is of historical and aesthetic/architectural significance to the City of Boroondara.
Why is it Significant
The Union Road South Residential Precinct is of historical significance,as a long-standing residential area in Union Road, Surrey Hills, which demonstrates aspects of the growth and consolidation of Surrey Hillsfrom the latter decades of the nineteenth century through to the later interwar period. Development generally commenced in the 1880s after extension of the railway line to Lilydale and the construction of the railway station in 1882. However, as with other areas of Surrey Hills,the 1890s economic Depression stymied development, which then picked up again after the extension of the Riversdale Road tramway through to Wattle Park in 1916 and the cessation of World War I, with development intensifying and consolidating in the interwar period. Land in the precinct was promoted in early estate subdivisions as being especially 'picturesque' , a result of the topography of the precinct, and the elevated siting of the east side of Union Road in particular. The precinct is also not able for a concentration of larger scaled houses on generous allotments in the northern section, which in turn reflects apattern which is common in Boroondara, of establishing substantial properties on main or principal roads.
Union Road South Residential Precinct is also of aesthetic/architectural significance. Victorian houses are generally in the Italianate manner with L-shaped plans; iron verandah friezes; verandah roofs separated from the main hipped and slate-clad roofs; corniced chimneys; and some timber ashlar fronts on weather board examples. Federation architecture is represented in houses at the north end of Union Road and in The Avenue, and displays some typical characteristics of the genre including a dominant main roof often with an integral verandah roof; diagonal planning; return verandahs; and an accentuated corner bay or tower bracketed by two or more wings projecting at right angles. More numerousin the precinct are Bungalow designs and later interwar housing, which also display typical characteristics such as horizontal proportions;square plans with a corner 'cut outs' to provide for a porch-verandah;side entries set well back on the site; and main transverse gable roofs, sometimes with a gabled wing to the front. Later interwar houses in the precinct have simplified Tudor elements in clinker and tapestry brick,with some cement render; brick gable fronts with boxed eaves; steeper roof pitches than seen with the Bungalows; slender chimneys with no potsand often without verandahs.
Grading and Recommendations
Recommended for inclusion in the Schedule to the Heritage Overlay of the Boroondara Planning Scheme as a precinct.
For a full list of individual place gradings within the precinct, please refer to the attached PDF citation, or individual child records attached to this parent record.
For full details of individual gradings within the precinct, please refer to the attached PDF citation, or child records.
-
-
Union Road South Residential Precinct - Physical Description 1
Precinct boundary
The Union Road South Residential Precinct comprises two main precinct areas located in Surrey Hills, between Canterbury Road to the north and Varzin Avenue to the south, and Union Road to the west and The Avenue to the east. Properties included in the precinct are concentrated along and to the east side of Union Road in the northern section of the precinct.
The precinct has a high proportion of heritage properties of 'contributory' value, with some also being 'significant' (see 'Gradings' definitions below, and attached Schedule of Properties). The 'significant' properties are concentrated in the northern section of the precinct. There are also some 'non-contributory' properties within the precinct, the retention of which largely depends on their location in the precinct.There are in addition two properties within the precinct boundary with existing individual Heritage Overlays. These are identified as such in the precinct map and the Schedule of properties.
Overview
The Union Road South Residential Precinct comprises Union Road and some streets that extend to the east. These include Bona Vista Avenue, The Avenue and Warwick Avenue.
Streets in the precinct are generally rectilinear, have pedestrian pathways and established trees to the nature strips. At the north end, nearing the intersection with Canterbury Road, Union Road and The Avenue have established deciduous trees. This is characteristic of streets in the wider Surrey Hills areas. Tree plantings tend to be later and smaller in size further south along Union Road.
In terms of the topography, the overall precinct slopes down to the south. Union Road is generally level between Canterbury Road and Bona Vista Avenue where it then falls to the south in a significant slope. Surrounding streets to the east of Union Road reflect this northsouth sloping topography.In the precinct area, there are a large number of dwellings constructed of timber, a building material less common in other parts of Boroondara, but more characteristic of Surrey Hills. There are also brick buildings in the precinct.
Surrey Hills is characterised by two main periods of residential development, albeit with intervening bursts of building activity; these development periods are reflected in the subject precinct. There are the late Victorian and Federation periods of development, following the initial land sales of the 1880s which resulted in houses being built from the 1880s (a limited number) into the 1890s to 1910s; then the second major phase of development following World War One with houses in the precinct dating from the 1920s through to c.1940 (and effectively the early years of World War Two, prior to the 1942 ban on non-essential construction). Again, houses constructed in the precinct in these periods were executed in both timber and brick. They range from large brick and block-fronted timber houses, constructed on generous allotments in the earlier period, to more modest timber bungalows, constructed in the interwar period.
The north end of the precinct, particularly 83-93 Union Road and The Avenue, is characterised by larger scaled houses on generous allotments. These larger dwellings also reflect a pattern which is common in Boroondara, of establishing substantial properties on main or principal roads. Properties with existing individual Heritage Overlays are also found in this area. Properties tend to be progressively later in their construction dates the further south Union Road extends from Canterbury Road. In the higher areas of Union Road, houses are also often elevated off the ground, which enhances their presentation and prominence. This is particularly the case of the row of large bungalows at 64-74 Union Road.
Established gardens are a feature of the precinct area and many of the properties, particularly 'significant' graded properties, have specimen trees in their front gardens. A number from the interwar period retain hard landscaping features such as rubble retaining walls, as seen at 65, 66 and 68 Union Road. Fences within the precinct range in type and height. In many cases, original fences have been replaced, with timber pickets and brick walling. The interwar semi-detached brick villas generally retain their original brick dwarf walls.
Gradings
Regarding the property gradings, the majority of properties in the Union Road South Residential Precinct are of 'contributory' heritage value, with a number also of 'significant' value (see the Schedule of Properties which accompanies this citation).
Properties of 'significant' heritage value are defined in Boroondara's Clause 22.05 'Heritage Policy' as:
'Significant' heritage places are individually important places of State, municipal or local cultural heritage significance. They can be listed individually in the Schedule to the Heritage Overlay. They can also be places that, when combined within a precinct, form an important part of the cultural heritage significance of the precinct. They may be both individually significant and significant in the context of the heritage precinct.
The 'significant' buildings within this precinct are generally individually important in the precinct context, due to exhibiting particular architectural merit or unusual or distinguishing characteristics. They are also typically highly intact, with few visible external changes (asseen from the principal streetscape). Most 'significant' buildings within this precinct are also large properties and/or prominently sited, including those at the north end of Union Road opposite Surrey Gardens. Images of all the 'significant' buildings are included in this citation.
Properties of 'contributory' heritage value are defined as:
'Contributory' heritage places are places that contribute to the cultural heritage significance of a precinct. They are not considered to be individually important places of State, municipal or local cultural heritage significance, however when combined with other 'significant' and/or 'contributory' heritage places, they play an integral role in demonstrating the cultural heritage significance of a precinct.
In this precinct, the 'contributory' value of the properties generally derives from the 'contribution' they make to the overall heritage character of the precinct. This generally includes retaining the fabric, form, detailing and largely original external appearance (as visible from the principal streetscape) of buildings constructed in the major development phases of the precinct. This includes the late Victorian and Federation style dwellings of the late 1880s-1890s through to the 1910s; and the interwar dwellings of the 1920s through to c.1940 (and the early years of World War Two). For 'contributory' buildings, some additions may also be visible including potentially large two-storey additions to the rears (or rear halves) of dwellings; minor changes to the principal facades of these dwellings may also be evident.'Non-contributory' buildings in the precinct include more recent infill development. They also include dwellings from the major development phases that have undergone substantial alterations, including prominent or jarring additions and alterations which dominate the original front portions of dwellings, or otherwise significantly impact on the historical presentation and appreciation of the original form of the dwellings. Again, as per Clause 22.05, these are defined as:
'Non-contributory' places are places within a heritage precinct that have no identifiable cultural heritage significance. They are included within a Heritage Overlay because any development of the place may impact on the cultural heritage significance of the precinct or adjacent 'significant' or 'contributory' heritage places.
-
-
-
-
-
JEFFERIES HOUSEVictorian Heritage Register H0461
-
Thule CroftBoroondara City
-
KinnoulBoroondara City
-
-