Canterbury Hill Estate HO536
BOROONDARA CITY
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Statement of Significance
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Canterbury Hill Estate HO536 - Physical Description 1
The Canterbury Hill Estate Precinct incorporates streets located in the suburbs of Surrey Hills, Canterbury and Camberwell. The name 'Canterbury Hill' derives from the name given to a subdivision in the eastern area of the precinct in 1887; while the western area of the precinct was formed from other later subdivisions, including post-1919 development focused on Compton Street, on land associated with the former market gardens of the local Dunn family. Dwellings of heritage value in the precinct date from the early twentieth century (c.1905) through to the late 1930s-early 1940s period.). The properties are located in Albert, Bristol, Compton, Hocknell and Queen streets; and Highfield, Prospect Hill, Riversdale and Wattle Valley roads. The majority of the properties are of 'contributory' heritage value, with several identified as being 'significant' (see the Schedule of Properties which accompanies this citation). Properties of 'contributory' heritage value are defined in Boroondara's Clause 22.05 'Heritage Policy' as follows: '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 includes generally retaining the fabric, form, detailing and largely original external appearance (as visible from the principal streetscape) of buildings constructed in the two major phases of development which distinguish the precinct. This includes the Federation-style dwellings of the (approximate) 1910-1915 period, and the interwar houses of the 1920s through to the -early 1940s. For 'contributory' buildings, some additions are also visible including potentially large additions to the rears of dwellings; minor changes to the principal facades of these dwellings may also be evident. Several properties are also of 'significant' heritage value, which is defined 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 are generally individually important in the precinct context, because they exhibit particular architectural merit or other notable and distinguishing characteristics. They are also typically highly intact, with few if any visible external changes (as seen from the principal streetscape).
The 'significant' buildings are described and referred to below. More recent infill development in the precinct, and an earlier building which has been significantly modified, are identified as 'non-contributory'. '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. A large number of the dwellings are constructed of timber, a building material less common in other parts of the City of Boroondara, but more characteristic of Surrey Hills. The timber houses are varied and include both late Federation villas of the 1910s which exhibit notched weatherboards androughcast rendering, as well as timber Californian bungalows of the 1920s and later (see Figure 5 & Figure 6). There are also significant numbers of brick dwellings, albeit only a small number of these are late Federation villas; 204 Prospect Hill Road is an isolated example in its immediate context. The majority of these buildings are brick and rendered Californian bungalows, of the later 1920s and early 1930s, as well as some Old English style clinker brick and render villas (20 Compton Street), and dwellings displaying Mediterranean influences (93 and 95 Highfield Road). A notable example of this phase of precinct development includes 101 Highfield Road, a large clinker brick and render bungalow of c.1927 which retains its unpainted roughcast render finishes (and is a 'significant' building).
Nos 95 Highfield Road and 20 Compton Street ('contributory' buildings) also both exhibit specialty clinker brickwork (Figure 8). The brick and render c. 1936 interwar duplexes at 80 Highfield Road and 1A Bristol Street (Figure 12, 'contributory') are atypical building types in the precinct area. Riversdale Road, between Compton Street and Highfield Road, has a run of six brick dwellings spanning the mid 1930s-early 1940s period, one of which (825 Riversdale Road, see Figure 10) is 'significant'. This row displays a diversity of influences, including Old English and neo-Georgian (as per 825 Riversdale Road); no 831 Riversdale Road, c. 1940 has a 'waterfall' frontage. The majority of the dwellings in this row also retain their original fences, save for 831 Riversdale Road. Generally the brick housing types relate to the later period of precinct development when the then Council, in the late 1920s, passed by-laws restricting but not completely eradicating the construction of dwellings in timber.5 Despite this, 221 and 223 Prospect Hill Road (both 'contributory') were constructed in the late 1930s of this material (Figure 13). A number of dwellings are located on Wattle Valley Road, in the western area of the precinct, and not contiguous with the precinct. These are nevertheless 'contributory' dwellings from the 1920s which share the heritage characteristics of the precinct. By the advent of World War Two, as noted in the 'History' section, the precinct was almost completely developed; the afore-mentioned timber houses in Prospect Hill Road and the neighbouring c. 1941 brick residence at 225 Prospect Hill Road (also 'contributory') appearing to being among the last properties developed, before wartime restrictions bought civilian building construction to halt in the early 1940s.
Other characteristics of the precinct include the siting of houses on reasonably generous allotments, particularly those in the streets which run north-south. Setbacks to the street boundaries are also typically generous, with gardens, lawns and landscaped settings being common. Houses are also generally well-maintained, and while most dwellings were originally single-storey in scale, a number have been extended in the past several decades including with first floor additions as well as extensions to the rears and (in some cases) sides of properties. Surrey Hills generally has a high proportion of modified and extended dwellings, many of which were originally modest timber houses constructed in the first decades of the twentieth century. With the suburb attracting more affluent residents in the latter twentieth century, a pattern of house renovation and extension emerged, often resulting in smaller dwellings significantly increasing in size, including through construction of large double-storey additions.
This pattern is evident in the precinct. In assessing the acceptability of visible additions and extensions to historic dwellings in the precinct - or the extent to which an addition detracts from the contributory value of the property - a number of factors were considered. These included the form, materials and detailing of the addition, and whether it was sympathetic to the dwelling; the visibility of the addition, and whether it was seen as sufficiently recessive to the original dwelling, or proportionally too dominating or overwhelming; the degree to which the addition can bediscerned as a later and non-original element; and the extent to which the original visible roof form has been altered. Throughout the precinct the terrain is gently undulating, with streets of asphalt, with the exception of the original concrete road surface to Compton Street (Figure 14). Streets are generally planted with deciduous trees with species favoured including Pin oaks and London planes, although native Queensland Box and eucalypts are also evident. Footpaths are of concrete with the exception of the south side of Bristol Street, which is bordered by a grassed verge. Fences are variously of low to high form, of reproduction historical-style timber pickets, with solid masonry, cyclone wire, and steel fences with brick piers also found. There are some original brick and render 'dwarf' fences. No. 82 Highfield Road ('contributory') is almost completely concealed by a tall cypress hedge.
Some more recent infill development has occurred including cluster units and dual occupancy development from the 1980s and 1990s, generally set behind one another, although in some cases such as 85 and 85A Wattle Valley Road ('non-contributory') these have appeared side by side, testament to the wide allotments in some streets in the precinct. Modern infill housing, ranging from single to three storey residences, has also been constructed and generally adopts an historicist style rather than a more contemporary idiom. Overwhelmingly these are constructed of brick with some exhibiting rendered finishes.
Heritage Study and Grading
Boroondara - Surrey Hills and Canterbury Hill Estate Heritage Study
Author: Lovell Chen
Year: 2011
Grading:
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THE ANCHORAGEVictorian Heritage Register H1899
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CONTINENTAL HOTELVictorian Heritage Register H1896
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ATHENAEUMVictorian Heritage Register H2227
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