Why is the Conservation Area called North Laine?
In this article written in 2008, Maureen Brand, former Chair of the NLCA described the role played by Ken Fines in setting up the Conservation Area. ‘The North Laine Conservation Area was designated as such in 1977 and initially covered the area between Queen's Road, North Road, Gloucester Place, St George's Place and Trafalgar Street and including Gardner Street and Bond Street. It was extended in 1989 to include North Place.
Was it worth preserving?
Doubts were expressed about the proposal to designate this artisan district as a conservation area. The Argus in 1977 reported that critics claimed there were too many tatty buildings in the area to make it worth preserving after the Council had let it get run down over the years - and The Argus' own reporter wrote in an article he has not been allowed to forget: "It's tatty tour time". There were also fears that the new conservation area would stifle industry. Councillor Blackman in 1976 feared it could become "embalmed".
Kenneth Fines' role
The closest account of the proposal and the setting up of the Brighton conservation areas comes from the one most involved at the time, Kenneth Fines, Borough Planning Officer of Brighton from 1974 to 1983. His memoir of 1997 describes the process:
Ken Fines
The Blue Plaque in North Rd
"In
1974 I became Borough Planning Officer to the new Brighton Council, who
accepted my recommendation that the draft Greater Brighton Structure Plan be
adopted as an interim measure for development control. The old town and the
Regency areas had previously been designated as conservation areas, a concept
which had been introduced by the Civic Amenities Act 1967 to protect 'areas of
special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of
which it is desirable to preserve or enhance'. In 1976 I carried out a review
of conservation areas and recommended, with the support of an enthusiastic
staff, that Brighton's second phase of growth in Victorian times after the
coming of the railways in 1840 should be recognised, involving the designation
of extensive new areas and the extension of existing ones. The Council approved
and implemented these proposals. I think it is to the credit of the previous
County Borough Council that - despite the indiscretions of the 1960s which had
ruined the character of so many cities - so much of Brighton's historic
character remained to conserve.'
The 1792 terrier map showing the five 'laines': North Laine, West Laine, Hilly Laine, Little Laine and East Laine. The highlighted area is the third furlong in North Laine.
North
Laine - from field system to conservation area
"One
of the new conservation areas had no name. I proposed that it should be called
'North Laine' in recognition of the old field system. As the report stated:
'The hub of the area is the delightful pedestrian shopping street of Kensington
Gardens, but the area generally has a distinctive, intimate character derived
from its lively admixture of terraced houses, small shops, workshops and street
market.' I believe that North Laine is the epitome of what has been termed the
rich texture of metropolitan life - so often neglected in urban planning. It is
good to see how such an area can thrive once it is given an accolade of
recognition and confidence. I was delighted that designation was quickly
followed by the formation of the North Laine Community Association."
A memorial
for Kenneth
To mark
the respect and gratitude of residents of North Laine, a tree in Sydney Street
was planted in Kenneth Fines' name. Sadly, Ken died in 2008.’
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