Reasons for Designation
The Heaton Moor Electricity Substation is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Dated c1902, it is a rare survival of an early example of this particular building type, constructed to enable the provision of a domestic electricity supply to this affluent railway suburb of Manchester
* The Baroque design elevates the building beyond the purely functional, complementing the character of the neighbourhood in which it stands, and through the use of high-quality detailing, notably the relief carving of Manchester Corporation arms, clearly demonstrating a civic pride in its provision
* The architectural treatment of the visible elevations of the building, and retention of the original boundary wall and fencing to the principal road elevations, are an asset to the streetscape.
Details
701/0/10059 HEATON MOOR ROAD
10-JUL-09 HEATON MOOR ELECTRICITY SUBSTATION
II
Electricity substation. c.1902 for Manchester Corporation. Red brick in English bond, with sandstone dressings, banding, entablature and parapet. Corrugated asbestos roof to main building, slate roof to outshot. Edwardian Baroque style
PLAN: Large rectangular building with narrow, single-storey outshot to south end of rear (east) wall.
EXTERIOR: Main (west) elevation to Heaton Moor Road has stepped double plinth with chamfered stone coping to lower plinth and stone moulding to upper plinth, stone banding, stone entablature, and stone parapet screening roof. 9 bays of varying widths articulated by shallow pilasters. Central entrance bay has large segmental pediment containing carved relief arms of Manchester Corporation. Large doorway, the width of the bay, with segmental curved metal lintel with giant keystone (painted red), wooden double doors. Blocked two-light window over with 3 stone columns forming the jambs and central mullion, moulded stone lintel. Frieze above has relief lettering MC EW. Flanked by narrow bay to each side with blocked upper oculus, with moulded stone frame incorporating 4 giant voussoirs. Bays 1-3 and bays 7-9 have blocked upper flat-headed windows with moulded stone architraves and projecting sills on console brackets.
North return elevation (Hooley Range) continues stone banding from main elevation. High shaped gable with stone banding supported by stone consoles above entablature. Central lunette window with moulded stone frame with intermediate giant voussoirs and giant double keystone, five-light wooden window frame. Central bay beneath lunette slightly recessed. Bay to either side has a large blind round-headed arch with stone voussoirs, alternatively giant, and giant double keystone. 2 doorways in outer bays with projecting stone surrounds, wooden doors.
South return elevation is similar to north return except the high gable has a flat, rather than pointed, apex, and there are no doorways.
Rear (east) elevation is blind with no stone banding, entablature or parapet. At south end is narrow, single-storey outshot of brick with mono-pitch slate roof. Brick parapet with stone coping to east and north elevations. South elevation has 4 blocked flat-headed windows with stone sills. Segmental headed doorway with wooden door to north elevation.
INTERIOR: Not inspected.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: Boundary wall to Heaton Moor Road and Hooley Range with low brick wall with chamfered stone coping. Iron fencing set on top of wall between brick piers with chamfered coping stones. Wide gateway with higher brick piers and ornamental iron gates in front of central entrance on Heaton Moor Road. Wide gateway with higher piers to east end of Hooley Range boundary, with modern metal gates.
HISTORY: Heaton Moor developed as an affluent late C19 and early C20 railway suburb to Manchester following the opening of Heaton Chapel station on the LNWR's Manchester to Stockport line in 1852. On 7 February 1902 the site of the substation was sold to Manchester Corporation, and the substation was shown on the 1907 Ordnance Survey map. In 1921 the building was vested to Stockport Borough Council in 1921, and in 1953 Stockport vested it to North West Electricity.
The 2 early 1960s single-storey blocks and 2 areas of fenced in machinery against the rear (east) elevation are not of special architectural interest.
REASONS FOR DESIGNATION
The Heaton Moor Road Electricity Substation is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Dated c1902, it is a rare survival of an early example of this particular building type, constructed to enable the provision of a domestic electricity supply to this affluent railway suburb of Manchester
* The Baroque design elevates the building beyond the purely functional, complementing the character of the neighbourhood in which it stands, and through the use of high-quality detailing, notably the relief carving of Manchester Corporation arms, clearly demonstrating a civic pride in its provision
* The architectural treatment of the visible elevations of the building, and retention of the original boundary wall and fencing to the principal road elevations, are an asset to the streetscape.
