No 41, Alexandra Road, also known as Woodliffe Villa, Cleethorpes is the latest building to receive a facelift as a result of Townscape Heritage funding.
Work started in March this year to conserve and restore the front facade and return this Grade II listed building to its former glory.
And it’s now been unveiled as the latest project in the £3.8m Townscape Heritage programme to be completed, following in the footsteps of No 33 with the new building and shop frontage, as well as the RAFA building, completed in 2021.
No. 41 is one of the earliest properties along the road, which originally stood on its own and had a front garden.
The property is split into two – a shop on the ground floor and a residential property above.
Built from red brick with a Welsh slate roof, the building also has a single cast iron balcony dating from around 1900 which has been stripped, restored, and returned as part of the project. Working with the University of Lincoln School of History and Heritage Dept, paint analysis revealed blue and cream. These colours have been replicated using RAL5023 Distant Blue with RAL1013 Oyster White for the detailing.
Based on the research by The Scottish Ironwork Foundation, this balcony is by George Wright & Co & Lion Foundry of Kirkintilloch and it is believed to be the only example of its kind to have survived.
As part of the works, the late 20th century shop front has also been replaced with a one that is to the original design and entrance and redecorated using colours chosen as part of the heritage scheme – in this case, RAL7016 (Anthracite Grey) and RAL9003 (Signal White). The shop is currently up for lease.
Additionally, in the residential part of the property, the dormer window has been reinstated (the original was removed in around 50 years ago), along with the replacement of the bay windows and the rainwater channels. The name of the property has also been included in the fanlight of the residential entrance.
Cllr Tom Furneaux, Cabinet member for heritage, said: “This project is really making a difference to how the properties on Alexandra Road look. I’m grateful for the cooperation and input from the property owners, without whom, we couldn’t do this. I hope that, in time, and with more funding, we’ll be able to complete the full stretch along Alexandra Road – it would look absolutely fantastic!”
Discover Cleethorpes Heritage’ is a four-year Townscape Heritage (TH) programme launched in 2018, which has recently been extended to December 2024. The scheme is supported by £1.9m from the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) and £1m from North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC), and circa 900k of 3rd party match funding from the property freeholders/leaseholders.
Article and images from NELC.
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