Conservation Area (CA)
Regency Square CA
Local Listing Reference
LLHA0106
Description
Built 1938, 10 storey block of flats with commercial premises to the ground floor. Art Deco, with late Victorian and Neo-Classical references. Stone to the ground and first floors, brick above. To King’s Road elevation, two stone square bays rise from 3rd to 7th floor level. Canted bay windows to the Preston Street elevation. 8th to 10th floors are recessed to south and west, giving a ziggurat skyline and providing balconies for these flats. Prominent chimney to east elevation (serving neighbouring building). Sash windows, with a tripartite configuration to the square bays. The building replaced a Victorian building – the New Club – built 1876. Source: Building Opinions website.
A. Architectural, design and artistic interest
ii. A good quality example of a 1930s seafront block of flats, using contrasting stone and brick to good effect.
C. Townscape interest
i. The conservation area is characterised by predominantly Regency formal architecture, set around squares and terraces. Smaller-scale artisan housing is located behind this. Buildings along the seafront are typically larger, grander and more varied, reflected their favourable commercial position. Astra House is, however, of a later date and different style to others on the seafront, and thus atypical of the area.
iii. The building is taller than those in its immediate surroundings. Its height and contrasting architecture makes it a local focal point along the seafront road, marking the entrance to the local shopping centre on Preston Street.
F. Intactness
i. The building appears to retain many of its original features and original design composition, despite the insertion of a later shopfront.
Date of inclusion
2015
