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DALBY SQUARE GARDENS
Landscape redevelopment
2016-18
As part of the Dalby Square Townscape Heritage Initiative we were commissioned to research and propose improvements to the north end of Dalby Square, then a car park since the 1960s. The site had previously been an ornamental garden and tennis courts for the enjoyment of residents since the 1870s. In the 1970s the landscape was adopted by the Council for all to use and enjoy.
The images on the left illustrate the past and present and proposed landscape redevelopment of the square.
Works commenced on site in April 2018 and were completed in the summer, on time and under budget.
LEFT: Proposed Dalby Square entrance and landscaping looking east.
We are also working on two properties to the south of the square, Nos 12 and 20 Arthur Road (see green areas bottom right), also substantially funded by the THI.
No. 12, the former Cecil Hotel is being completely refurbished to become high quality tourist accommodation for up to ten guests. You can read more HERE
ABOVE: In 2013 The Kent Gardens Trust wrote a report into the history of the Square. You can download it by clicking on the icon above.
The images on this horizontal row show the view from the north west corner of the square (Ethelbert Crescent), looking towards Dalby Road in the following three dates: 1910, 2016, and a possible 2017.
Along this horizontal row you can see a view looking north from the existing childrens' playground, towards the sea. The first image is an existing photograph. The next three images are possible different futures. The first is the existing car park with a hedge and tress planted around it; the second is the same but with the car park replaced with grass and a wide pathway, and the third is a fenced Multi-Use Games Area.
The images along this row show the view into Dalby Square from the north on Ethelbert Crescent, looking to the south. The image far left is a photograph from around 1900. Next along is a photograph from the same position in 2016. The closest two images are different possible futures. The first shows the same proposal as the one above it (a car park fringed with planting) and the second also replicated that above it (planting, grass and path).
The two images along this row show examples of what might be achieved if the local community can raise additional funding. Possible ideas people have mentioned so far are: (to the right) fountains, and (far right) an outdoor gym.
All photo-collages produced with the help of Liam Nabb.
Funded by:
The series of images below show various schemes drawn up by us to illustrate ideas that have been generated by the community. We have shown the ideas from the standpoint of historic photographs to show the development of the square over time.
If you would like to comment on the proposals and offer any other thoughts you have please get in touch.
Plan of Dalby Square and surrounding streets, with the Coastal Park and sea to the north, and Northdown Road to the south.
The area to which this tranche of THI resources is allocated is on the right, shaded brown
ABOVE: On October 29th, we invited the community to come to Dalby Square to share their thoughts on how the square can continue to change in a positive way. We set up an exhibition of 35 large boards around the square mounted on easels, 27 of which showed historic images, sited in the position from which they were taken, and 8 showed various proposals we had drawn up, based on people's ideas. Seeing the ideas drawn up as photo-collages makes them very tangible for people to feed back on.
ABOVE: Photograph looking into Dalby Square from the clifftop gardens in the 1870s. The Cliftonville Hotel is in the foreground.
