CONDUIT HEAD ROAD- ‘WHITE HOUSES’
Conduit Road, Cambridge is home to three more modernist ‘white’ houses; George Checkley’s Willow house of 1932 and the White House of 1930, along with Hugh Hughes’ Salix of 1934. The Conduit Head Road buildings were set in a rural landscape where the three ‘white’ houses were able to have exceptionally large gardens. This setting, in particular that of the Checkley houses, has been threatened by a series of development proposals.
In 1972, the Council granted permission for a block of flats to replace Checkley’s White House of 1930. This meant replacing Cambridge’s first modern movement building, and therefore reflected the changing attitudes of the population on modernist architecture. Nicholas Hellawell, the Consevation officer of 1972, appealed this grant, and persuaded the council to build in the garden. This however, meant the white house is separated from Conduit head road. He also tried to get a new 15 house development (Bradushe Fields) on the east side of Conduit Head Road, but was unsuccessful.
In 1981, Checkley’s Willow house was also threatened. However, after considering the recently introduced ’30 year rule’, a Building Preservation Notice was introduced in 1992. When Checkley’s Willow house was visited, the council reconsidered why the nearby houses, Salix and Willow House, were not also listed. Soon afterwards, due to the quality of its interior, Willow House was listed W, and Salix and White House were listed grade II.
Salix has been refurbished and altered with listed building consent. The refurbishment involved the removal of some internal walls, to provide an open plan kitchen and dining area. Michael Walton, the architect stated that ‘the aim of listing is not to fossilise buildings. In this case the Conservation Officer accepted that needs had changed and was happy that we were extending the life of the house.’ It is clear from this that Walton had the intention to keep the house suitable for those using it. ‘Needs had changed’ over time which meant the house which was built in 1934, no longer functioned in the way it should. The kitchen was originally designed for live-in staff, not the owners themselves.
Willow House has also undergone major repairs. An unsuccessful application was made for English Heritage to help with repairs to the roofs and windows. English Herritage concluded that repairs themselves would be significantly cheaper than the market value of the building with repairs, and therefore there is no justification for a grant. Because of this, the council helped with repairs. When architect John Winter looked at the damage, he decided that the windows were beyond economic repair, and so listed building consent was given to replace the windows.
Salix was designed by Hughes to have a reception hall, cloakroom, drawing room, music room, dining room, kitchen, study and guest room on the ground floor. On the First floor, a master bedroom, 2 further double bedrooms, and a bathroom. Outside, a garage and parking space for several cars can be found, along with 1.42 acres of land. The house is typical of modernist movement architecture and features all the common characteristics.
