The Padiham Heritage Appraisal - Burnley Borough Council

Post Office8.5.3 The Post Office, constructed in 1914, was also built byDuxbury. Less detailed but no less impressive than the PoliceStation, its three-storeys of coursed ashlar act as a reference pointwithin the area. Completed sixteen years after the Police Station, itattempted to mirror its classical character by including undecoratedpilasters in the façade and by using similar building materials. Thebuilding is currently vacant. (Plan F).Former Telephone ExchangeThe old Post Office, Station Road8.5.4 The architectural highlights of the Police Station andPost Office are marred by this unsympathetic development foundon the corner of Station Road. The former Telephone Exchangedates from the early 1970s and does not complement or respectthe scale, massing, materials or style of the buildings around it.Located awkwardly between the Post Office and Police Station ona prominent corner site, its white concrete rendering is prominentagainst the surrounding stone-built houses (Plan F).Padiham Leisure Centre and other recreational facilitiesFormer Telephone Exchange, Station RoadPadiham leisure Centre and fountain, Park Road8.5.5 Leisure uses occupy approximately half of the entirecharacter area. Formal facilities include two bowling greensand tennis courts (established in the 1930s) and more recentlyadded swimming baths and Leisure Centre, children’s play area,skateboard park, and ‘Teen Zone’ shelter. In contrast to the baths,smaller structures associated with these activities add detail,diversity and interest to the townscape.8.5.6 Padiham Leisure Centre is the dominant structure withinthe formal recreational area. The design of this late 1960s buildingis functional and there is a lack of activity or interest within itsextensive red brick elevations. Within one of the landscaped areasoutside the baths is an important landmark, a fountain donatedby Ughtred Kay Shuttleworth in 1888 and originally located at thejunction of Victoria Road and Burnley Road. It was moved to theentrance of Whitegate Park, Padiham in 1937 and to its current siteon the opening of the swimming baths in 1969 (Plan F).94 heritage appraisal