Sitting to the north of Highfields and centred around Spinney Hill Park, Spinney Hills is an inner city area of Leicester, England. The railway line forms its western boundary, while Northfields lies to the north, North Evington to the east, and the main body of Highfields stretches away to the south. The area also functions as a ward of the City of Leicester, recording a population of 25,561 at the 2011 census.
Spinney Hill Park
The 34-acre (14 ha) park was laid out in 1885 on a gently sloping site, with the specific intention of giving the east side of a rapidly expanding Leicester access to open parkland. The town had opened Abbey Park to the north in 1882, converted Victoria Park from a racecourse in 1883, and would go on to open Western Park in 1887 – meaning that within five years, the growing suburbs on all sides of the town had been provided with parks and recreational spaces. The land was purchased from a Mr C.S. Burnaby in March 1886 for £18,000, and John Burns oversaw the laying out of paths, planting, and early infrastructure. The formal opening was performed on 24 August 1886 by Mrs Hart, wife of the then Mayor, Israel Hart. In more recent years, a Heritage Lottery Fund grant allowed significant improvements to the park, including a new infinity garden, a reading mound, upgraded paths, improvements to the stream running through the site, and new seating and furniture.
Conservation Area
In 1982 the area covering the whole park and the properties facing onto it was designated the Spinney Hills Park Conservation Area. This designation extends southward along Mere Road and takes in the buildings around the Mere Road, Hartington Road, and St Saviours Road junction at the north-west corner. A year later, in 1983, the Conservation Area was granted Article 4 status, which means planning permission is required for alterations to houses such as replacing windows, doors, or roofing. The houses that face the park were largely built between 1890 and 1910, following the inclusion of Spinney Hills within the town boundary in 1892. The plots fronting the park carried particular prestige, and the houses built there were accordingly larger and more varied in design than those on surrounding streets. It is this relationship between the Victorian and Edwardian housing and the parkland that the planning protection is intended to preserve.