Historic England holds the official ‘At Risk’ register of properties in the UK listed as Grade I, II or II* (including places of worship). At the present time this list includes some 5,097 entries, all of which are in need of rescuing.
The charity Save Britain’s Heritage (SAVE) also has a register of buildings that are at risk of being lost, which includes over 1,500 properties. SAVE has had its success stories, which suggests that with some imagination (and funding) many of the properties on their list could be restored and adapted to provide a variety of uses (both residential and commercial).
In a society which is constantly striving to recycle and reduce waste, surely the restoration of historic buildings should be important too? In many ways it would be an environmentally friendly solution (some of the building materials used in newly constructed buildings today, such as steel, plastics, aluminium, and cement, can have toxic effects in the long term).
And more often than not, older buildings come with additional benefits: larger footprints, higher ceilings, and bigger windows, all of which are harder to find in newly constructed properties.
Although potential developers and occupiers may regard a building’s ‘listed’ status as an obstacle, this should not deter them from considering it for development. Whilst restoring or altering listed buildings can be a complex process, it is estimated that there are around 375,000 listed buildings in England, of which only 8% are actually categorised as Grade I (of “exceptional interest”) or Grade II* (of “more than special interest”). The remaining 92% are categorised as Grade II, attract far less scrutiny, and are more likely to be occupied by a homeowner. The key to unlocking the buildings in this latter category is having the necessary information. From a potential developer’s point of view, this means using the right consultants to assist in early engagement with Historic England and the local authority, and provide advice on sources of funding.
The re-development and restoration of historic buildings can bring a number of advantages:
• It can be a more sustainable form of development
• It can bring social, cultural and economic benefits to an urban area (in the form of retail, cafés, art space, office space, and new homes), and therefore increased benefits for local communities
• It can help to restore a community’s pride in its local environment
So as far as our historic buildings are concerned, perhaps it really is time for a renaissance.
Sources
www.savebritainsheritage.org
historicengland.org.uk/advice/heritage-at-risk/findings
See also our Linked In post and accompanying article on Weedon Bec: a historic site which is successfully being restored and repurposed at: https://lnkd.in/gnY3xXz
and https://btsgb.com/news/the-depot-former-royal-ordnance-depot-weedon
Land Hero
If you think there is an ‘At Risk’ property near you that needs love and attention, use Land Hero to draw attention to it and find out about its ownership. Properties at Risk are often left to deteriorate because their owners lack the resources to do anything about them. Land Hero could help you and them:
