Assessment of historic buildings to decide what their heritage significance is, what should be retained and conserved as part of a change of use or new development, and what can be altered or demolished without inappropriate harm to the heritage asset, is essential to help applicants for planning permission or listed building consent achieve their objectives. This is often required even when the building or structure is not nationally or locally listed, and can be needed for industrial and relatively modern buildings, rather than just for what are obviously old and interesting.

 

At HHD&C we can advise on design issues, as well as undertake an initial audit of the building stock to assess risk, and recommend an approach to help with project delivery. As appropriate an assessment of the buildings and their architectural or historic value can be submitted as part of a planning supporting statement, with more intensive studies such as surveys and recording forming part of mitigation as a condition on planning permission. We are familiar with the standard provided by the four levels of recording required by Historic England's Historic Building Recording guide. These levels and guidance are often adopted in the other parts of the UK as well as England, and can be a simple photographic survey with minimal reporting, but range up to Level 4 which includes detailed recording and research as part of the scope.