Conservation Plans and Significance Statements – Used to set out the significance of a building or site, or in other words define what makes it special. Both start with understanding a building or site’s historical development before stating why it is important and any issues it may be facing. A Conservation Plan will look at the building or site in greater depth, analysing its components. Conservation Plans are particularly suited to understanding or working with a complex site (Conservation Management Plan) or for supporting grant applications, such as to the Heritage Lottery Fund. A Significance Statement is shorter and is suited to simpler buildings or sites. They are often required for or beneficial for submission with a planning or listed building application affecting a heritage asset.
Conservation Area Appraisals are similar in structure to Conservation Plans as they define the significance of an area, set against a background understanding of its historic development and any issues it may face. A Conservation Area Management Plan will go further, defining policies for improvement and making other recommendations. Most Conservation Area Appraisals are written for local authorities, but they can also be very useful for private developers who want to demonstrate that they have a conservation led approach to a particular project.
Heritage Impact Assessments are used demonstrate the affect that a particular proposal has on a historic building or site. They are highly beneficial to planning and listed building consent applications, particularly where the site is sensitive and the proposal may be considered controversial. They can be commissioned at any stage but early involvement would generally mean that advice can be given during the design process and any adverse affects on historic assets could be minimised or mitigated before an application goes in.
Periodic Inspections, such as Quinquennials are a very useful way of regularly keeping track of a building’s condition, enabling forward planning for likely expenditure within the intervening period. Advice would also be given regarding matters such as disabled access, fire prevention / escape and potential architectural improvements.
Other reports such as Access Plans, can be highly beneficial in providing an independent and balanced judgment on matters such as how disabled access can be successfully integrated into a historic building in the most sensitive way.
Examples of Relevant Experience (most at Donald Insall Associates):
Conservation Plans and Significance Statements: Rochdale Town Hall, Ruthin Castle, Briars Hey (Near Liverpool)
Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Plans: Northwich, Wirral (various including Thornton Hough, Rock Park and Eastham) and Sefton (various)
Heritage Impact Assessments: Major schemes in Liverpool affecting setting of the World Heritage Site and numerous highly listed buildings (Mann Island, Liverpool Central Station and Liverpool Lime Street)
Inspections: Current and past clients include the Diocese of Chester and Her Majesty’s Court Service
Other Reports: Halton Castle Access Plan