HERITAGE AND Archaeological ASSESSMENT case studies

Heritage Desk-Based Assessment for modernising a house inside a Scheduled Monument

Our clients own a modern house that was built within earthworks designated as a Scheduled Monument and within sight of several Listed Buildings. The owners wished to update the house by adding a new garden room, rebuilding an extension, the conversion of a garage, the addition of cladding and a range of external landscaping improvements

We produced a Heritage and Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment (HDBA) to assess the proposed development’s potential impact on buried archaeological remains, and on the significance and setting of the surrounding designated heritage assets, in accordance with NPPF, Historic England's guidelines and Stratford-on-Avon District Core Strategy 2011-2031 policy CS.8: Historic Environment.

We were able to show that the proposals could be designed to minimise any potential impact on buried archaeological remains and that there were certain easy-win alterations to the exterior of the house that could reduce the impact of the building on the significance of the designated assets in question and thus off-set any negative impact of the proposed development.

We also advised on the design of the proposed garden room’s foundation, which had been a contentious point for Historic England, and provided the client with several options.

After taking our advice, the client gained Scheduled Monument Consent to make the proposed changes.

Heritage Statement: Farm building conversion

Our clients own a farm in North Warwickshire and wished to convert two Dutch barns and a 19th century shelter shed to residential use. The LPA’s Conservation Officer adjudged that the initial development plans had a detrimental impact on two Listed buildings immediately to the north, and requested that the design be changed and supported by a Heritage Statement.

Our assessment of the  Listed buildings’ setting and significance allowed us to advise the client on changes to the proposed development plans. A Heritage Statement was then written to support the new proposals, which were shown to have a positive impact by bringing redundant buildings back into use, by removing discordant extant features that had a negative impact on the Listed buildings’ setting, and by increasing rural housing provision.

The new application was granted permission. 

Heritage Statement: Grade II Listed early 19th century shop in a Conservation Area 

Our client sought to install a new, cohesive shopfront and undertake internal alterations to a Grade II Listed commercial property located in a city centre Conservation Area. The local Conservation Officer initially raised several concerns and requested a detailed Heritage Statement to assess the proposals and their potential impact on the building’s historic significance.

At ground floor level, the proposals included two new opposing openings to connect the main hallway with adjacent spaces. The Conservation Officer suggested that the original ground floor layout likely featured non-opposing openings and recommended the new design reflect this. However, our Heritage Statement provided evidence that the first and second floors of the building featured opposing openings off the central corridor, and given the building’s Georgian symmetry, it was reasonable to infer that the original ground floor layout followed the same pattern.

We argued that reinstating opposing openings would enhance the building’s legibility and contribute positively to its historic character. This reasoning was accepted by the Conservation Officer, and planning permission and Listed Building Consent was granted.

Heritage Statement: Grade II Listed 18th century house in Conservation Area

Our client wished to demolish rear outbuildings, add a rear extension and alter the frontage of their Grade II Listed, 18th century house in a Conservation Area. 

In our Heritage Statement we were able to show that one outbuilding proposed for demolition was of recent construction, and another radically modified in the 20th century, thus both were of low heritage value. We also found the oriel to the frontage to be of relatively recent origin and were able to support its replacement with a new window much more sympathetic to the building’s original architecture. 

A setting assessment explored the impact of the proposed development on the Conservation Area and surrounding Listed buildings, and found that the removal of the outbuildings and replacement with a sympathetic extension would increase the quality of views to the rear for the house, and that the proposed changes to the frontage were much more in keeping with the surrounding architecture and thus had a beneficial impact on the Conservation Area.

Supported by our Heritage Statement, permission was granted for the planning application.

Heritge Statement: Installation of double glazed windows in a Grade II Listed building

Our client owned part of a Grade II Listed former forge which had been converted to residential use. As part of upgrades to the building to make it fit for modern living, it was proposed to fit double glazed windows. The Planning Officer initially rejected the application and the client commissioned us to produce a Heritage Statement in support of the development.

We produced an assessment of what made the building and its setting significant. We then demonstrated that the use of grey aluminium double glazing and doors would be in keeping with the existing industrial character of the building and would not cause harm to the domestic character of the adjacent Listed buildings. The minor loss of historic fabric did not cause harm to the overall significance of the building in terms of the NPPF, and the visual aspect and sustainability would be enhanced by the improvement to the building’s condition.

The Planning Officer accepted our argument and granted permission. 

Heritage and Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment: Bike Park

Our client wished to install a bike park within an area of local woodland, in order to provide a facility for local children to safely learn cycling skills, improve their health and mental well-being and to provide a community resource. The site had been part of an important WWII American military hospital, and was visited by General Patton before D-Day.  

We produced a Heritage and Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment which showed that the potential for buried archaeological remains within the site predating the WWII hospital was low or unknown, and that the majority of the proposed development would have little impact due to the limited depth of the works. The remains of several hut bases were identified including one which was subsequently converted to a Polish church before demolition.  Indeed, we were able to highlight the importance of both the WWII military hospital and the post-war use of the site for housing Polish soldiers and their families, many of whose descendants still live in the area.

We suggested simple alterations to the proposed plans in order to minimise impact whilst still allowing for the bike park to retain all required features. We also suggested to the client that the impact of the development might, in part, be mitigated by including an element of community engagement in regard to the community’s history. 

With our supporting Heritage and Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment the application was granted planning permission. Part of the development required archaeological monitoring and recording, which we supplied. We also put the client in touch with a community archaeology group who were interested in researching the site, and thus provided further community engagement.