These original university buildings, which make up the heart of the campus, were given listed building status in 1993. In total there are eight listed buildings on campus, one at Grade I and the other seven at Grade II*. Falmer House is one of only two educational buildings in the UK to be Grade I listed in recognition of its exceptional interest. Proposals for a listed building heritage partnership agreement covering the eight Grade I and Grade II* listed buildings at the University of Sussex are progressing well. Developing out of 20 years’ experience with management guidelines which converted easily into a non-statutory HPA, the LBHPA is a natural progression which will give the university greater certainty and flexibility in the management of its buildings. Like the management guidelines that preceded them, the LBHPA is relatively brief and workmanlike. It is divided into two parts, with several annexes. The first lists the parties to it, and gives a brief statement of significance, followed by the works consented under the agreement and the certificates of lawful proposed works which it also details. Part 2 gives the terms of the LBHPA, its period – currently proposed as ten years with reviews in the fourth and ninth years – and the basis of the agreement (including review and modification, records and revocation). Part 1 of the agreement also categorises the work:
The partners to the LBHPA have long worked relatively flexibly and there is no intention to try to cover all possible eventualities in the LBHPA, especially as experience has shown that buildings and spaces can pass out of use relatively quickly. The chemistry laboratories which Spence designed, for example, are now almost totally redundant, while the university’s overriding need is now for computer rooms. The watchwords for the LBHPA are therefore partnership, brevity and flexibility. With these, certainty and a reduction in unnecessary process should continue to be possible. CASE STUDY 2Little Germany, Bradford English Heritage and Bradford Metropolitan District Council have worked as partners on a number of initiatives to foster the regeneration of Bradford’s city centre and inner city suburbs. Since 2012 the Little Germany area has been identified for special attention. It abuts the stalled Westfield Broadway retail development and its unique townscape has suffered some decline as a result of the hiatus on the neighbouring site.
Little Germany is arguably the most impressive merchant quarter in Yorkshire. It developed in the mid-19th century as a result of Bradford’s manufacture of textiles, which were highly desirable to the continental market. German merchants, in particular, were keen to trade in the town and established themselves outside the centre on undeveloped glebe land (farmland assigned to an incumbent clergyman), in easy reach of both the railway station and the Bradford spur of the Leeds Liverpool Canal. The area eventually became known as Little Germany. The area was developed fairly rapidly during the 1860s and 1870s and the architectural character therefore has an unusual uniformity of colour, style and function. Despite this, the majority of the buildings were built individually and have unique features, expressing the status and wealth of those who commissioned them. This townscape is harmonious in size, scale, texture and colour, enlivened by eclectic detailing. The office (or chambers) and warehouse buildings of Little Germany are generally in a neoclassical Italian Palazzo style, using local, honey-coloured sandstone. Around 50 of them are listed. As with any new powers, there was initially some uncertainty about how an LLBCO could help Bradford’s aspirations for the area, but during 2013 English Heritage and the city council worked together to explore how this could be done to allay developers’ fears that LBC can be an obstacle to change. An LLBCO came to be seen as a potentially very useful tool for unlocking listed buildings which were vacant, under-occupied and in need of new investment. With the help of Little Germany Action (a community organisation which promotes the interests of the area’s businesses and residents) English Heritage prepared a draft LLBCO covering Little Germany and consenting the necessary changes to bring these buildings back into beneficial reuse. The order recognises the differing degrees of significance of the external and internal elements of the buildings covered and is appropriately conditioned to ensure that elements of the highest significance, including principal street elevations, staircases, entrances, corridors and rooms, including fixtures, fittings and decorative features, are afforded the highest degrees of protection. It is vital that the order is based on this understanding so that it strikes the right balance between facilitating change and protecting what is special. At the time of writing, officers were preparing to gain the city council’s approval to start consultation on the making of an LLBCO for Little Germany, which could be in place by the spring of 2015. English Heritage and the city council will engage with the development community to explain how the LLBCO will simplify and speed up the approval process and so help bring the buildings of Little Germany back into use. English Heritage is also working with Maldon District Council on an LBHPA for Stow Maries in Essex, the most complete World War I airfield in Britain where an LBHPA will facilitate a programme of repairs by volunteers to the Grade II* listed huts. The introduction of heritage partnership agreements granting LBC or scheduled monument consent was the subject of the 2013 public consultation on improvements to the Welsh heritage system, and were generally well received. A Welsh heritage bill is scheduled for introduction to the National Assembly for Wales in spring 2015. There don’t appear to be any plans to follow this approach in Scotland or Northern Ireland. ~~~ Further InformationEnterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (ERR) Regulations for listed building heritage partnership agreements (LBHPAs) EH advice note on drawing up LBHPAs Regulations for local listed building consent orders (LLBCOs) EH advice note on drawing up LLBCOs EH briefing note for national listed building consent orders (NLBCOs)
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The Building Conservation Directory, 2015 AuthorSARAH BUCKINGHAM MSc DipTP MRTPI FSA works in the Government Advice Team of English Heritage on reform of heritage protection systems. Originally an archaeologist, she has worked in planning and conservation in local authorities and at English Heritage for over 25 years. RICHARD MORRICE PhD IHBC FSA is the senior better heritage protection adviser at English Heritage, developing EH’s Good Practice Advice to complement the NPPF and PPG, with policy responsibility for setting issues. He is chairman of Canterbury DAC and for many years was inspector of historic buildings covering Kent and East Sussex. He is also treasurer of the IHBC. CRAIG BROADWITH BA DipProfPracArch PGCertHeritMan is English Heritage’s historic places adviser for Yorkshire. He works with communities, parishes, local authorities and regional bodies advising on the conservation and promotion of the historic environment. Previously he was principal conservation officer for Sheffield City Council. Further informationRELATED ARTICLES
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