Agenda item

(Report to follow)

This report will follow in a Supplementary Papers pack once the report has been published for consideration of the Cabinet.

The Principal Conservation Officer presented the Local Heritage List Strategy report. During the presentation it was highlighted that this report provided an update on progress of the Local Heritage List Strategy adopted in 2016. It was noted that there had been progress in compiling the list, however, there had been issues faced, particularly with the public engagement element of the Strategy. The report therefore asked for an updated version of the Strategy to be approved.

Members’ attention was drawn to the summary of the Local Heritage List Strategy contained within the report which included information regarding the value of heritage assets to local communities. It was noted that Bromsgrove District Plan (2017) acknowledged the importance of adopting a Local List to formally identify the locally important heritage assets within the District.

Officers reported that criteria for inclusion on the Local Heritage List had been identified, and included Age, Authenticity and Rarity, Architectural Interest, Historic Interest, and Townscape / Villagescape / Landscape Interest. Of these criteria, an asset needed to satisfy the first criterion (Age) and at least one of the other four criteria in order to be included on the List.

Historic England provided guidance in respect of Local Heritage Listings. This guidance underscored the importance of community engagement within local heritage listing process. It was explained that prior to the work on the Local Heritage lists for Beoley and Dodford, public consultation events were held to gain public feedback on the draft conservation areas for both Beoley and Dodford. At these events, the Local Heritage Lists were publicised. It was noted by Officers that public response had been limited, however, with only a handful of nominations received from the public. Officers clarified that there were around ten responses in total.

It was reported that in the original Local Heritage List Strategy, nominations for inclusion on the list were to be assessed by an assessment panel which would consider the suitability of the nominated asset against the selection criteria. However, since the original strategy had been adopted, the resource available to the Conservation Team had doubled. This enabled internal benchmarking of the proposed lists to take place. Therefore, the assessment panel’s role had become less relevant compared to the public engagement element, which continued to be considered extremely important. Due to this, it was proposed that the assessment panel be discontinued in favour of a more detailed public engagement.

A further change since the original strategy was adopted in 2016 was the increased use of the Council’s website and social media resources for promotion. Officers explained that this extra resource would be utilised to increase public engagement as part of the proposed update to the process. In addition, there would also be engagement opportunities for local Ward Councillors, Parish Councillors and building owners as part of the new process.

One area highlighted was that a degree of confusion might have been caused when the public was originally being asked to nominate buildings or structures for the Local Heritage List, possibly because there was insufficient explanation of the difference between national and local listing, and what might qualify a building for inclusion on the Local Heritage List. It was hoped that by producing draft lists, which will include details of how the criteria were being met for each proposed structure, residents would be encouraged to suggest other buildings or comment on those proposed for inclusion.

The Principal Conservation Officer stated that heritage assets identified on the local list would be recognised by the Authority as having heritage significance, and would therefore merit consideration in planning matters. When considering planning applications which impact on heritage assets on the local list, the Local Planning Authority (LPA) would be required to take a balanced judgement having regard to the scale of any harm or loss and the significance of the heritage asset, in determining the application.

In terms of how the draft lists would be presented, Officers stated that there would be a half page summary of the heritage asset, which included a brief description, the assessment of criteria and a location map of the site.

It was noted that draft lists had been prepared in respect of Beoley, Alvechurch, Belbroughton and Dodford. These lists added 140 properties to the draft Local Heritage List, and covered a diverse range of properties including houses, schools, village halls, places of worship and canal infrastructure. Work was now underway to prepare draft lists on Bromsgrove, Lickey and Blackwell and Wythall.

Following the presentation of the report, detailed discussion took place on the following aspects:

• Advantages of having a local heritage list – Officers stated that a local heritage list was not compulsory and not all authorities had such a list. However, there were advantages to having the list in that local heritage could be formally identified and its significance taken into account in planning applications affecting the building or the site in question.

• Involvement of Ward Members in identification of local heritage assets – Members expressed disappointment that to date there had been no direct involvement of Ward Councillors in preparing the draft lists. It was argued that Councillors had direct knowledge of their areas and were able to suggest heritage assets to Officers. It was agreed as a recommendation to Cabinet that Ward Councillors be directly involved in the consultation process for the Local Heritage List (LHL) in their respective ward areas. This recommendation was put to the vote and carried. 

• Timeframe for finalization of Bromsgrove’s Local Heritage List (LHL) –Members were of the view that that a final and formalised Local Heritage List would provide an important tool when considering planning applications and would also be a way of promoting heritage assets and thereby attracting visitors to the area. It was agreed for recommendation that a suitable timescale for completing works on the final local heritage list was eighteen months. This recommendation was put to the vote and carried. The Board also agreed that Officers should provide the Board with a quarterly update in respect of progress in compiling the final LHL. A project plan for delivering the final LHL would be provided at the next meeting of Overview and Scrutiny in April 2024.

• Heritage asset designations – It was explained that non-designated heritage assets (NDHA) were buildings, monuments, sites, places, areas or landscapes identified as having a degree of significance meriting consideration in planning decisions because of their heritage interest but which did not meet the criteria for designated heritage assets listing (as defined in Annex 2 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)). As such the NDHA did not carry a heritage asset status in planning applications and was a lower-level recognition of a heritage asset than a Local Heritage List (LHL). In turn, locally listed buildings would include structures which would not quite meet the criteria for being nationally listed (and given legal protection), but which are still of architectural or historical importance in their local area.

• Heritage assets in unparished areas of the District – It was reiterated by Members that unparished areas within the District also needed to be given due consideration as part of the work on the Local Heritage List (LHL). The Chairman pointed to the example of Rubery ward, which had a rich history of local heritage properties such as Nailers’ and Button Cottages. Members reiterated that local Ward Members could provide useful information in respect of the assets within their wards.

RECOMMENDED:

1)    That District Ward Councillors be directly involved in the consultation process for the Local Heritage List (LHL) in their respective ward areas.

2)    That the final Local Heritage List (LHL) for Bromsgrove, covering the whole district, be completed and published within the next 18 months.