Bad day for the bulldozers T


Thanks to SAVE, demolition isno longer soeasy–now let’schange the heritage law landscape


heshock troopsof thehistoric buildings world, SAVEBritain’sHeritage, have pulledoff nother startling victory. We must congratulatethemfordaring to risktheir fundsontwohighlytechnical courtcasesthathaveledto alandmark


rulingondemolition.The result,hard for the layman to get togripswith,will introduce new planningcontrols over thedemolitionof buildingsand structures, whether listedornot. Asa resultof the AppealCourt judgment,all


philip venning


demolitionsinfuture will be coveredby the European Environmental ImpactAssessmentDirective. This means that any demolition which isjudged tobedamagingto the environment (apart fromminorcases)may require an Environmental Impact Assessment beforeplanningpermission can be considered. Previously, it was possibletoknockdown unlistedbuildingsoutside conservation areas without theprinciple of demolition beingconsidered as a planning issue (in thecase of domestic buildingsthe demolition process and the way a sitewasleftcould require priorapproval). Inspiteof thechange in nationalgovernment, SAVE is stillbattling


to prevent the lossof large areasof 19th-century terracedhousing in placessuchasLiverpool. Quite rightly, SAVE argues that thousands of soundly-builthouses can often bebroughtup to modern standards at less thanthecostof their compulsory purchase, demolition, and replacement. Thoughthe HousingMinister has calledon Liverpool City Council toexplore alternatives to demolition, the Council has recently submittednew demolition proposals. The SAVE victory, which wasonlyachieved on appeal, should now ensure that the full environmentaleffects of the proposed demolitions aretaken into account. Fortunately the complete demolition of a listed buildingis now


rarely approved. Usually it iswhenit has lost everythingthat makes it worth listing,suchasadevastating fire. In conservation areas it may be a bit easier togetconsent to knockdown anunlisted building. The newruling meansthatanEnvironmental Impact Assessment may alsoberequired,giving anextra hurdle to the benefit of the heritageasa whole. The victoryis one small steptowards bringingsome coherenceto


the different lawsand proceduresthatprotect our built heritage. The ill-fated HeritageBill thatwasdroppedbefore the last election had ambitious planstoproduceamuch simpler and clearer system. From itsashes English Heritage continues with what is called Heritage ProtectionReform. One immediate result is anew National Heritage List for England, accessed from the EnglishHeritage website. For the first time thisallows anyone to searchforalisted building, scheduled monument, protected wreck, registeredbattlefield, or registered park and garden all ona single site. Detailsof WorldHeritage Sites as well as current Certificatesof Immunity from Listing and Building Preservation Notices arealso included. The different lawsgoverning the varying types of heritage remain,


PhilipVenningSecretary Matthew SlocombeDeputy Secretary responsible for listed building applications JoyMannMembership Secretary Rachel BowerEducation Secretary, organiser of Scholarship programme DouglasKentTechnical Secretary, responsible for technical enquiries, technical events ElaineByrneEastern Caseworker LucyStewartNorthern Caseworker


2 Cornerstone, Vol 32, No 2 2011


and can onlybechangedwithnewlegislation, likely to be alow priority. But there is scope for some tidyingup.FormanyyearstheSPABhas drawn attention totheoddposition ofscheduled monuments. Whilethenational amenitysocieties, such as the SPAB, have tobe notifiedof works of demolitionor partdemolitionof listedbuildings, there isno suchrequirementover scheduled monuments. Because even minor worksto scheduled monumentsrequire consent–and ahigh proportion are buried archaeological sitesrather than standing structures–most applications willnot


concernus. But every nowandthenthere are proposalsformajor historicbuildings,such asthe remnantsof theformerArchbishop of York’s Palace atSouthwell, whichweonlyhearofby chanceandon whichwehaveno formal right tocomment even if we want to. English Heritagehasbeenwillingto considerachange, and


supporteda pilot project runbytheCouncil forBritish Archaeologyto look intothepracticalities ofallowingthenationalamenity societiesto commenton monument matters. This ranfor threemonthsat the startof this year,andwaslimitedtothe Yorkshireand Humber region. Of the54 cases considered during the trial theCBAonlyidentified one ofconcern, thoughthiswaspart ofa wider development thatalso included partdemolitionof alisted building. Variouspractical obstacles came tolight,suchasthe fact thatat leasthalfof all monumentproposalsinvolvepre-applicationdiscussions,sowill be faradvancedonce aformalsubmissionismade.The timescale for responsescreates anotherdifficulty.However, we dofeel it is somethingworth taking forward,evenif informally. Scheduledsites areparticularlyvulnerable toillegalmetal


detecting, oneof the areastobecoveredbya freshinitiative against heritage crime of allsorts,calledtheAlliance toReduceCrime AgainstHeritage (ARCH). Probably thebiggest current issue isthe theft of lead, particularlyfromroofs.Others includedamaging graffiti onhistoricbuildings,and the theftof architectural features for thesalvagetrade.ARCHhaspowerful backingasit islinked totheCrownProsecutionService, Police Officers’ Association and EnglishHeritage. The SPAB hasaddeditssupport, along withthe NationalTrust,Church ofEnglandand Historic HousesAssociation, and many others. Wildlife crime has a higher profileand the aim is to give heritage


crime equal attention. Among other things, ARCH will create Neighbourhood Planning Mapsand local informationgroups to which heritage bodies cancontribute. For the first time the Association of ChiefPolice Officers is giving a national lead. Of course, protecting remote countrychurches, isolated field barns, and similar historic buildings from the depredationsof the criminal or vandal will always be more amatter of goodluck – someone spotting something suspicious at the right time. Buthighlighting the issue at a national level, backed by neighbourhood action by police forces, should at the very least increase the number or eyes and earsonthelookout.


Louise SimsonPropertiesList Shahina BegumITManager JonathanGarlickTechnicalOfficer MarianneSuhrEducationPromotions JudithLeighWalesOfficer Janet PooleWalesOfficer (secular buildings) Kate GriffinPressOfficer Simon HudsonMillsSection Emily WatnickFinanceManager Claire MartinAssistant EducationOfficer


Cornerstone Volume 32 Number 2 Summer 2011


The Society for the Protection of AncientBuildings 37 Spital Square LondonE1 6DY Telephone 020 7377 1644 Fax 020 7247 5926 Email info@spab.org.uk Webwww.spab.org.uk ISSN 0969-4250


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Naomi HattonNorthernOfficer Sara Crofts, Kate Minnis,DavidJohn Faith in MaintenanceProject Mary PittSPABin Scotland Catherine CullisChurchesOfficer Philippa SoodeenFellowshipProgrammes SophiaMartelliMembership Asst/RegionalGroups Anna Foreshew Administrator/Receptionist MartaGutowska Administrator/Receptionist JoannaMoore NewMedia Co-Ordinator


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