HERITAGE & REGENERATION – HOW TO BALANCE RENEWAL WITH SENSE OF PLACE Daniel Dodds, Principal Heritage Consultant for AB Heritage Ltd looks at some of the issues that developers and other stakeholders should consider when factoring in heritage works as part of urban regeneration schemes.
Lockside Mill, repurposed. Greater Manchester
Government Planning reforms that came into force this Autumn, include changes to permitted development rights to allow for Permission in Principle on land earmarked for renewal and growth and changes to allow upwards extension to existing buildings. The Government plans to retain protection for heritage and archaeology under provisions within the planning process. Crucially these protections will ensure that heritage buildings remain a key pillar in the development of new vibrant spaces in our cities, towns, and villages. But within a scheme, what does heritage management mean for developers, and what services are available to help manage cherished community assets?
Local Character and a Sense of Place Many towns in the country have suffered economically since post industrialisation. This led in many cases to significant adverse changes in demand for space in key historic buildings such as former mills, warehouses, and wharves. Town centres also suffered with a severe drop in footfall on our High Streets. Despite these privations, a great many of our historic buildings survive and remain cherished landmarks within their communities, providing local character and unique sense of place. The very best modern urban developments have repurposed older buildings alongside new builds, to present bold new visions and sense of place for communities to share into the future.
A key message from developers of successful regeneration schemes is to build a highly skilled and motivated team of experts early in the process, that can effectively communicate the vision of the development to all stakeholders – be they financiers or local authority stakeholders. Urban regeneration projects should bring the local communities on board. Seeking the views and desires of what the host community would like from regeneration, can provide designers with innovative ideas of how existing heritage buildings can be incorporated within exciting new schemes. Schemes that gather the ideas and vision of a wide range of stakeholders will inevitably be stronger for it, producing developments that create and enhance a sense of place.
Re-purposing for Sense of Place The ability to successfully re-purpose older buildings for modern, sustainable purposes can be key to their long-term viability and can add to the economic life and social cohesion of a place.
Bristol development which has responded well to the adjacent historic buildings
10 Construction UK Magazine - October 2020
Daniel Dodds When designing wider plans, consider whether your regeneration plans avoid standalone ‘nice’ historic buildings being conserved but within an island of inappropriate development, isolated from any real context and community purpose. The Ritz Cinema in Wallsend (below) is a great example of sympathetic development, where an important Art Deco Cinema that had come to the end of its commercial life as a cinema and bingo hall was converted into a Wetherspoon’s Pub utilising the
The Bull, Birmingh in unrelat