Architect in Cambridgeshire
Heritage Site Consultancy
Looking after heritage sites involves more than just repairs and conservation of the building fabric. It also requires an understanding of the history of a place and its significance. The conversion and alteration of listed buildings that will require material change need to be supported with information not just about the age of the building or the area that will be intervened. It requires an objective assessment of its significance, which can be aesthetic, technical, historical, archaeological, spiritual, etc. and how the proposals might impact the site positively, negatively or might be neutral.
Statements of Significance, Conservation Plans, Heritage Impact Assessments are individual documents prepared during the understanding phase to inform the design process; they are working documents, not just an end-product. When applying for statutory consents, one of these documents is usually submitted to demonstrate to the local authority that the proposals are sympathetic to the heritage site, preserving and enhancing its significance.
Tracing the History of Your Listed Property
These days it is simpler to find the history of your listed property by searching some of the records now available online, either free or for a fee. An excellent place to start is Historic England's web page that gives you basic information on how to undertake your investigation.
However, if you prefer to leave the research to a building historian, please get in touch!
The TAS Tracing History Report is a comprehensive, fully illustrated document that, depending on the information available, contains a list of past owners, old photos, newspapers cuts, old maps, history of planning applications and even a phasing plan. All of this information will tell you the history of your property through the centuries.