Heritage at Risk in Essex Register 2011
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Heritage at Risk in Essex 2011 The Heritage at Risk Register contains details of Heritage Assets known to be ‘at risk’ through neglect and decay, or vulnerable to becoming so. The 2011 register builds on the expansion of the 2010 register to include Register Parks and Gardens, Local Lists, Conservation Areas and the buildings. Although the main focus remains on buildings, the whole of the historic environment is encompassed in the register. The objective of the Register is to highlight the plight of heritage assets which are at risk, and initiate action towards securing their long-term conservation. In many cases, such action would be best brought about by a change of owner, and any individual or group seriously contemplating acquiring a building listed as For Sale in the Register should contact the relevant conservation officer listed under Contact. The Register is not, however, intended as a marketing document and those who wish to acquire an “old building” to restore may be best served by contacting local estate agents. There are a number reasons why a heritage asset becomes ‘at risk’, and whilst each individual case is unique, there are some recurring factors. While willful neglect and the refusal to repair are the most obvious causes, changes in industry, technology, demography and governmental legislation can lead to buildings becoming functionally redundant and at risk. Location can be another cause of a heritage asset becoming ‘at risk’. A heritage asset may be blighted by its surroundings, through changes in economy or as a result of insensitive development. Re-use of buildings within the curtilage of a larger building on private land can present problems, particularly if restrictions in access onto or within the site preclude a change of ownership. A different sort of problem is posed by buildings situated within areas classed as economically deprived. Here, however, the repair and reuse of historic buildings can act as a catalyst for regeneration and there are many examples where run-down buildings have been transformed into desirable living and working spaces, securing the future of the building and providing social and economic benefits to the wider community. As such, these restorations can play an important role in sustainability and contribute through sympathetic schemes, quality and character to the local environment. When a new use for a redundant building is identified, proposals should be sustainable and sympathetic to the buildings historic and architectural integrity. Conservation staff listed in the Contacts will be able to advise on how to conserve and best repair these vulnerable historic structures and bring them back into use. The 2011 Register The number of ‘heritage assets ‘at risk’ in 2011 is given in Table 1, along with the 2010 and 2009 figures for comparison. It should be borne in mind that the Register addresses a ‘moving target’ and as some heritage assets are repaired and taken off, others become ‘at risk’ and are added. While the success of the Register may be measured in the number of heritage assets added, both the success and failure of the actions taken to conserve these heritage assets is reflected in the numbers removed (Table 2). The tables displayed below provide a useful ‘snapshot’ of the present situation within the county. I Table 1. Heritage at Risk 2011 Administrative At Risk Area 2011 2010 2009 Basildon 3 3 4 Braintree 22 19 21 Brentwood 8 9 9 Castle Point 0 0 0 Chelmsford 22 25 15 Colchester 41 48 49 Epping Forest 24 23 23 Harlow 4 4 2 Maldon 12 15 10 Rochford 8 8 7 Southend 16 17 8 Tendring 35 33 26 Thurrock 13 17 17 Uttlesford 14 18 16 TOTAL 222 239 207 Table 2. Heritage Assets removed and added from the BARR 2010- 2011 by District Administrative No Longer At Risk Newly At Risk Area 2011 2010 2009 2011 2010 2000 Basildon 0 1 0 0 0 2 Braintree 0 2 2 3 0 0 Brentwood 1 0 0 0 0 0 Castle Point 0 0 0 0 0 0 Chelmsford 4 0 0 4 10 3 Colchester 9 2 0 3 1 13 Epping Forest 0 0 0 1 0 0 Harlow 0 0 0 0 2 0 Maldon 2 0 1 1 5 0 Rochford 0 0 0 0 1 0 Southend 3 0 0 2 9 7 Tendring 0 3 2 2 10 0 Thurrock 3 0 0 0 0 0 Uttlesford 4 0 0 0 2 0 TOTAL 26 8 5 16 40 25 To put the present situation into a wider context, the 194 statutorily designated heritage assets currently ‘at risk’ comprise 1.4% of the total 14,637 in Essex. Comparison on a national level is presently not possible as outside London, English Heritage only publish figures for grade I, II* Listed Buildings and Scheduled Ancient Monuments. The Essex II statistics however, show that 22 or 2.2% of the 14314 grade I, II* & II listed buildings in the county are currently ‘at risk’. This figure falls just over the 1.8% to 2.1% figure published for the East of England, South-East and South West and is considerably lower than the national statistic of 3.1%. Table 3. Buildings at Risk by Priority Administrative 2011 2010 Area A B C D E F A B C D E F Basildon 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 Braintree 8 0 6 1 4 2 8 0 5 2 4 0 Brentwood 3 0 4 1 0 0 4 0 4 1 0 0 Castle Point 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Chelmsford 2 0 13 6 0 0 3 1 11 9 1 0 Colchester 13 2 19 4 2 1 13 1 23 7 2 1 Epping Forest 6 2 11 0 2 3 6 2 12 0 2 1 Harlow 1 0 1 2 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 Maldon 4 1 6 1 2 0 4 1 6 1 3 0 Rochford 0 0 4 4 0 0 0 0 4 4 0 0 Southend 2 1 13 0 0 0 3 1 12 0 1 0 Tendring 15 0 16 1 0 2 14 0 16 1 0 2 Thurrock 6 0 5 0 2 0 10 0 5 0 2 0 Uttlesford 5 0 5 3 0 0 8 0 6 4 0 0 TOTAL 66 6 104 23 12 9 76 6 106 29 15 5 Although the buildings recorded on the Register are in a constant state of flux, there is a substantial decrease in the total number ‘at risk’ between 2010 and 2011. This very positive change mainly represents the efforts of some very successful conservation and repair programs, although as always there are a few sad cases of buildings having been demolished. The most significant removal from the list is in Colchester, where a total of 9 buildings have been removed from the Register due to repairs having been carried out successfully. The building at 9 North Hill, which was on the register since 2009 and was suffering from damage to the brickwork has now been repaired and has been turned into a restaurant. The Cave/Ice House at Braxted Park was also removed following the recent completion of major structural repairs, supported with financial assistance from English Heritage and Maldon District Council. On a sadder note, the unlisted Hope Inn, in the Tollesbury Conservation Area in Maldon district, was demolished after being on the Register for just one year. Notable additions to the register include St Osyths Park in Tendring, which is the first Registered Park and Garden in Essex to be added to the County Heritage at Risk Register and the Conservation Area in Sible Hedingham. Buildings removed October 2010 - October 2011 Brentwood Stabling at Church of All Saints Colchester III Building to rear of 51 North Hill – consent granted for conversion to hotel; currently being implemented. 1-3 Museum Street – repaired and now reopened as a restaurant. 9 North Hill – currently being repaired; shortly to reopen as a restaurant. 29/30 Stockwell Street – repaired and occupied. Stockwell Arms – currently being repaired and shortly to re-open. Stable blocks at Garrison – Lec 7 converted and occupied, Lec 06 currently under repair. Riding School – consent granted for conversion to medical centre; currently being refurbished. Former Adult School – converted and now occupied. St Albrights – currently being converted to residential use. Maldon The Cave/Ice House at Braxted Park - removed following recent completion of major structural repair supported with financial assistance from English Heritage and Maldon District Council The Hope Inn - hassadly been demolished. Southend The drill shed - renovated for storage and distribution purposes. Officer Mess – planning permission granted for conversion to residential. 19 St Vincent’s road - planning permission for conversion into flats now being implemented. Thurrock Barn NE of Cleres Hall - has been demolished. High House Purfleet - no longer at risk. High House dovecot - no longer at risk. The Barn at High House Purfleet - no longer at risk. Buildings Added July 2009 - August 2010 Braintree Outbuilding to rear of 3-5 St James Street, Castle Hedingham IV Conservation Area at Risk - Swan Street, Sible Hedingham Chelmsford McMillons Cottages, Boreham. The Chapel and Admin block, Runwell Hospital, Runwell. Barn at the Bear PH, Stock. Colchester Grosvenor Hotel, Maldon Road, Colchester Boundary wall to Greyfriars, East Hill, Colchester May Days, Land Lane, Colchester (severely damaged by fire). Epping Thrift Cottage, Sewardstone Road, Waltham Abbey. Maldon Wall at Braxted Park, Great Braxted Tendring St Osyths Park, Registered Park and Garden.