Managing Local Authority Heritage Assets Advice for Local Government Summary The guidance is primarily aimed at local authority asset managers and is intended to raise the profile of heritage assets and to provide a framework of ‘best practice’ for their care. It is pragmatic and practical guidance which local authorities can use as they see fit and integrate into their own management arrangements. It contains a set of ‘tool kits’ which local authorities are encouraged to modify and use to suit their local circumstances. The changing nature of local government and the resource pressures it is facing means that the management and treatment of heritage assets will require more innovative approaches – both to safeguard them for the future and to bring them into productive use. The guidance emphasises the need to think broadly and creatively about the options for heritage assets by illustrating what is possible through reference to case studies. This guidance note has been written and developed by NPS Property Consultants Ltd (NPS) http://www.nps.co.uk/ This document replaces Managing Local Authority Heritage Assets: Some guiding principles for decision-makers published by English Heritage in June 2003. This edition published by Historic England August 2017. All images © Historic England unless otherwise stated. HistoricEngland.org.uk/advice/planning/local-heritage/local-authority-resources/ Front cover: Hull City Hall: Hull City Council’s programme of reducing the number of its operational buildings has seen them bring a nationally important historic warehouse back into use for council staff. (See the Hull City Council case study on page 25). Contents 1 The Importance of Heritage .........2 4 Plan .............................................9 1.1 Definition ......................................................2 4.1 Raising the profile of heritage ....................9 1.2 Why heritage matters ..................................2 4.2 Heritage and asset management planning .....................................................10 1.3 Local authority responsibilities ..................3 Case Study: Gloucester City Council - 1.4 Current operating context for including heritage in AMPs ........................12 local government .........................................4 4.3 Developing a heritage strategy .................12 2 Framework for Managing Case Study: Nottingham City Council – Heritage Assets ............................5 Heritage Asset Strategy .............................14 3 Identify........................................7 5 Manage .....................................16 3.1 Understanding what you own .....................7 5.1 The basis for management .......................16 Case study: Heritage in West Berkshire ......7 5.2 Action plan .................................................16 3.2 Heritage asset data ......................................8 5.3 Maintenance ...............................................16 Case Study: Poole Borough Council – Maintenance of Heritage ...........................17 5.4 Conservation ..............................................18 5.5 The need for expertise ...............................19 5.6 Link between conservation and asset management .............................22 6 Implement ................................23 Case Study: Bristol City Council – Know Your Place ........................................33 6.1 Retain in original use .................................23 6.9 Disposal of heritage assets .......................34 Case Study: Norwich City Council – City Hall ......................................................23 Case Study: Manchester City Council – Cemetery Lodges, Philips Park .................34 6.2 Putting assets into alternative use ...........25 6.10 Adapting heritage assets for housing .......36 Case Study: Hull City Council – Warehouse No. 9 ........................................25 Case Study: London Borough of Haringey – Tottenham Town Hall 6.3 Transferring assets into and Isobel Place .........................................36 community ownership ...............................26 Case Study: London Borough Case Study: Wells Maltings Trust – of Tower Hamlets – The Maltings ...............................................27 Redevelopment of Poplar Baths ...............38 6.4 Using heritage assets to create a sense of place .........................................28 7 Review ......................................39 Case Study: Portsmouth City Council – 7.1 Reporting ....................................................39 The Hotwalls Studios .................................28 7.2 Performance measurement ......................39 6.5 Supporting community vibrancy and engagement ........................................30 8 Working Together ......................40 Case Study: Birmingham City Council – Redevelopment of Stirchley Baths ...........30 8.1 Key issues in collaborative working .........40 6.6 Working in partnership ..............................31 Case Study: Growth Lancashire – Heritage Investment Strategy 2015-20 .....41 Case Study: Manchester City Council – Victoria Baths .............................................31 9 Further Reading ........................43 6.7 Investment to ensure protection ..............32 6.8 Promoting access to heritage assets ........32 10 Acknowledgements ...................44 Case Study: Stockton-on-Tees Council – Heritage Website ........................................32 < < Contents iv Introduction Local authorities own a rich and diverse set The changing nature of local government and of heritage assets. These assets are important the resource pressures it is facing means that the in creating the uniqueness that make our management and treatment of heritage assets communities vibrant places in which to live, work will require more innovative approaches – both and play. However, these assets can sometimes to safeguard them for the future and to bring be seen as liabilities, inflexible in terms of use and them into productive use. This advice is written costly to maintain – particularly when resources for local authority asset managers in order to are scarce and when there is pressure to view raise the profile of heritage assets, to provide a assets in terms of their performance (utilisation, framework of ‘best practice’, and to demonstrate cost and commerciality etc). Local authority asset through the use of case studies what is possible. managers have a responsibility to ensure that It is intended to be pragmatic and practical heritage assets receive a strong management guidance which local authorities can use as they focus in order that the benefits they can provide see fit to integrate into their own management are realised. arrangements. It contains a set of practical ‘tool kits’ which local authorities are encouraged to modify and use to suit their local circumstances. iv < < Contents 1 1 The Importance of Heritage 1.1 Definition In some areas, local planning authorities have also created ‘local lists’ of non-designated heritage A heritage asset is defined by the National assets. Under Planning Practice Guidance: Planning Policy Framework as being: “Local planning authorities may identify non- “a building, monument, site, place, area or designated heritage assets. These are buildings, landscape identified as having a degree of monuments, sites, places, areas or landscape significance meriting consideration in planning identified as having a degree of significance decisions, because of its heritage interest. Heritage meriting consideration in planning decisions, but assets include designated heritage assets and are not formally designated heritage assets” assets identified by the local planning authority (including local listing).” For this advice the widest interpretation of heritage assets has been adopted including both There are a number of categories of designated designated and non-designated assets. heritage assets used in England: World Heritage Sites 1.2 Why heritage matters Scheduled Monuments Heritage assets play an important role in terms of our prosperity, our health, our education and our Listed Buildings civic pride. For these reasons alone they deserve a critical focus of attention. Protected Wreck Sites The value and impact of heritage assets is Registered Parks and Gardens highlighted in the annual publication of Heritage Counts (published by Historic England on Registered Battlefields behalf of the Historic Environment Forum). Heritage Counts has shown that 87% of people Conservation Areas believe that better quality buildings and public spaces improve quality of life; 90% believe that investment in the historic environment make their area a better place; and 92% believe that investment in historic-led regeneration raised pride in their area. < < Contents 2 been acquired for a variety of reasons over a long Why heritage is important time; but particularly associated with the growth of local government during the late nineteenth Heritage is important for a variety of reasons, and early twentieth centuries when the number including: of councils and range of functions undertaken grew, necessitating new types of buildings. They Sense of place range from iconic buildings of national interest to heritage provides the unique character that locally significant buildings used in the provision helps to make communities distinctive of community services and parks and gardens. Economic prosperity Councils have an important role in the management heritage attracts visitors and these in