Date issued: 5 August 2019
The public is being invited to take part in a consultation about the selection criteria used to determine which heritage assets should qualify for the Colchester Local List.
The consultation, which began on 4 August, will run for six weeks.
In September 2018, the Local Plan Committee considered a report on the Colchester Local List of non-designated heritage assets in the borough and approved a review of the Local List selection criteria.
The current selection criteria make no provision for heritage assets other than buildings. The revised selection criteria have been expanded to include other types of heritage asset, in accordance with the broad definition of heritage assets in the National Planning Policy Framework and Historic England’s Advice Note 7.
The council is looking to work with the community to agree which criteria should be used to determine what heritage assets are conserved for future generations to enjoy. The new standards would aim to provide a more robust set of ground rules to determine which historic buildings and assets to include on any future list and extend the local area to cover the whole of the borough, not just Colchester and Wivenhoe as it does currently.
The Local List records and safeguards heritage assets which, although not suitable for designation nationally as a Listed Building or Scheduled Monument, are considered historically or architecturally important at a local level. These can include a range of historic assets – from individual buildings and whole streetscapes to single features such as railings, lamp posts or post boxes – which are valued by the local community and make a significant contribution to the character and setting of Colchester and the surrounding villages. Residents can nominate assets for the Local List that they care about.
The Local List for Colchester town was adopted by the Council in 2011, following an identification and selection process by a panel of heritage specialists, the Colchester Historic Buildings Forum. In 2012, the Local List for Wivenhoe, prepared by the Wivenhoe Townscape Forum, was adopted by the council.
Cllr Julie Young, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Business & Culture, said: “With more than 2,000 years of unique and fascinating history to draw upon, our heritage list provides an extra tool to help champion the local historic environment.
“This consultation is your chance to tell us the specifications that should determine what treasures of the past make it onto the list – so I would urge the public to come forward with suggestions and help us to make a Better Colchester.”
To find out more and to take part in the consultation, click here
To download the response form, please click here:
To make a representation, please email local.plan@colchester.gov.uk with the reference to the Local List selection criteria in the header of the email.
Alternatively, consultation responses can be posted to: Planning Policy, Colchester Borough Council, FREEPOST RLSL-ZTSR-SGYA, Colchester, Essex CO1 1ZE.
All responses will be evaluated, and any changes will be made to the selection criteria. A report on the consultation, along with the revised Local List selection criteria, will then be submitted to the Local Plan Committee for scrutiny and eventual adoption.
Page last reviewed: 5 August 2019