Our Services
Below is an overview of the services we provide at Adapt Heritage. Further information can be found under each heading.
Heritage Advice, Strategy & Consultation
Adapt Heritage is underpinned by the belief that heritage assets can be changed and adapted so that they can continue to be viable and used by future generations, whilst maintaining what is important about them.
In developing proposals, it is crucial to understand the significance of heritage assets and what aspects are more or less susceptible to change. Showing Councils and key consultees that a proposal has been shaped and developed around significance helps maximise the chances of a successful application. It can also sometimes help promote greater intervention to a building.
Adapt Heritage can provide the following:
Initial Heritage Appraisals: providing an understanding of the significance and setting of heritage assets and what aspects can be readily changed.
Heritage Advice: detailed or initial heritage advice to inform development proposals including factors such as design, layout and materials.
Initial Scheme Reviews: review of development proposals, strategy advice and prospects of success.
Pre-Application Consultation: assist with or lead liaison with local planning authorities and statutory consultees.
Assessments of Significance & Heritage Statements
Assessments of Significance are an important tool in understanding what is important about a specific heritage asset (or multiple assets). An asset can have similar characteristics as others but typically, each site is different and unique. Once the significance of an asset has been established, it can then be used to inform proposals and improve chances of success at application stage.
This assessment forms the baseline of a Heritage Statement (also referred to as a Heritage Impact Assessment or Heritage Assessment) which is required by Councils under the National Planning Policy Framework.
The final section of a Heritage Statement is the impact assessment which assesses the impact of the proposals against the significance of a heritage asset. Some schemes may cause ‘harm’ to a heritage asset but this is always reduced or avoided when significance is assessed at the outset and has informed a scheme. The Heritage Statement is a crucial technical report that supports and underpins a planning application or application for listed building consent.
Adapt Heritage are well versed in all building typologies and periods of architecture, ranging from medieval farmhouses, 19th century textile mills and warehouses to 20th century commercial office buildings. Our assessments can range from a summary of a site’s significance to more detailed and forensic assessment depending on the level of change and works proposed. This is underpinned through inspection of the building or site and archival research at a Historic Environment Record (HER) and/or local archives.
Heritage Appraisals to Support Land Promotion
Similar to Assessments of Significance and Heritage Statements, a Heritage Appraisal is more bespoke and assesses the significance of a heritage asset (or multiple heritage assets) but with a particular focus on heritage ‘setting’. This is described in national planning policy and by Historic England as:
"The surroundings in which a heritage asset is experienced. Its extent is not fixed and may change as the asset and its surroundings evolve. Elements of a setting may make a positive or negative contribution to the significance of an asset, may affect the ability to appreciate that significance or may be neutral.”
Adapt Heritage are specially qualified to assess the significance of a heritage asset and the contribution made by setting, whether positive, negative or neutral. We utilise best practice guidance set by Historic England to understand historic, functional and visual relationships between assets and their environs. Our Heritage Appraisals include heritage and design advice which can be fed into the design and layout of a residential development. It can include potential mitigation measures (planting/screening/bunding) and where this may or may not be successful.
The Heritage Appraisal can be used to support representations, land promotions within an emerging Local Plan or a call for sites.
Planning & Listed Building Consent Applications
Adapt Heritage can lead or provide assistance on the preparation and submission of formal planning applications to Local Planning Authorities. We have considerable experience of leading, co-ordinating and preparing applications for listed building consent and advising on the other supporting information required. Adapt Heritage have positive working relationships with officers and key consultees across the country.
Subject to the extent of works proposed, we can also assist with Scheduled Monument Consent which is a separate application process managed by Historic England.
Adapt Heritage can assist with the following:
Applications for Listed Building Consent
Advice on planning applications involving a heritage asset
Scheduled Monument Consent
Heritage advice on works which may or may not require consent
Liaison with Local Planning Authorities and Historic England
Heritage Environmental Statement Chapters
Adapt Heritage have strong experience of contributing Built Heritage or Cultural Heritage chapters to an Environmental Statement (ES) as part of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). An EIA is where a potential scheme has the potential to cause a significant environmental effect on specific disciplines.
Our chapters are prepared in accordance with best practice guidance set by ICOMOS, Historic England and the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA). We regularly work as part of a multi-disciplinary team and provide robust and accurate assessments. We can also provide inputs into a Scoping Report where we can scope out the requirement for a Built Heritage chapter subject to the development proposed and potential effects.
Building Recording & Written Schemes of Investigation
Building Recording or ‘Historic Building Surveys’ are typically required where works are proposed to alter or demolish a historic building (designated or non-designated) and a record is required before the works can commence. The aim is that it provides a record of the building as it currently stands. Building recording is typically the subject of a planning condition on a planning permission or listed building consent.
Building recording involves a photographic survey, a drawn record of the building and a building survey detailing the history of the site. There are four levels of recording in accordance with best practice guidance set by Historic England. These are as follows:
Level 1 – A basic photographic record
Level 2 – A summary written & photographic record
Level 3 – An analytical written, drawn & photographic record
Level 4 – A detailed analytical written, drawn & photographic record
Adapt Heritage have a track record of preparing proportionate and detailed building records and written schemes of investigation which meet the level of information required by the Council. We can liaise with the local authority and offer support and guidance to the client along the process to ensure the relevant planning condition is discharged.
Spot-Listing, De-Listing & Certificates of Immunity
Anyone can nominate a building to be included on the statutory list (also known as ‘spot-listing’) through their website with supporting information. Historic England will process each request but those which are urgent (i.e. a building proposed for demolition) are assessed quicker than others. It is important that this process is managed carefully with Historic England and an independent assessment of significance should ideally be undertaken concurrently to verify the listing assessment to ensure it is accurate.
De-listing is a separate process where you nominate a building which is already included on the statutory list, to be removed. This could be due to new evidence being made available about the lack of special architectural or historic interest of a building, or a material change of circumstances. This can be successfully achieved but is not a common process and a clear case needs to be put forward. We can review your building and see whether a case can be made for de-listing based on the criteria set by Historic England.
Certificates of Immunity from Listing (known as ‘COIs’) can be applied for a building where it is not deemed to have sufficient architectural or historic interest to warrant statutory listing. The COI provides immunity from listing for a period of 5 years after which, a new certificate may need to be applied for. COI’s are useful mechanisms for de-risking longstanding projects or those which have a sensitive heritage nature and certainty is required at the outset. If a COI is not successful, the building is included on the statutory list.
Adapt Heritage have a wealth of experience of working on spot-listing, de-listing and COI applications and advising clients on the best approach to take forward. It is important that each approach is managed carefully by a suitably qualified specialist.
Heritage Asset Reviews (Local Lists and Appraisals)
Heritage Asset Reviews can comprise a variety of strategies and documents. Adapt Heritage have experience of providing bespoke reviews for each area or district. We can assist with the following:
Local Lists
We can work with Local Planning Authorities and local communities to prepare a ‘Local List’ which identifies buildings of local architectural or historic interest based upon criteria and guidance set by Historic England. These buildings are also sometimes referred to as ‘locally listed buildings’ or ‘non-designated heritage assets’. A Local List can be an important tool for an emerging Local Plan or Neighbourhood Plan. Adapt Heritage have experience of undertaking thematic reviews of entire districts or smaller areas depending on the need and purpose of the list. This can be undertaken through active consultation with local communities.
Conservation Area Appraisals
Conservation Area Appraisals (or ‘Character Appraisals’) are an assessment of the special character and appearance of a conservation area based on Historic England criteria and guidance. Typically, the appraisals cover the following:
Planning Policy Context
General Character, Location and Uses
Historic Interest
Architectural Interest and Built Form
Locally Important Buildings
Spatial Analysis
Streets and Open Space
Parks and Gardens and Trees
Setting and Views
Character Areas and Zones
Audit of Heritage Assets
Assessment of Condition
Boundary Review
Management Plan for Further Action
Conservation Area Appraisals are usually prepared on behalf of a Local Planning Authority or a local community group to provide residents and potential developers with a detailed understanding of the importance of the area and why it was originally designated a conservation area.