Norwich housing: Call for joined-up plan to protect heritage

Revealed:
7:00 AM July 12, 2022

With major new housing projects being lined up throughout the city, heritage experts are calling for a extra cohesive developing tactic. 

Planners in the Fantastic Town has lately been handed droves of proposals for swanky new apartment blocks to cater to a burgeoning scholar and younger expert population.

Even so plans to change Anglia Sq. into 1,100 new homes have just lately been challenged by Save Britain’s Heritage’s alternative eyesight to Weston Homes’ proposals. 

The national heritage group has designed its possess “reduce-increase progress primarily based all around streets” with 773 properties and an emphasis on retaining the cluster of historic structures all-around Pitt Avenue. 

These structures – 3 of which have been submitted to Historic England for probable listing –  include the possible remains of the 11th century Anglo-Saxon church of St Olave’s.

Preserve Britain’s Heritage director, Henrietta Billings, mentioned: “The existing Anglia Sq. sits like a cuckoo in the nest within just Norwich’s exceptional medieval core and is extensively regarded now as a slip-up of the 1960s.

“We proceed to help its redevelopment but believe this could be finished in a distinct way which would unlock community advantages with out harming the historic character of the metropolis. 

“A sympathetic, contextual solution is essential in Norwich, with lower-increase streets and squares, attribute of lots of inventive quarters emerging in historic cities across the United kingdom, with out harming the vital character that can make the metropolis so particular.

“It is about the suitable enhancement in the proper place.”

Weston Houses has previously said it would not comment on issues around Anglia Sq. even though its application goes as a result of the planning procedure.

A final decision on Weston Homes’ software is envisioned from Norwich Metropolis Council in Autumn 2022.

Stuart McLaren, a historian from the St Augustine’s Neighborhood Collectively Residents’ Affiliation, is amongst individuals who does not want to see historic properties becoming “entirely dominated” by new skyline accommodation.

Mr McLaren stated: “Councils with organizing authority do not seem to be to have a coherent program for how they want cities to create. It appears to be piecemeal development.

“There requirements to be coherent strategy throughout the metropolis which there does not appear to be.

“Norwich is an critical area for heritage with its historic buildings and that in by itself is component of what helps make it an desirable spot to live and function.”

The historian highlighted the scale of major pupil blocks becoming designed throughout Norwich.

These considerations have been challenged by Norwich Metropolis Council, with a spokesman expressing: “The council is fully commited to safeguarding designated and non-designated heritage assets in accordance with area and countrywide arranging insurance policies, and consults with heritage bodies for the duration of the assessment of relevant scheduling purposes.

“When appropriate, specialist suggestions is sought from heritage bodies this kind of as Historic England, the Culture for the Protection of Ancient Structures, Historic Buildings and Spots, the Council for British Archaeology, the Georgian Team, the Victorian Society and the Twentieth Century Culture.”

Meanwhile Labour MP for Norwich South, Clive Lewis, reported he thinks the bottom line with builders is profitability. 

Mr Lewis included: “With regards to heritage, a developer will seem to get absent with the bare minimum amount to make it legal and get it by way of the other end. 

“Profit is the functionality that drives builders. Heritage is usually likely to be a secondary thing to consider for them.”

But chartered architect Spiros Defteraios, who is based mostly in the Midlands but has worked on jobs in Norwich, stated conversations close to heritage are continuous, with the supreme final decision coming down to planners.

He also highlighted outlined structures are not able to be demolished very easily as they are afforded the biggest security.

Mr Defteraois claimed: “Norwich is a traditionally sensitive place to get the job done with. All destinations comply with the exact same principle that the additional record and heritage a position has suggests the desire is even larger and wider.”

Builders and architects will be in regular conversations with a conservation officer in the course of a scheduling approach, and sometimes general public bodies these as Historic England where by important, he additional.

Antony Blowers, a partner of Norwich-based Homebuilding Corporation, reported: “When a thing is detailed it can be a bit of nightmare getting it to the level of agreeing with the local authority above what can and won’t be able to be completed.”