Historic Building Consultancy
The wealth of historic buildings in the United Kingdom is a considerable social and economic resource. Because of this, work to historic buildings and to the historic environment is closely regulated under the town and country planning acts.
Work carried out to a listed building that has not received consent can result in prosecution under the criminal law. These controls can seem quite onerous on the building owner and a hindrance to an otherwise desirable development.
As part of our planning consultancy service we offer help with gaining planning permission from local authorities which may be needed in addition to listed building or scheduled monument consent for historic buildings. A failure to apply for planning permission when required can lead to an enforcement notice being served, requiring reversal of the works. Failure to follow an enforcement notice is a criminal offence. Although consent can quite often be difficult to acquire for historic buildings, we are here to provide our knowledge and expertise every step of the way.
At Inkpen Downie, we find design in the historic environment a stimulus to creativity that can result in innovation that at the same time casts an enhanced light on what has happened in the past. Our Director, Ben Downie has a masters degree in Building Conservation and is on the register of Architects Accredited in Building Conversation, which is a role recognised and sometimes insisted on by Historic England (formerly English Hertitage).
For successful development concerning a historic building it is necessary first to understand it. We achieve this by using the skills we have evolved including desktop research, measured surveys, historic repair techniques, conservation plans and applications for listed building consent. When brought together with a flair for contemporary design, these can lead to an exciting outcome.