Characterisation - assessing the historical value of the North Staffordshire conurbation
Urban Vision has commissioned an assessment of the historical significance of the North Staffordshire conurbation, from expert consultants The Conservation Studio.
Together with a similar study of the urban core carried out for RENEW, the housing pathfinder, this provides a unique overview of the historic development of the urban area, which will be used to inform the regeneration of the sub-region.
As a complement to the technical study Urban Vision aims to find out what local people think is valuable or special about our built environment by inviting them to enter a photographic competition “Brilliant Buildings”. Selected entries will be used to illustrate a published version of the assessment of historical significance report, to be printed in 2007, as a vital community input to this important public record.
We all have our own ideas about what makes North Staffordshire special - its historic town centres, the canals, green spaces, universities, industrial heritage, ceramics and its culture for example.
Stage 1 of the Urban Futures project involves two strands: a Characterisation Study of the North Staffordshire conurbation carried out by professional experts, and secondly an input from the local community through the Down Our Street photographic competition and other more informal consultations.
Characterisation studies assess the heritage value of an area. The method was pioneered by English Heritage in the urban core of North Staffordshire in a study commissioned by Renew the housing market renewal pathfinder and carried out in 2005. It involved an evaluation of the historical significance of the built environment and its classification into six categories of heritage value. These are:
- Statutory significance (listed buildings, conservation areas, registered parks & gardens)
- Definite value
- General value
- Neutral
- Currently negative
- Definitely negative
The survey can be carried out at two levels of detail. An extensive (broad brush) survey of the whole of the urban core was carried out on behalf of Renew North Staffordshire, the Housing Pathfinder, during the spring of 2005. This was supplemented by intensive (detailed) surveys of the two Areas of Major Intervention (AMI) in the urban core (Middleport/Burslem and City Centre South) to provide the finer level of detail necessary to inform the specific proposals being brought forward in those neighbourhoods. The resulting report was formally endorsed by Renew and English Heritage and has been incorporated into Renew’s Prospectus Update which was submitted to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in October 2005 as a supporting technical document.
This data has been mapped to show patterns and concentrations of the various degrees of historical significance. The procedure was carried out at a finer level of detail in the Areas of Major Intervention, where the heritage value of individual building blocks was determined through an intensive assessment of historical significance. The survey work has been supported by photographs and a desk-top study. The results were analysed and interpreted to provide recommendations, including ones for increasing statutory protection in certain cases, and identifying areas of heritage value where specific guidance for repair and refurbishment should be provided.
Now that the information has been calibrated, Urban Vision working with the Heritage Regeneration Advisory Group for North Staffordshire has produced a draft "Heritage Protocol" which Renew will consider for adoption shortly. This will set out how and when the heritage information will be used to inform decisions made in the renewal and refurbishment of housing in the AMIs.
To complement this work, and to ensure full coverage of the whole of the North Staffordshire urban area, Urban Vision has commissioned an extensive (broad brush) characterisation of the outer part of the conurbation with funding from the North Staffordshire Regeneration Zone. This second extensive survey will be completed in the summer of 2006. It is intended that the two pieces of work will be combined and then published in a single Characterisation Study document for the whole conurbation
When the heritage character study is complete Urban Vision plans to host an exhibition to show the findings and to begin detailed community consultation. This exhibition, and the published Characterisation Study, will include entries received through the Down Our Street and brilliant buildings photographic competitions.