Conservation and Heritage
The Conservation team provides specialist advice on all aspects of the care of historic buildings and on the preservation and enhancement of conservation areas in the District. It also gives advice on the historic aspects of parks and gardens.
The team is based in the Council's Development Management and Conservation Service. This team consists of the Principal Building Conservation Officer and a Conservation Officer.
The work of the team includes:
- Advising on all applications affecting Listed Buildings and their settings including helping owners with pre-application advice.
- Monitoring the condition of listed buildings, maintaining the Council's Register of Buildings at Risk and offering expert advice on approaches for the proper repair, maintenance and sympathetic use of listed buildings.
- Producing the Registers of Buildings of Local Interest
- Reviewing Conservation Areas and promoting opportunities and proposals for their enhancement.
- Advising on applications affecting the character, appearance and setting of conservation areas, working with planning officers to give pre-application advice.
- Preparing policies, supplementary guidance and other advice notes to assist with the conservation of historic buildings and areas and promoting knowledge about the historic environment.
- Providing advice to all other services within the Council on the conservation implications of any of their initiatives or individual projects.
- Work in partnership with other organisations like English Heritage, Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation, the Hertfordshire Building Preservation Trust and local groups to promote the understanding and protection of the District's historic environment.
