English Heritage - what hope is there? *LINK*

[Nemesis]

I know. It's all been pretty dreadful.

When I have time I will post more. It's a disgrace.

 

[Nemesis]

Now that the SAVE website is getting updated and the latest news is on site...

http://www.savebritainsheritage.org


click NEWS

then CASEWORK


Nov 2006 scroll down

on the sad saga.

 

[ilikecobwebs]

Looks like I've got good grounds to cancel my EH membership, then. That's a pretty horrible story.

 

[Craig]

Fortress House is all gone now, btw. Anybody seen the plans for whats going up?

 

[Nemesis]

Another glass and steel lump I gather.

Blame Legal and General...

 

[Craig]

So far, the new building on the site of EH's old building is dull as ditch water.

 

[Nemesis]

No it can't be it's a conservation area, and it should 'enhance'... indeed the previous should not have been demolished, but that's the local authority for you.

 

[Gareth Hughes]

EH have recently given advice (after an approach through SPAB) that North Leverton windmill (GradeII*, complete and the only windmill in England to have been in continuous commercial use since it was built) is not capable of continuing in use and a new use (like conversion to a house) should be pursued. And they also say its condition isn't bad enough for them to offer any grant aid. :roll:

Needless to say, that's all my spare time occupied for the next few months.

 

[Craig]

that all seems odd/contradictory. Whats wrong with it?

Surely "having a higher value in an alternative use" isnt a building defect?

 

[Gareth Hughes]

that all seems odd/contradictory. Whats wrong with it?

Surely "having a higher value in an alternative use" isnt a building defect?

I'd have thought after what happened with EH's advice at Tilty Mill (see previous threads) they might have learnt that "all buildings must have a new use" shouldn't be applied as a blanket solution, but (with an honourable exception in Norfolk that I can't mention) they don't seem to be learning from experience.

Most historic rural buildings that aren't houses would have a higher value in an alternative use (usually as houses) but for that to have seemingly become the basis of EH's approach is clearly ludicrous. I suspect they think that if every non-domestic listed building is converted into a house they'll all be maintained at their owners' expense with no need for grant aid, so EH will cost much less (to the pleasure of the politicians) and there'll never be another building "at risk", thereby giving the impression that EH is the most super-efficient organisation in the UK.

There'll be no historic buildings left worth seeing, though.

North Leverton needs £10-15k of work to the cap frame and fantail stage, and a general light overhaul. Its big problem is that over the last few years they haven't had a miller so the flour business they had (and the maintenance money it brought in) has gone elsewhere.