Heritage Headaches

What is the purpose of a Conservation Officer? Are they meant to sit in offices checking applications to ensure nobody ever changes anything in a listed building, or should they be working with any property owner who has the funds and the right moral compass to care for listed buildings in a sympathetic but pragmatic way to ensure the property has a future at all?

We have had a situation recently where our client wanted us create three beautiful hotel suites, removing an existing 1980s drop ceiling to expose the roof timbers and building a mezzanine level for the beds. This was blocked by Conservation because there were some crumbling remains of old lath and plaster above the plasterboard ceiling, long since ruined by 1960s additions. This decision was made without the Conservation officer setting foot on site to see the state of the old ceiling.

In the situation described above, the three rooms will make about 50% of the income they could make with the mezzanine. The hospitality industry makes slim profits, every square foot of chargeable space is important. Setting aside famous buildings and those that have specific funding for conservation, for a heritage building to have a future, practical and commercial viability is essential. Whether that is making a house suitable for 21st Century living or ensuring a hotel attracts guests.

Outside of London and the major cities, the property market is less buoyant and potential ROI is lower, meaning potential investors can be scared away from heritage buildings because of financial pitfalls. In my home town of Swindon, old local icons have become boarded up ruins left to the mercies of the weather and vandals. Some of these are now on the Heritage at Risk list due to serious dilapidation – could this have been avoided if Conservation Officers had worked with investors rather than against them?