Our in-house archaeological, historical and building conservation expertise means that we can provide expert primary and secondary documentary research into historic places and their setting, and assess their special interest through fieldwork and public engagement.
We have extensive experience of developing an understanding of historic towns and settlements, and the contribution made by the historic environment to their present-day character.
Our services include
- Conservation Area Appraisals for new and revised designations
- Historic Area Assessments
- Extensive Urban Survey (EUS)
- Historic Landscape Characterisation (HLC)
- Setting Assessments
- Preparation of area-based management plans to identify issues, opportunities, potential actions & policies for future management
Some previous projects
Tilley, Shropshire – Designation of a new Conservation Area
Tilley Timber Project was a successful community project funded by NLHF which investigated the historic importance of a small medieval settlement at Tilley through activities including tree ring dating and magnetometry. We were subsequently commissioned to prepare a draft Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan to enable Shropshire Council to carry out a public consultation on the designation of Tilley as a Conservation Area and help protect the special character and appearance of the area in the future.
The Leasowes Historic Parkland – Conservation Area Appraisal & Management Plan
In 2018 Dudley Council commissioned us to carry out a Conservation Area appraisal to review the designation of the Leasowes, a Grade I listed garden created by William Shenstone in the mid-18th century. It is internationally important for being one of the first ‘picturesque’ gardens in England and also has a range of natural environment designations. The work also involved the preparation of a Management Plan to guide future activity in the area.
Dudley Town Centre – Conservation Area Management Plan
As part of the development work for Dudley’s second Townscape Heritage project, the Council commissioned us to prepare a Management Plan for the Town Centre Conservation Area. This involved an analysis of the key threats to the area and its special interest, the tools to be used for its future management (including planning policies, planning measures and a framework for design and maintenance), how the community would be engaged in managing the area in the long term; and how the plan would be put into practice.