DES 3 - Protecting and Enhancing the City’s Historic Environment

       

 

 

AIM

 

To preserve and enhance the character and appearance of the City's conservation areas and protect their settings, to protect the special architectural and historic interest of the City’s listed buildings, to protect ancient monuments and their settings and to protect and preserve archaeological remains.

 

POLICY

 

CONSERVATION AREAS

 

NEW DEVELOPMENT

 

Proposals for new development in, or affecting the setting of, a conservation area, must:

 

  • preserve and enhance the special character and appearance of the area, respect its historic context and have regard to the historic plans of the area;
  • be of a high standard of design, respecting the local architectural and historic context and use materials appropriate to the historic environment;
  • protect significant views into, and out of, the area;
  • retain all existing open space, whether public or private, which contributes positively to the historic character of the area; and
  • retain trees which contribute positively to the historic character of the area.

 

 

DEMOLITION

 

Proposals for the demolition of an unlisted building, which makes a positive or neutral contribution to the character or appearance of a conservation area, will require to demonstrate that:

 

  • the existing building is incapable of viable repair and re-use; and
  • the proposed replacement will preserve or enhance the character of the area.

 

In order to protect townscape quality, consent for redevelopment will require the retention of existing buildings until the replacement development commences. Partial demolition, involving the retention of the ground floor only, is unlikely to be acceptable.

 

ALTERATIONS AND EXTENSIONS TO UNLISTED BUILDINGS

 

Proposals for alterations, or extensions, to unlisted buildings must:

 

  • respect the period, style and architectural character of the building;
  • in the case of extensions, be subservient to the existing building in scale, height, massing and protect its proportions and setting;
  • follow the guidance for repairs, alterations and extensions detailed in development guide DG/DES 3: Design Guidance for Listed Buildings and Properties in Conservation Areas;
  • avoid the loss of existing traditional features of value; and
  • not erode the character of the building or conservation area by the use of inappropriate design details or non-traditional materials (developers/applicants should seek advice on materials from the Council).

 

 

SUPPLEMENTARY DEVELOPMENT GUIDANCE

 

Conservation Area Appraisals are being prepared for each of the City's conservation areas. These will constitute supplementary development guidance in respect of determining development proposals.

 

 

LISTED BUILDINGS

 

All works to listed buildings must be carried out in a way which protects their character as buildings of special architectural and historic interest.

 

RETENTION OF LISTED BUILDINGS

 

There is a presumption in favour of the retention of all listed buildings.  These buildings must be allowed to adapt to new uses and the Council is willing to respond favourably to creative ideas and good design, in order to ensure their retention, subject to other policies of the Plan.

 

DEMOLITION

 

Proposals for the total or substantial demolition of a listed building will only be supported where it can be demonstrated, beyond reasonable doubt that every effort has been made to find practical ways of keeping it, taking into account:

 

  • the condition of the building and the cost of repairing and maintaining it, backed by studies by property and/or engineering consultants; and
  • the adequacy of efforts to find a suitable alternative use, including marketing of the building, for sale or long lease, to restoring purchasers on the open market at a price reflecting its condition.

 

 

Façade retention may be considered, but will not be regarded as an automatic option.  The architectural value of the interior and the function and use of the building must be fully assessed; evidence of the obsolescence of the interior will be part of such an assessment.  Where demolition is proposed and authorised, an architectural audit should be produced and submitted to the Council’s heritage and design officers to enable them to assess features and artefacts that should be retained or re-used.

 

 

ALTERATIONS AND EXTENSIONS TO LISTED BUILDINGS

 

The Council encourages the sensitive alteration and extension of listed buildings where this will not harm their special interest. To this end, proposals for the alteration of a listed building must:

 

  • respect the original layout and plan form of the building;
  • not result in the loss of historic fabric, including fixtures and fittings, which contribute to the building’s special interest;
  • incorporate detailed design and materials which reflect the period, style and architectural character of the building;
  • replace missing traditional features, such as period doors or decorative plasterwork with good quality replicas of the originals; and
  • follow the guidance for repairs, alterations and extensions detailed in development guide DG/DES 3.

 

 

Proposals for the extension of a listed building must ensure that:

 

  • the scale is subservient to the original building;
  • its location, design, scale, massing and proportion protects the building’s appearance, character and setting; and
  • the detailed design and use of materials are appropriate to the building’s period, style and character.

 

 

Developers/applicants should seek advice on materials from the Council.

 

 

ANCIENT MONUMENTS AND SITES OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE

 

Development proposals will be required to retain, protect, preserve and enhance the City’s Scheduled Ancient Monuments, existing archaeological heritage and any future discoveries, in line with the guidance provided in policies ENV 13: Ancient Monuments and Scheduled Ancient Monuments. ENV 14: Sites of Archaeological Importance and ENV 16: The Antonine Wall.

 

Note 1. Where the preservation of a listed building is threatened by lack of maintenance and repair, the Council may serve notice on the owners of a property to instigate necessary repair work under the terms of sections 43-49 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas)(Scotland) Act 1997.  In exceptional circumstances, this may lead to the Compulsory Purchase of a property.

 

Note 2. See Environmental Designations Maps for all areas, sites and buildings affected by a designation. These maps are dynamic and will be updated  by the Council during the lifetime of City Plan 2 to take account of new conservation areas, listed buildings, etc. 

 

 

POLICY JUSTIFICATION

 

This policy supports the Plan’s Development Strategy to protect, enhance and regenerate Glasgow’s historic environment (see Part 2, HERITAGE AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT, paragraphs 5.4 and 5.5).

 

Glasgow has a rich architectural heritage of buildings, monuments and open spaces. Retaining and regenerating Glasgow’s 7,000 listed buildings and structures is important to the City and, indeed, to Scotland as they contribute, significantly, to its unique sense of place. The City also has many ancient monuments and sites of archaeological importance.

 

The Stirling Charter, Scottish Historic Environment Policy, NPPG 18: Planning and the Historic Environment and Planning Advice Note (PAN) 71: Conservation Area Management, set out Government advice in relation to the development and management of listed buildings and conservation areas. The Council acknowledges this advice and is committed to the sustainable conservation and regeneration of Glasgow’s historic environment.

 

 

FURTHER GUIDANCE

 

See development guide DG/DES 3: Design Guidance for Listed Buildings and Properties in Conservation Areas.