New Uses for Historic Buildings

9.10 Many historic buildings have lost their original use and have been adapted over time to new uses. It is important for the survival of buildings to have a viable use but conversion schemes can have a detrimental impact on the historic fabric and character. The alterations necessary to continue the use of a building must be balanced against the impact on the historic fabric and character of the building and the Borough Council will ensure that new uses respect the existing features of a building. The new use must adapt to the building, not the other way around.

POLICY HC7: NEW USES FOR HISTORIC BUILDINGS

Permission for the adaptation of an historic building to sustain a new use will be permitted only where the proposal has protected the special architectural or historic interest of the building, and has incorporated the following criteria:

• i) the extent to which the historic fabric, character and appearance of the building and its setting would be retained and preserved;
  ii) the impact upon the scale, height, massing, alignment, style and materials of the building;
  iii) the impact upon the form, function and manner of construction of the building; and
  iv) the extent to which the proposed new use would bring substantial community benefits or environmental enhancement.