Statement of Significance - with a twist…
Evidence-based analysis showed the building’s historic significance had largely been lost
We prepared a Statement of Significance for a large late 19th-century industrial building that had been identified by the local authority as a non-designated heritage asset.
At first glance, the building appeared to have heritage value — traditional materials, links to the area’s industrial past, and a historic footprint. However, our detailed assessment told a different story.
The structure had undergone extensive alterations and unsympathetic additions. Much of the original form had been lost, its architectural character heavily eroded, and its structural condition significantly compromised. Any remaining historic interest was generic rather than specific, and its contribution to local character minimal.
Our role was to provide an objective, evidence-based evaluation — and in this case, we concluded that the building no longer met the criteria for non-designated heritage status. This finding is now supporting the planning case for change on the site.
It’s a valuable reminder that not all heritage is of equal value. Age alone doesn’t confer significance — and sometimes, removing outdated heritage designations can unlock opportunities for better, more sustainable outcomes.
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