HERITAGE CONSERVATION ASSESSMENT

– HCA PROJECT –

Post Covid HCA Update #1 – August 2021

Background

The Neighbourhood Plan (2017) concluded that Pyrford residents highly value the heritage and character of the local area in its semi-rural setting. In addition, we in Pyrford are fortunate to count a number of conservation minded residents who in recent years have made a significant investment in their heritage properties.

Since no heritage assessment (normally undertaken by WBC) had been possible since the millennium we wanted to review and assess heritage in the Forum area against the last WBC baseline established in 2000. In addition, it was felt that without a serious re-assessment of our heritage, there was a great danger that development plans and decisions could be made on outdated and inaccurate heritage information. Thus, at the 2018 AGM a conservation project was proposed and agreed.

At the 2019 AGM it was proposed we undertake a Heritage Conservation Assessment (HCA) in partnership with Woking Borough Council (WBC) and with consultants from LDA Design and Headland Archaeology to guide us.

The assessment will contain recommendations to recognise heritage assets not currently recognised, modifications to conservation areas and a heritage management plan moving forward. It must all be done according to the national requirements set out by Historic England and adopted by WBC for implementation according to normal council consultation standards. In summary the assessment will include landscape, townscape and heritage assessments backing up any recommendations.

Progress to Date
We are now about halfway through the project. We have broadly established ‘what is’ and are starting the detailed analysis to determine what ‘should be’. A number of deliverables from the former have kept us busy over the last 2 years and include the following heritage catalogues that can be found in the Heritage Project section of the PNF website at https://pyrfordforum.org/heritage-catalogues/:

a bibliography of published histories covering Pyrford;
notable local historians;
old maps acquired by the Forum;
a photo record of old maps found in Surrey History Centre to facilitate a map regression by our consultants;
nationally registered buildings maintained by Surrey County Council Historic Environment Records (SCC HER);
locally listed buildings by Woking Borough Council;
nationally registered Parks and Gardens maintained by SCC HER;
nationally registered Monuments maintained by SCC HER;
Find Spots recognised by SCC HER;
Negative Evidence recognised by SCC HER.

In addition, LDA our consultants, have completed an advanced draft of a Landscape and Townscape Assessment which will appear on the website as soon as it is available. Our consultants are also working on a technical heritage assessment for the area and all this information will form the basis of our recommendations to Woking Borough Council in due course.

Moving forward we are entering an active consultation phase on ‘what is’ and what ‘should be’. So, further newsletters will go out from time to time and your comments will be very much appreciated at info@pyrfordforum.org.

In addition, we have recently set up an Instagram account at https://www.instagram.com/pyrfordforum/ where we are showing heritage aspects of the area from our library of over 1800 photos. We would love to hear from you about any of the topics posted. Similarly, if you are a Facebook user you can follow us at https://www.facebook.com/PyrfordForum/

Project Kick-off – March 2019

The 2018 AGM endorsed our plans to conduct a Heritage Conservation Assessment and agreed that we mount a significant fund raising campaign to fund the professional support required.

So What’s it All About?

Whats the cause? – Heritage Conservation Assessment

What’s that? – this will be a survey and assessment of built heritage assets across the whole of Pyrford with a view to assessing their importance to our heritage and whether they are adequately protected with the appropriate conservation measures.

Why undertake the exercise? – One of the most consistent messages we’ve received from residents over the last few years whilst putting together the Plan is that the character of the area is of great importance to them. This is in no small part due to the character and setting of many old and interesting buildings in the area. Woking Borough Council is responsible for conserving our heritage but has not had the resources to do anything specific in the last 20 years. We would like to move this agenda along and ensure that Pyrford’s heritage is correctly recognised and protected when development plans are discussed. Our involvement in this would normally be expected and we simply want to make a start sooner rather than later.

How will it be done? – Working with WBC and professional support the Forum would resource and conduct the surveys and reviews required to understand the value of buildings in the are and eventually come up with recommendations for conservation to Woking Borough Council.

What will it Cost? – Involvement of the Forum would be on a voluntary basis but we will require help and guidance from professional to ensure the final report is of the right quality for the Council to act on. The cost of the support we need has been estimated at £13,000. Click here for details of our fundraising program.