Heritage asset recording
We might request that you undertake heritage asset analysis and recording during our pre-application discussions. Often this is done to better understand the significance of the asset, including its condition and structural complexity.
Recording is also necessary when a condition is attached to a relevant planning permission or listed building consent.
Recording is particularly relevant if an asset may be lost in whole or in part.
How to record heritage assets
The recording of heritage assets should follow available professional standards and guidance such as the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists.
The most commonly referred to guidance is the Royal Commission of the Historical Monuments of England (RCHME) advice note ‘Recording Historic Buildings’ (1996). This guidance has been revised and expanded by Historic England in their publication understanding historic buildings – a guide to good recording practice (2016).
These documents define 4 levels of building recording that are frequently used in conditions attached to Planning Permissions and Listed Building Consents.
Level 1 recording is very simple and requires only a basic level of recording, whilst Level 4 represents the greatest complexity of recording and analysis. Each level corresponds to a minimum specification, from photography to technical drawings and building analysis.
Additional recording elements, such as specific architectural elements, may also be required, depending on the complexity or nature of the asset.