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Port Sunlight in line for
national heritage award
PARTNERSHIP working between Wirral
Council's Conservation Team and the Port Sunlight Village Trust has resulted in
a nomination for a national Heritage award. In 2016, Port Sunlight became only the
2nd area in the country to
introduce a Local Listed Building Consent Order (LLBCO), which gives residents
'blanket' consent to make certain alterations to the rear of their properties in that
Conservation Area.
The work carried out to achieve this order has resulted in the council and the
village trust being put forward for an Historic England Angels award.
These awards celebrate and reward the efforts of local people in saving their
heritage and are co-funded by the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation. There are 5
categories of award; best community action project, best contribution to a
heritage project by young people, best research project, best rescue of a
heritage site and outstanding contribution to heritage.
The winners will be announced at a ceremony at London's Palace Theatre in
November and will be presented by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
It was only in the closing months of 2016 when Wirral Council's Planning Committee voted unanimously
to adopt the Port Sunlight Local Listed Building Consent Order (LLBCO), which
grants 'blanket' consent for certain alterations to the backs of the listed
houses in the Conservation Area. The Port Sunlight LLBCO became only the 2nd
large scale initiative of its kind nation wide, following in the footsteps of
the Little Germany area of Bradford.
Port Sunlight Village Trust (Trust) worked in partnership with Wirral Council
and local residents to develop the LLBCO with the goal of making home ownership
a bit easier by simplifying and fast tracking consent for the most common
alterations to the houses.
The alterations included in the LLBCO would normally require full Listed
Building Consent from Wirral Council and permission from the Trust. Applying for
full Listed Building Consent can be a fairly long and uncertain process. Under
the LLBCO, permitted works are fully described; taking uncertainty out of the
process, and the local planning authority only has 28 calendar days to accept a
LLBCO Notice of work.
Wirral's Mayor, Cllr Pat Hackett, who was Wirral Council Cabinet member for
Economy when the order was granted, said at the time:- "This decision will
make it much easier for residents living in the Conservation Area of Port
Sunlight to make minor alterations to their properties without having to go
through the complete planning process. We are delighted to support the Trust in
granting this local consent order."
With over 900 Grade II Listed houses, Port Sunlight has a high concentration of
listed sites in private, independent ownership. Typical deteriorated conditions,
repetitive listed building consent applications and common heritage enforcement
issues (works done without consent) made the village an ideal test case for the
newly enacted LLBCO.
The Port Sunlight LLBCO includes installation of satellite dishes in appropriate
locations and replacement of severely deteriorated or inappropriate rear doors,
rear windows and yard gates. The LLBCO specifies the rear window, rear door and
yard gates approved under the LLBCO. If residents prefer to install something
other than what is specified in the LLBCO, then they will have to apply for full
Listed Building Consent.
Paul Harris Chief Executive of Port Sunlight Village Trust said:- "We are
thrilled to have been nominated for Best Research Project with Wirral Council.
Our joint nomination recognises the significant amount of work that went into
the development and adoption of the new LLBCO, and we are very grateful to
Historic England for their advice and support throughout the process.
As soon as the LLBCO was adopted it generated a lot of interest from village
residents and we already have examples of where it has been used." |
