Highlighting the buildings and landscapes that make Elmbridge special  

Residents and local organisations are being asked to offer suggestions for the Local Heritage List, a selection of buildings, other structures and landscapes that are highly valued by the local community. Statues, memorials, sculptures, walls or pieces of street furniture may be nominated for the list. Parks, gardens or other examples of designed landscapes can also be nominated; and even features in the landscape such as prehistoric trackways, field boundaries or the visible remains of archaeological sites such as banks, ditches and walls.
The project is managed by Surrey County Council (SCC), and is being promoted in our area by Elmbridge Borough Council (EBC). Cllr Karen Randolph, Portfolio Holder for Planning in Elmbridge says: "Heritage assets can take many forms and can be almost anything which gives an insight into how communities and places functioned; providing us with a physical link to our past."

Click here to go to the SCC website for more information and the online Nomination Form.

The nomination period closes at 5pm on Tuesday 16 November 2021.

Nominations will then be assessed by SCC's Local List Heritage Team using a set of selection criteria (including historical value, social and cultural value, as well as architectural and artistic value), and the draft lists compiled for consultation in early 2022. Once the list has been approved by the Council, it will be used to inform planning decisions, and the heritage assets on them will be added to the Surrey Historic Environment Record - managed and maintained by SCC.

Some Questions and Answers

 1.  What is currently on the Local Heritage List in Elmbridge?

EBC has published the current list for Elmbridge, arranged alphabetically on road name. Click here to download the file (PDF).

 2.  Does the number of nominees for each item make a difference, or just the number of criteria fulfilled?

It's the number of fulfilled criteria that counts. There is no indication that mass public support carries additional weight.

 3.  Do nominations by organisations carry more weight than those by individuals?

No. It's the merit of a nomination that counts.

 4.  What level of protection is provided by being on the list?

Local Heritage Lists are ‘non-designated’, so there are no legal powers or restrictions affecting them. But they are recognised as ‘meriting consideration’ for their local value, so there may be occasions when it might make a difference. Designated Heritage Assets have a higher level of protection, and are shown on the map in the online nomination form; they cannot be put forward for the Local Heritage List.

 5.  If a building goes on the list, what additional limitations will be placed on an owner who wants to undertake some building/renovation work?

None, as far as the law goes. But the point of the listing is to encourage owners to appreciate the heritage value of their properties, and so think twice about doing anything particularly damaging to that. The main focus of the criteria is on external appearance and contribution to the local area; so it is hoped that owners would take that into consideration before planning external changes that would alter that character forever. Planning officers would be entitled to consider the heritage significance in a planning application, if not rely on it for refusal. Local listing should come up on local searches when buying a property etc.

 6.  Will the Local Heritage Listing form part of the Local Plan?

Local plans should contain policies for non-designated heritage assets, which is what these would be.

If you have any other questions, please contact:

Cllr Nick Darby (SCC) - nick.darby@surreycc.gov.uk

Cllr Karen Randolph (EBC) - krandolph@elmbridge.gov.uk