Heritage Asset Criteria

Criteria for selecton local Heritage Assets

Is the WWII Pillbox at the Otter Head a Candidate? 

Heritage assets are not just historic or interesting buildings, but can be cultural landscapes associated with history, or relate to social history, such as traditions, practices, and artistic or literary associations.  They can include patterns of settlement, parks, gardens, village greens, and landmarks of community value, such as war memorials and interesting items of street furniture.

Here is a list of criteria, used by English Heritage. If the heritage asset is identified as having at least one element of interest amongst these criteria, then the determining factor would be to consider its significance in relation to its value to the community.


Age                                       The age of an asset may be an important criterion.


Rarity                                    Appropriate for all assets, as judged against local characteristics.


Aesthetic value                     The intrinsic design value of an asset relating to local styles, materials, or any other distinctive local characteristic.


Group value                          Groupings of assets with a clear visual, design or historic relationship.


Evidential value                     The significance of a local heritage asset of any kind may be enhanced by a significant contemporary or historic written record.


Historic association              The significance of a local heritage asset of any kind may be enhanced by a significant historical association of local or national note,  including links to important local figures.


Archaeological interest         This may be an appropriate reason to designate a locally significant asset on the grounds of archaeological interest if the evidence base is sufficiently compelling and if a distinct area can be identified.


Designed landscapes             Relating to the interest attached to locally important designed landscapes, park or gardens.


Landmark status                    An asset with strong communal or historical associations, or because it has especially striking aesthetic value, may be singled out as a landmark within the local scene.


Social and communal value   Relating to places perceived as a source of local identity, distinctiveness, social interaction and coherence; often residing in intangible aspects of heritage contributing to the “collective memory” of a place.

 

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