Modern shopping practices and way of life has resulted in the decline English high street, which in turn has resulted in the character of the traditional retail and commercial high street being changed.
Premises have become vacant as business, often decades and sometimes century old local and national retail companies have become unsustainable and no longer being able to compete with the lower priced and the conveniency of internet shopping. This combined with new working practices, resulting from the global pandemic have also contributed in changing character of the high street.
In May 2023, Heritage Unlimited were appointed by the client to provide a Heritage Assessment for a range of properties on the High Street in Theale to support a pre-application submission to help inform and guide adaptions and reuse of these properties for a viable and sustainable future, thereby positively contributing to the character of historic high street.
These properties comprised of a mix of a grade II listed building, two non-designated heritage assets (NDHA) and two undesignated buildings, all were within the Theale High Street Conservation Area.
Some of the units were vacant and fallen in to a partial state of disrepair, a few were in commercial use and one was a residential dwelling.
Whilst two of the properties had been vacant for a period, the remaining properties became vacant as a result of Covid-19.
The historic linear high street is characterised by traditionally constructed properties using vernacular materials – brick, tile and timber-framing.
HUL carried out extensive archival and desk-based research for each property as well as thorough examination of the buildings external and internal fabric in order to understand the historic and current context of each building and also as a group.
It was considered that the process presented an invaluable opportunity to reuse the historic properties creatively and adaptively, and any proposed conversion and/or reconfiguration and refurbishment would aid their longevity and could even constitute an enhancement to the historic character of the high street.
A proposed residential conversion would also provide some public benefit in the creation of additional housing in the area and removing the risk of further deterioration of vacant buildings by their adaptation and reuse.
HUL produced a Heritage Assessment to aid pre-application submission. The document provides the conservation officer sufficient and necessary information to give them an understanding of the heritage assets story and how this in turn guides future changes so the building can continue to positively contribute to our heritage.
Feedback from the pre-application process enabled the client to take a move forward with their proposals and we were subsequently engaged to provide a Heritage Statement to support a planning application for works to nos.44-46 High Street, a non-designated heritage asset.
HUL used their specialist knowledge of the planning system relating to heritage assets within a team of professionals providing their own specialism to guide the client on changes that would be acceptable and achievable to their heritage assets which varied in designation but all encompassed by the conservation area.
