DO □ DO BDD DO rn OD DODOO 1 □ 1111 □ □ rnrnrn rn □ rn 1996 1663 Fig 2: Montage showing original design and as altered with loss of upper storey Arequest for additional information prior to determination of consent might take one of two forms. The first, which is known as an assessment, represents an appraisal of the essential features of interest relating to the building and/or its site. In the words of PPG15 "in judging the effect of any alteration or extension it is essential to have assessed the elements that make up the special interest of the building in question. They may comprise not only obvious visual features such as a decorative f acade or, internally, staircases or decorated plaster ceilings, but the spaces and layout of the building and the archaeological or technological interest of the surviving structure and surfaces" (3.12). An assessment report therefore might include a brief history of the building, referring to the list description and main secondary sources, and providing an interpretation of the significant phases of its development. It should also contain a resume of the principal features of interest together with an indication of the predicted impact of the proposals and, preferably, an assessment of the potential for the discovery of hidden features and provision for associated recording. Ideally, such a report would include photographs and extracts of current and historical maps relevant to the site. Such reports, providing the Conservation Officer with a synthesis of the relevant information at his or her fingertips, can be invaluable in the informed appraisal of sensitive applications. For example, they can be used to identify the development constraints associated with large multiphase sites, particularly in urban areas, or the implications for setting of enabling developments within historic curtilages. In a recent case involving the closure of Oxford Prison and its reversion to the County Council, an assessment was commissioned in order to evaluate the potential for development of the site. As the site incorporates the crypt, tower and matte CONTEXT52 of the medieval castle (which are scheduled), as well as the 18th and 19th century prison buildings (which are listed), the first priority was to establish the constraints which needed to be taken into account in any design brief. An assessment can be equally useful in cases involving conversions, such as of farm buildings or large period houses, where proposed subdivision may affect fixtures and fittings or the character of interior spaces. In these instances, recommendation that a report contain an inventory of features of interest can form the basis for negotiation on the precise details of a scheme. In each case the level of detail required can be tailored to the importance of the building or the sensitivity of the proposals. Despite the guidance contained in PPG15, few developers submit such documentation as a matter of course; yet its potential for speeding up the review process, particularly in large scale or complex cases, is considerable. Any constraints can be identified at a preliminary stage, saving much costly replanning and drawn out negotiations later on. However, PPG 15 also recognises that in certain cases there will be a need for more detailed information concerning the precise nature of the fabric to be affected than a non-intrusive survey can provide. It stresses that, if there is any likelihood that hidden features will be revealed, the local planning authority should considerwhere to "require exploratory opening up, with listed building consent as necessary, before considering consent for the main works" (3.24). This type of investigation, generally known as an evaluation, represents the second type of investigation which the applicant may be required to provide at the predetermination stage. This approach can be particularly useful in cases of alteration, where intrusive works may affect potentially sensitive fabric or features which are concealed, for example by plaster. Incidentally, in older buildings it is worth remembering that there may be interest in the plaster itself in terms of its composition, the stratigraphy of its layers and evidence of earlier decorative schemes or even wall painting. In one case involving a Grade II* 14th century hall house with 17th century and later additions, the owners put forward a number of proposals including the insertion of a doorway into the medieval fabric at first floor level. The wall in question was plastered over and it was impossible to make any reasonable assessment of the proposal without opening up work to identify whether the wall contained any features which might be affected. Localised plaster stripping was therefore carried out under archaeological supervision to evaluate the sensitivity of the wall. In fact, no features were found. Consequently it was decided to grant consent for the creation of the opening but subject to a watching brief condition requiring the recording of the fabric to be removed. As in this case, it is important that an applicant is aware that compliance with a requirement for predetermination recording will not guarantee consent nor absolve him from any obligations to undertake further recording under a condition. In other instances, while the proposals themselves may be acceptable there may nevertheless be a need for recording. According to PPG 15, local planning authorities should consider "in all cases of alteration or demolition whether it would be appropriate to make it a condition of consent that applicants arrange suitable programmes of recording of features that would be destroyed in the course of works for which consent is being sought" (3.23). In such instances, some form of record, generally including photographs and drawings, together with a brief report, may be desirable. This approach, which is sometimes called a photographic record, is particularly valuable for conversions, especially of farm and industrial buildings. These often involve the loss of interior fittings or machinery, the subdivision of interior spaces and other alterations to the fabric which may remove or obscure evidence of the building's original use. Prior recording can ensure that these are 'preserved by record' while the agreed alterations allow the building a new lease of life. One recent case involved some stables at Bicester (Fig. I). Listed Grade II as being of late 18th or early 19th century origin, they were the subject 21
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