Over 100 historical buildings “in peril”

Wednesday 06 February 2019

More than 100 of the island’s historical buildings are “in peril of being lost” to damage, disrepair or commercial redevelopment, it has emerged.

A Jersey Heritage report reviewing Jersey’s historic environment has shown that at least 108 historical buildings are “at risk” of being damaged or destroyed as it calls for a formal register to document and monitor the endangered sites.

The publication of the annual ‘Heritage Counts’ report for 2017 has indicated that there are at least 108 historic properties are under threat.

Pictured: The 'Heritage Counts' report is an audit of Jersey's historic environment and examines listed buildings and protected areas of the environment.

The report reads: “Buildings ‘at risk’ are important historic properties in peril of being lost due to a lack of proper maintenance and repair, or from pressures for commercial re-development.

“The national register of buildings at risk in England helps to focus practical advice, guidance and resources to owners, local authorities and developers to secure the future of endangered listed buildings. 

“There isn’t an equivalent at risk register for Jersey, although the resurvey of heritage assets undertaken from 2010 did identify 108 historic buildings and places considered at that time to be at either medium or high risk."

Head of Historic Buildings at Jersey Heritage Roger Hills, who compiled the report, said that the necessity for an ‘at risk register’ to collate all endangered buildings has been apparent for a few years now.

Pictured: Heritage wants to see a register of buildings under threat.

He told Express: “The need for a buildings at risk register (or heritage at risk register as they are increasingly called now) has been highlighted since our first report for 2014. 

“It is commonplace elsewhere in the UK to have a register, which provides a way to focus attention on listed historic properties that may be lost as a result of neglect, decay or inappropriate development,” he added.

The 108 vulnerable properties were identified as part of an island-wide survey conducted between 2010 and 2017 which were deemed to be “at risk.” As part of the same survey, 4,000 historical sites were listed including Mont Orgueil, Elizabeth Castle and the Parish Churches.

Since the survey, Mr Hills explained that “most of the 108 are now listed which protects them from demolition without permission, but doesn’t require them to be repaired or maintained.”

Pictured: The 108 vulnerable properties were identified as part of an island-wide survey conducted between 2010 and 2017 which were deemed to be “at risk".

Commenting on the parameters and usefulness of this survey, Mr Hills said: “The island-wide resurvey gave us an opportunity to test the water, to see how many such properties would potentially be entered onto a register – and buildings were assessed on the basis of physical condition and occupancy (a building which is occupied is generally less vulnerable than one that is not) – with around 108 identified as having some vulnerability.

“Assessing vulnerability involves judgement (and sensitivity to circumstances) and needs to be properly set up with agreed criteria if it is to become an established publication. It is still a work in progress.”