Newport's heritage 'finally recognised' on updated local register

A Newport councillor has welcomed the inclusion for the first time of locally important historic buildings in a borough register.

Officials at Telford & Wrekin Council have completed a six-year-long project to bring a decades-old register of buildings of local interest up to date.

The council's environment scrutiny committee was told that being on the register means that planning applications have to be assessed against heritage protection policies.

But the level of protection is a step below that of properties on the national register and does not prevent owners from using their permitted development rights.

"It is quite encouraging to see Newport's heritage finally recognised on this list," said Councillor Thomas Janke (Liberal Democrats, Newport South).

"Newport has benefitted most from this review with 32 going on it from 35 submissions."

The meeting on Wednesday (October 21) heard that credit for the inclusion of buildings went to the Newport Local History Society.

The original register was compiled in 1983 and the committee was shown pictures of the handwritten notes which had to be deciphered as a part of the process.

At that time Newport had zero buildings on the local list, although it has plenty of listed buildings on national databases.

A built heritage specialist told the meeting it was "high time" Newport was included on the register.

The meeting heard that a public call for suggestions resulted in 122 submissions from across the borough.

These had to be assessed as the original list was painstakingly examined.

"It took four heritage bods six years to do this job," said specialist Barbara Johnson.

"This has been a thorn in my side for some time and it is not straightforward.

"It's been a labour of love.”

The meeting heard that the result has been a "much stronger register”, which can be tracked and used as evidence for planning decisions.

Members of the committee heard that many councils do not have a local list.

The 1983 register had 583 entries. Some 417 have been retained, 106 new assets have been added, and 134 previous entries were removed. There are now 523 entries on the list.

Some were removed following demolition, significant alterations or after being promoted in status to national lists.