Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire District together have over 1,500 buildings and structures that, although they do not meet the national criteria for statutory listing, are important either by themselves or as part of a group. These are often referred to as Buildings of Local Interest or non-designated heritage assets.
These buildings of local interest have been identified because of their architectural merit and, in some cases, their historical associations. The buildings can be identified by several processes including local and neighbourhood plan-making processes, conservation area appraisals and reviews and as part of the decision-making process on planning applications.
Buildings of local interest have no statutory protection and does not provide us with extra powers. Neither does Local Listing affect permitted development rights. However, the heritage interest of these sites will be given a proportionate degree of weight when considering applications for planning permission in line with the requirements of National Planning Policy.
The list of buildings of local interest included in a Local Plan is a material planning consideration when deciding on applications under the Town and Country Planning Acts.
Cambridge City buildings of local interest
Cambridge City have a list of buildings of local interest [PDF, 0.1MB] which is included in the local plan.
South Cambridgeshire buildings of local interest
South Cambridgeshire District are in the process of compiling a Local List on non-designated heritage assets as part of a county wide project. The Local Heritage List Project uses a consistent set of criteria across Cambridgeshire. Find out more about the project and the South Cambridgeshire Local List entries via the project website.
Blue Plaque scheme
Blue plaques honour the most famous people or events associated with the city or the district. The people and events commemorated have made a significant impact on life in the city or district, the country or the world. Plaques are associated with a specific building or location within the city boundary.
The scheme is run by local charity Cambridge Past, Present and Future, mostly through the efforts of volunteers. Visit their website for details of the existing plaques and how to nominate a person or event for commemoration.
War memorials
There are many war memorials across South Cambridgeshire and Cambridge City. The memorials range from small, discreet plaques to large edifices that dominate the landscape, and all are important to the social and architectural history of the area. 8 of these are listed as being of special architectural interest, for example in Station Road, Newmarket Road and Trumpington.
South Cambridgeshire’s war memorials are mapped on our interactive war memorials map below. To use the map simply search by typing in a postcode or interactively use the map by zooming in and out and clicking on the memorial icons.
Identifying buildings of local interest
We may identify buildings for possible inclusion or removal from the list of buildings of local interest in the course of our daily work. We may also receive a request from an amenity society, local interest group or the general public.
We will then inspect the building and prepare a recommendation if we consider it worthy of inclusion on the list, or remove it from the list.
The recommendation will include:
- a written description
- justification for inclusion or removal
- a location plan
- photographs
- any available information about the building - for example: dates, special functions, historical associations, architect, group value, significant interior features.
The owner of the building will be consulted and will have the opportunity to make representations on a proposal to add or remove a building from the list.
Decision
An officer or officers may make the decision, the committee having delegated them powers for this purpose. Once approval has been granted, the building will be included on the list.