Which of Colchester's buildings are worth saving for posterity? (From Essex County Standard)

Colchester Historic Buildings Forum wants suggestions for buildings worth saving

3:10am Thursday 20th August 2009 in Countywide news By Tom Parkes

Protecting the town’s heritage – forum members Ray Gamble, Andrew Phillips and Philip Crummy with councillor Lyn Barton, by one possible candidate for the local list, the former Temperance Hotel, in Culver Street East

A GROUP of experts is asking you to help come up with a list of Colchester buildings which deserve better protection from the wrecking ball, or unsympathetic developers.

Council officials say they’ll use the list to help councillors make decisions on planning applications affecting such buildings.

More than 300 Colchester sites already have protection as listed buildings under the national scheme, which protects significant architecture.

Planners say compiling a local list will help protect well-known features of the town’s landscape which might not be architectural gems, but are, nevertheless, important to the town’s history.

Townspeople are being are invited to suggest buildings where famous people once lived, or which played a key role in local culture, industry or commerce.

They are also welcome to put forward more modern additions which might have been overlooked by the listed buildings scheme.

“The idea of the list is to include buildings which are important to people in the area, so we are looking for a lot of input from residents. Buildings will be considered in terms of their local historical associations, as well as their architectural value.”

Philip Crummy

Even new buildings, such as Essex University’s Ivor Crewe Lecture Theatre – once slated by Prince Charles as “a dustbin” – and B&Q’s Hythe store might be considered, since both won architectural awards.

Getting consultants to compile such a list would have cost Colchester Council about £20,000. However, a group of experts known as Colchester Historic Buildings Forum, has offered its services free of charge.

Councillor responsible for planning and regeneration Lyn Barton said: “Financial issues have always prevented this piece of work being done before, which is why I am so grateful to this group for volunteering their services free of charge.

“It will enable us to produce an appropriate policy which will go some way to safeguarding our heritage.”

Colchester Archaeological Trust’s Philip Crummy is a member of the group, as are colleagues including historian Andrew Phillips.

Mr Crummy explained: “The idea of the list is to include buildings which are important to people in the area, so we are looking for a lot of input from residents.

“Buildings will be considered in terms of their local historical associations, as well as their architectural value.”

The project will be officially launched tomorrow at a free presentation which starts in the mayoral suite at Colchester Town Hall, at 7.30pm.

Admission is free but places must be reserved through the forum’s website. For details go to www.colchesterhistoricbuildingsforum.org.uk The website also showcases a different building each week. This week’s nomination is 32 St Botolph’s Street, home to Berhayner Tailors, but originally a branch office for the American Singer Corporation, built in about 1875.