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HERITAGE CONSULTANTS
LISTED BUILDING SURVEYORS & ENGINEERS
Preserving the past while enabling sensitive development
AMS Surveys offers specialist heritage consultancy services for owners, developers, architects, and planners working with listed buildings and heritage assets. Whether you're applying for planning permission, managing a restoration, or maintaining a historic property, our Heritage Building Consultants provide expert guidance at every stage.
Our services ensure compliance with heritage regulations, support planning applications, and help you navigate the complexities of working with historic structures across England and Wales.
THE CHOSEN SPECIALIST LISTED BUILDING SURVEYORS
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HERITAGE CONSULTANTS
Specialist Guidance for Historic and Listed Buildings
At AMS Surveys, our Heritage Consultants provide expert advice for the care, preservation, and development of historic and listed buildings. With in-depth knowledge of planning policy, architectural history, and conservation regulations, we support clients in navigating the unique challenges of working with heritage assets.
Whether you’re seeking planning consent, assessing structural condition, or recording the historic significance of a building, our consultants work closely with architects, developers, and homeowners to deliver compliant, sensitive, and informed outcomes.
Our Heritage Consultants Can Help You:
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Understand the heritage significance of your property
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Prepare detailed Heritage Statements and Impact Assessments
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Manage Listed Building Consent applications
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Identify and report on Heritage building defects specific to older structures
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Undertake Historic Building Recording to planning standards
We balance the need for development and repair with the responsibility of preserving architectural heritage, ensuring your project moves forward without compromising historical value.
Our practice is based in Liverpool, which we think is iconic, given that Liverpool has the most listed buildings outside of London. This gives us a wealth of experience, drawing on our heritage as expert custodians of building conservation to offer our clients the well-informed reporting they require.
WHAT'S THE PROCESS?
Research and background study: Gathering historical documents, maps, photographs, and other relevant information to understand the area's history and potential heritage resources.
Field Survey: Visiting the study area to physically inspect and document the heritage resources. This may involve taking photographs, making sketches, and recording detailed descriptions.
Documentation: Compiling detailed reports and records about the identified heritage resources. This includes historical information, architectural details, significance assessments, and recommendations for preservation or conservation.
Assessment of Significance: Evaluating the historical, cultural, architectural, and archaeological significance of each resource. This often involves applying established criteria or guidelines.
Recommendations: Based on the assessment, the survey report may include recommendations for preservation, restoration, adaptive reuse, or other measures to protect and manage the heritage resources.
WHY WE CONDUCT THESE SURVEYS
TO PRESERVE CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL RESOURCES
Heritage surveys aim to identify and protect elements of a community's cultural and historical heritage. This includes historic buildings, landmarks, archaeological sites, artifacts, and natural landscapes with cultural significance.
TO INFORM PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Local governments, preservation organisations, and planners often use heritage surveys to inform land-use planning and development decisions. By identifying and documenting significant heritage resources, they can make informed choices about how to accommodate new development while preserving the past. Typically these are Heritage Statements or Statements of Significance.
TO SUPPORT HERITAGE CONSERVATION
Heritage surveys play a crucial role in heritage conservation efforts. They provide the data needed to prioritise and target resources for the preservation, restoration, or adaptive reuse of historically and culturally important sites and structures. Quite often a legal requirement for certain types of development or alterations to heritage sites. This ensures that developers and property owners consider the impact of their actions on heritage resources. The Local Planning Authority may approve planning permission with a Condition to complete a Historic Building Record, depending on the significance of the site this will vary from Level 1 - 4, 4 being the most in depth, a Level 2 is the most common.
TO RAISE AWARENESS AND EDUCATE
Heritage surveys often contribute to public awareness and education about a community's history and cultural identity. By documenting and sharing information about heritage resources, communities can celebrate their heritage and promote a sense of identity and pride. This can be in the form of local listing and conservation areas. This is part of the methodology for the Local Planning Authority outlined with the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.
LISTED BUILDING CONSULTANCY
If your house or commercial property is a Grade 2 Listed Building, it’s essential that you understand what you can and cannot do. In general, you won’t need permission for general like-for-like repairs and maintenance. However, if you’re not sure or are planning more extensive works, such as an alteration, it is best to get the help of a specialist.
AMS Surveys can act as your property consultants, offering our knowledge of Grade I, II* and II Listed Buildings, Non-designated Heritage Assets, buildings in Conservation Areas or local listings, to advise on the restrictions and help you utilise the existing space without breaching any regulations. By doing so, we hope to make homelife and work within the heritage buildings a pleasure.
THE HERITAGE BLOG
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