Assessment of German Storage sheds for Historic Buildings Register.

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A decision made (20/09/2006) regarding Register of Buildings and Sites of Architectural, Historical and Archaeological Importance: assessment of the German storage sheds in La Fredee Lane and Vallee des Vaux, St. Helier.

Subject:	Register of Buildings and Sites of Architectural, Historical and Archaeological Importance: assessment of the German storage sheds in La Fredée Lane and Vallée des Vaux, St Helier
Decision Reference:	MD-PE-2006-0099	Exempt clause(s):		none
Type of Report (oral or written):	Written/oral	Person Giving Report (if oral):		Curator of Historic Buildings/Historic Buildings Officer
Telephone or e-mail meeting	n/a	Report File ref:		3/04/02/01/Ministerial Reports
Written Report Title:	Register of Buildings and Sites of Architectural, Archaeological and Historical Importance in Jersey - assessment of the German storage sheds in La Fredée Lane and Vallée des Vaux, St Helier	Written report – Author:		Curator of Historic Buildings
Decision(s): Shed numbered 3 (on the attached location map) of the 6no. German storage sheds in La Fredée Lane and Vallée des Vaux, St Helier shall be added to the Historic Buildings Register as a Building of Local Interest.
Reason(s) for decision: In accordance with the strategic objective ‘to protect the best of the Island’s architectural heritage’ of the Island Plan 2002, and Policy HB1 of the Interim Policies for the Conservation of Historic Buildings shed 3 of the German storage sheds in La Fredée Lane and Vallée des Vaux, St Helier satisfies the published criteria for registration as a Building of Local Interest.
Action required:  Amend the Historic Buildings Register  Issue notification letter to owners  Notify Development Control – Urban Section  JHT to record the structures which are not to be included in the Register
Signature: (Minister/ Assistant Minister)			Date of Decision: 20 September 2006

Assessment of German Storage sheds for Historic Buildings Register.

		Item No:
		Date:

PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT

Assessment of storage buildings erected by the German occupying forces in La Fredée Lane and La Vallée des Vaux, St Helier

Purpose of the Report

The purpose of this report is for the Minister to consider whether the storage buildings merit inclusion in the Historic Buildings Register, having regard to the States strategic objective ‘to protect the best of the Island’s architectural heritage’ and a key objective of the Island Plan 2002 to protect and promote Jersey’s built, cultural and archaeological heritage.

Background

This report has been prepared by the Jersey Heritage Trust as part of its responsibility under a Service Level Agreement to provide reports and recommendations to the Minister for Planning and Environment on the registration of buildings and sites. It incorporates the views of the Jersey Heritage Advisory Panel (JHAP) - a group previously established to provide independent, expert advice on matters relating to the protection of buildings and sites of cultural interest (now superseded by MRLAG).

In October 2005, the Planning and Environment Department requested that JHAP assess the architectural and historic interests of the storage buildings erected by the German occupying forces in La Fredée Lane and La Vallée des Vaux, St Helier.

The storage buildings were not included in the 1992 Historic Buildings Register. They were not identified as buildings of particular interest by the Channel Islands Occupation Society whilst carrying out a thematic review of Occupation structures on behalf of the Department in 1998 and were not considered for registration by the Jersey Building Heritage Sub-Committee during its review of historic buildings in St Helier in 2002.

Discussion

The significance of the storage buildings was assessed by the Curator of Historic Buildings in October 2005. Mr M Ginns of the CIOS was contacted and identified the structures as storage buildings built by the German occupying forces in the 1940s primarily to house anti-aircraft gun ammunition.

It was observed that the buildings are long, single storey, with reinforced cast concrete walls and a double door entrance at one end. Most have mono-pitch corrugated roofs but one has a double pitch corrugated roof and another a vaulted corrugated roof. The buildings are modest but do survive largely intact, although building No.1 has been rendered.

The Curator of Historic Buildings concluded that the storage sheds have historic interest and group value as part of the German defence system, but that the buildings are modest and of limited architectural interest. The recommendation put to JHAP was that the significance of the structures merited one or two examples being added to the Register as BLIs but that the other structures should be recorded but not registered.

The Jersey Heritage Advisory Panel visited the buildings at its meeting on 17th October 2005.

Members discussed if any or all of these modest structures merit inclusion in the Register. Members felt that the buildings should not be assessed individually but should be considered as part of a larger complex of structures. It was agreed that the buildings have historic interest as part of the defences constructed by the German occupying forces, and have some architectural interest in the way in which they are constructed. Based principally on the fact that the buildings were constructed by the German forces, members concluded that each of the storage sheds therefore merits registration as a BLI.

Recommendation

It is recommended that storage buildings No.2 & 5 (see attached plan) are added to the Register as BLIs, as best examples, but that the other buildings are not registered.

Reason(s) for Decision

The storage buildings are modest examples of structures built as part of the German occupation of Jersey. The registration of the best examples satisfies the published criteria but the registration of all structures simply on the basis that they were constructed by the German forces cannot be justified.

The registration of the best examples of the storage sheds is in accordance with Interim Policy HB1 which states ‘Historic buildings which contribute positively to the distinctive character or appearance of Jersey’s built-up areas or countryside, particularly where they are of ‘group value’, will be identified and included in the Register of Buildings and Sites of Architectural, Archaeological and Historical Importance in Jersey.’

Action Required

 Add storage buildings No.2 & 5 to the Historic Buildings Register as BLIs

 Issue notification letters to the owners

 Notify the Development Control – Urban Section of the decision.

 JHT to record the structures which are not to be included on the Register

Written by:	Roger Hills Curator of Historic Buildings - Jersey Heritage Trust

Approved by:	Fiona Smith Historic Buildings Officer – P&E The above report was submitted to the Planning Sub-Committee at its meeting of 16 November 2005. Members deferred a decision to Register any of the storage sheds on the basis that, in order to establish the significance of the storage sheds in the context of the entire WWII German defence works estate, an Island wide character appraisal of similar building types should be undertaken. Whilst this appraisal is scheduled into a long term work plan, it has not been given high priority for two reasons – 1. A thematic review has already been undertaken (c. 1999), although it is accepted that this is due for review. 2. It is considered appropriate to prioritise character appraisals by level of ‘risk’ (principally by development pressure, although other factors suchas rarity and condition have also been taken into account). Development pressure generally on the Occupation structures is low. Due to prioritisation and resource issues it is unlikely that this review will be carried out for some years. In April 2006, whilst considering a Development Control issue in relation to one of the sheds, the Minister for Planning and Environment requested the buildings be reviewed by the Jersey Heritage Advisory Panel. Due to the intervening change of government and as no further information has come to light on the significance of the structures since JHAPs review of October 2005 it is considered appropriate to present the background information to the Minister.

Endorsed by:	Kevin Pilley, Assistant Director - PBS

Attachments:

Location plan

Historic building survey form

Photographs

Extract from Planning Sub-Committee minutes of 16 November 2005

24 May 2006