APP/P6.2/CUL
Cultural Heritage
Summary Proof of Evidence
Chris Surfleet
CEN/P6.2/CUL
SUMMARY OF EVIDENCE
CHRIS SURFLEET
CULTURAL HERITAGE
TRANSPORT AND WORKS ACT 1992
MIDLAND METRO (WOLVERHAMPTON CITY CENTRE EXTENSION)
ORDER INQUIRY
JUNE 2015
1.0
My name is Chris Surfleet. I am Director of Heritage & Urban Design at WYG. I have an
MA in the History of Art, with Honours in Architectural History, an MSc in Historic
Conservation and a post-graduate Diploma in Urban Design. I am a Full Member of the
Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC).
1.1
My evidence explains the extent to which the Order proposals would impact upon the
significance of heritage assets, and the contribution made to that significance by
setting. I confirm that I have made clear which facts and matters referred to in my
evidence are within my own knowledge and which are not. Those that are within my
own knowledge I confirm to be true. The opinions I have expressed represent my true
and complete professional opinion and are in accordance with the rules of my
professional body, the IHBC.
1.2
Whilst I was not the author of the Environmental Statement (ES) [WCCE/A15/1,
WCCE/A15/2, WCCE/A15/3, WCCE/A15/4, and WCCE/A15/5], I am the author of the
section relating to Cultural Heritage in the Addendum to the ES [WCCE/A15/6]. In
drafting the Addendum, I considered it necessary to include an assessment of the
operational impact of the development on the setting of designated and non-designated
assets, and to include an assessment of additional designated assets.
1.3
My conclusions in relation to the residual impact on individual heritage assets are
summarised as follows:
Description of Potential
Effect
Value of
Receptor
Residual Effect
Significance (With
Mitigation)
Relevant Scenario
Effects on the setting of
High
Minor adverse
A and B
Grade II listed former ticket
Not significant
office (9)
Removal of steel clad section
High
Medium beneficial
B
High
Minor adverse
A and B
from Grade II Steam Mill (30)
Effect on setting of Grade II
Steam Mill (30)
Not significant
Effect on setting of Grade II
High
railway depot (35)
Minor adverse
A and B
Not significant
Effect on setting of Grade II
High
buildings in Queen Street
Minor adverse
A and B
Not significant
(15-18)
Effect on setting of listed
High
buildings (3, 32, 37)
Effect
on
setting
Minor adverse
A and B
Not significant
of
Medium
Minor adverse
A and B
Description of Potential
Effect
Value of
Receptor
Conservation Areas as a
Residual Effect
Significance (With
Mitigation)
Relevant Scenario
Not significant
result of construction work
Effect
on
setting
of
Medium
Minor beneficial
B
High
Minor adverse
A and B
Conservation Areas as a
result of construction work
Effects on the setting of
Grade II listed former ticket
Not significant
office (9)
Effect on setting of Grade II
High
Minor beneficial
A and B
High
Minor adverse
A and B
Steam Mill (30)
Effect on setting of Grade II
buildings in Queen Street
Not significant
(15-18)
Effect on setting of listed
High
buildings (3, 32, 37)
Effect
on
setting
Minor adverse
A and B
Not significant
of
Medium
Conservation Areas as a
Minor adverse
A and B
Not significant
result of construction work
Effect
on
setting
of
Conservation Areas as a
result of construction work
Medium
Minor beneficial
B
Description of Potential
Effect
Value of
Receptor
Residual Effect
Significance (With
Mitigation)
Relevant Scenario
Effect on setting, Clarence
Low
Negligible
A and B
Low
Negligible
A and B
Low
Negligible
A and B
Low
Negligible
A and B
All others
Negligible
Negligible
A and B
Effect on setting, Clarence
Low
Negligible
A and B
Low
Negligible
A and B
Low
Negligible
A and B
Low
Negligible
A and B
Negligible
Negligible
A and B
Hotel (48)
Effect on setting, Buildings
and street fronts along Fry
Street/Cann
Lane
(now
called Railway Street) (79)
Site of a sack warehouse
mentioned in a report on
the fire which destroyed the
original Old Steam Mill.
(115)
Gateway
to
High
Level
Station (116)
Hotel (48)
Effect on setting, Buildings
and street fronts along Fry
Street/Cann
Lane
(now
called Railway Street) (79)
Site of a sack warehouse
mentioned in a report on
the fire which destroyed the
original Old Steam Mill.
(115)
Gateway
to
High
Level
Station (116)
All others
1.4
I am also satisfied that great care has been taken to design the scheme in such a
way as to mitigate the levels of harmful impact wherever possible. As a result, the
impact of the tramway on the setting of heritage assets and on the Conservation
Areas has been minimised, including arrangements to minimize pole number, to
building-mount the OHLE and to rationalize and combine street furniture to reduce
overall levels of clutter within the streetscene.
1.5
The objection submitted in behalf of Gladedale Estates Ltd (OBJ/W08) makes a
number of points in relation to the heritage considerations of the Order. These relate
to the adequacy of the ES, the ability to undertake the works to the Steam Mill and
the limitations imposed by the Order on the future ability to regenerate the Mill. My
evidence demonstrates that the impacts assessed within the ES and ES Addendum
are sound, that the works to the Mill have been the subject of Listed Building Consent
approval, and that both Wolverhampton City Council and Historic England have
endorsed the current alignment of the Scheme.
Summary
1.6
My conclusion is that the residual levels of impact are as set out in the ES and
Addendum to ES. The assessments therein identify a range of impacts, some
adverse and some beneficial in nature. There would be some residual minor adverse
levels of impact resulting from the implementation of the scheme and the associated
mitigation measures on the setting of designated assets. At the level of minor
adverse, I consider that these are not significant and represent impacts of “less than
substantial” harm in the terms of the NPPF. In addition, there would be medium
beneficial impacts resulting to the Steam Mill as a result of the removal of the steelclad section and minor beneficial impact resulting from the enhancement of its
setting.