of flues. The lack of any certification by the building control officer may well inhibit the subsequent sale of such buildings.

4. Urgent repairs

It may come as a surprise to some planning authorities that some of the the most important buildings in their areas may fall into disrepair with— out the local authority being able to take any formal steps to redress the matter. The Wheat and Barley Barns at Cressing Temple are a typical example. A large site here is a SAN (Essex No 211). The two barns are listed Grade I. Recently it became apparent that some urgent repairs were required to the wall of one of the barns, but the local authority, because the site is scheduled, are precluded from serving a Section 101 or 114 Notice. Apparently the only way in which such repairs to a SAN can be enforced is for the DoE to go in and carry them out. As a consequence of this position, the District Council are left with a feeling of helplessness when they see a major building in their area in disrepair; and in this particular case it is ironic that that the council concerned is one who give historic building conservation a high priority, and who would readily have served a Section 101 Notice to ensure urgent repairs.

Summary

It would seem that there are a number of problems arising in connection with buildings which are listed and are scheduled ancient monuments. These problems are aggravated in situations where the buildings may be put to a use (or alternative use). In the current climate, there is considerable pressure, encouraged by local planning authorities, for finding new or alternative uses for redundant or dis— used historic buildings. These pressures are bound to raise similar issues to those which have been discussed above, and it would seem that there is a

growing need for reconsideration of the status of buildings which are both listed and scheduled.

There is, undoubtedly, a feeling of frustration in local authorities where owners of Grade II listed buildings are being pressed to keep them in good repair and effective use, while scheduled ancient monuments in the same area are faliling into disrepair.

It is possible that those scheduled monuments which are Grade I or 11*, and which are capable of conversion, repair or modernisation to a new active use, might be de—scheduled, allowing the local authorities to use their repairs notice or urgent works notice powers to bring pressure to have the structures repaired and used.

APPENDIX 1

There are a total of 184 scheduled ancient monuments in Essex, of which 61 are also listed buildings. 28 of these are Grade I, 11 are Grade II* and 22 are Grade II. 35 are roofed buildings, 15 are ruins and 10 are other structures. Four sites (Audley End House, Hill Hall, St Botoiph’s Priory and Widdington Barn) are in the care of the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission, one (Bourne Mill) belongs to the National Trust, eight belong to local authorities and the rest are in private ownership.

APPENDIX 2

Scheduled ancient monuments were originally controlled by the Secretary of state for the DoE under the Ancient Monuments (Consolidation & Amendment) Act 1913, the Historic Buildings & Ancient Monuments Act 1953, and the Ancient Monuments & Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The powers under these Acts include provision to purchase by agreement or by gift, to undertake guardianship arrangements, to carry out repairs, to control development and alterations, and to take legal action following any damge caused to a monument. This legislation takes precedence over the later Listed building and conseravtion areas legislation.

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