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Historic Environment Record

Listed buildings and conservation areas, the Historic Landscape Characterisation project, and searching the Historic Environment Record (HER).

Searching our records

There are 914 listings in North Lincolnshire.  You can search the English Heritage List for England or contact the North Lincolnshire Historic Environment Record to get details of these buildings. You can also view locations of these under the Environment section on our interactive map.

You can read more about listed buildings and the criteria for listing on the Gov.uk website.

The Lincolnshire Historic Landscape Characterisation (HLC) Project was completed in 2011. It was a partnership between North Lincolnshire Council, English Heritage, Lincolnshire County Council, North-East Lincolnshire Council, The Lincolnshire Wolds Countryside Service, and several Lincolnshire district councils.

HLC describes the landscape of the historic county of Lincolnshire in terms of the existing features seen today, and in terms of the processes by which they were formed. Using a GIS (Geographical Information System), the historic character of the landscape was mapped for every field. This allows us to interpret the modern environment with reference back to how it has developed, and helps to identify what is historically important about particular landscapes.

The data will be used to inform future planning and conservation strategy, and will be a useful resource for historical research.

Using old and new maps as a reference, HLC divides the landscape into broad character types such as agricultural land, woodland, settlement, industry and several other categories. Each broad type can be subdivided into more specific HLC types. For example an area with the broad type ‘Settlement’ might be given a sub-type such as ‘Farm Complex’, ‘Village Core’ or ‘Country House’. Thus, HLC can be used to view the whole landscape, either very broadly or in much more specific terms.

HLC data is now available to the public and to heritage professionals through the North Lincolnshire Historic Environment Record (HER).  You may also download the text and GIS data on the Lincolnshire Council website.

In addition, the Isle of Axholme has been designated in the Local Plan as an Area of Special Historic Landscape Interest, under saved policy LC14. The justification for this was an earlier study of landscape character, commissioned by the former Countryside Commission in 1997.

The 1997 Isle of Axholme historic landscape characterisation project [PDF, 4.79MB] is available to download.

You can also visit the HER or request a search of the HER.

The Historic Environment Record (HER) is a record of all known heritage assets in North Lincolnshire. These heritage assets include archaeological sites, monuments and buildings, as well as historic places and landscapes. The record includes all listed buildings, conservation areas and scheduled monuments. These are nationally important designated heritage assets. Many other non-designated heritage assets and sites are of regional or local importance.

The records cover a wide variety of heritage assets dating from prehistory up to the twentieth century. There are now over 8200 records of all types of heritage asset, including 46 scheduled monuments and over one thousand listed buildings.

The HER is updated as new information becomes available, and new discoveries and heritage assets continue to be added to the database. We are always pleased to receive information from the public relating to historic sites and finds.

Accessing the HER

The HER can be used for research by community groups, individuals and students. Much of our data is available on the Heritage Gateway website.  NB. This website is suitable for non-planning related research only.

Our electronic records include descriptions of the heritage asset and relevant sources of information such as publications, site reports and photographs. The database records can be searched on a number of fields such as asset or site type, period or location. The database Geographic Information System (GIS) records the position of each asset on an electronic map.

Some HER paper-based records such as aerial photographs can be consulted in person. Please contact us to discuss your research requirements and arrange an appointment to view. Researchers should consult the list of resources available at the north Lincolnshire HER [PDF, 25KB] prior to booking a visit. Our paper records are held off-site outside Scunthorpe. We can retrieve material for a visit if you let us know what you require.

The HER provides planning advice, both to the council and to developers and consultants. Planning applications are checked against the HER, and recommendations for investigations on development sites are provided, in line with government and local planning policy. The HER also advises on the management of heritage assets for agri-environment schemes and woodland proposals.

Applicants can consult the HER to identify any heritage assets their proposals may affect and for advice prior to submitting an application. Please contact us for further information.

Requesting a search of the HER

Consultants or contractors who are preparing desk-based assessments for planning applications or environmental statements can request a search of the HER.

HER searches cost £150 for the first hour and £75 for each subsequent hour (VAT not payable). Before we start a search, we ask for:

  • a map or a GIS table showing the search area, or a central grid reference with radius of search.
  • an order number or job code.
  • a signed licence agreement that will limit the use of our data to a single project.

The results will be supplied by email, normally as a set of reports in PDF format. These reports include the designation status of sites, and text from the HER database records. Reports detailing archaeological events will also be included in the results, as will Historic Landscape Character records where appropriate.

Most consultants now require spatial data in GIS format. GIS tables will include both point data and polygons for designated and non-designated heritage assets, and a range of other related data tables.

Our electronic data should be regarded as ‘baseline’ information, and does not represent all the information available from the HER. Other sources and former record sheets are available as PDF documents and can be supplied within reason at no further charge if requested. A desk-based assessment may require a personal visit to look at resources only available on paper.

North Lincolnshire HER data available on the Heritage Gateway website is updated only once a year and is not suitable for planning related searches.

To commission a search, please contact us.

Conservation areas in North Lincolnshire

There are 17 conservation areas within the towns and villages of North Lincolnshire.  Because of their special character and quality, they have been ‘designated’ by the council under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. This means that their special character can be safeguarded and enhanced.

A number of special controls and requirements apply in conservation areas. This does not mean that there will be no new developments or alterations to existing buildings. However, the council has a duty to ensure that all changes either enhance the attractiveness of these areas, or do no harm to their special qualities.

If you are thinking about making alterations to a property or demolishing a building in a conservation area please contact the development control team. A planning officer will advise you if consent is required.

You can view the 17 conservation areas under the Environment section on our interactive map.

Living in a conservation area

Planning applications are needed for some types of development that may not normally need permission. These include:

  • Larger house or industrial extensions
  • Dormer windows
  • Cladding external walls of a house
  • Satellite dishes facing a highway
  • Illuminated advertisements

Demolition

You will need permission from the council to demolish buildings and other structures. Generally this will be refused unless it would improve the appearance of the conservation area.

Trees

By law, if you want to prune or fell a tree in a conservation you must complete an application form at least six weeks before to notify the council of your intended works, unless the tree is less than 7.5cms in diameter at 1.5 metres above ground level. Application forms and more information can be found on our tree preservation orders and trees in conservation areas page.

Conservation area appraisals

Conservation area appraisals were prepared for all 17 conservation areas in North Lincolnshire between 2001 and 2005. The conservation area appraisals define and record what makes these places “areas of special architectural or historic interest”. They identify their special character and qualities, and provide a clear definition of what makes them special. They also set out what it is important to retain.

Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG)

This type of guidance outlines how the council will apply its planning policies to development proposals in conservation areas.  The council has adopted SPG, based on the conservation area appraisals, for each of its conservation areas. These documents are important material planning considerations and should be used when developing a planning proposal through to an application.

Article 4 Directions

Twelve of our conservation areas have further controls in place. These are termed Article 4 directions. Permission may be required for minor works to dwellings, including:

  • Outside alterations such as new windows or door
  • Re-roofing or alterations to the chimneys ridge, tiles etc
  • Porches
  • Covering gardens in tarmac or concrete
  • Removing garden walls
  • Creation of car parking space
  • Putting up gates fences or walls
  • Covering walls by rendering or painting the brick work.

Below you will find the Appraisal and Supplementary Planning Guidance and Article 4 Directions for each conservation area: