Ramsgate Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan
Ramsgate Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan
Ramsgate is one of the UK’s most significant coastal towns, at one time more popular than Brighton as a holiday destination for the great and good. Its incredibly rich built heritage contrasts with the economic challenges faced by the town in recent decades, a story shared by many of the UK’s coastal communities.
In 2021 we prepared a Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan for the town, funded through Historic England’s Heritage Action Zones programme. The Appraisal was the first comprehensive study of Ramsgate’s heritage significance and a key milestone in driving heritage-led regeneration throughout the town.
We specifically targeted ways in which the town’s remarkable legacy of 18th and 19th century housing can be adapted to improve energy performance in ways which do not affect the town’s very distinctive character and appearance, which underpin its Conservation Area status. This is believed to be the first such guidance in the country.
The document (read it here) was innovative in including detailed guidance regarding climate change adaptation and mitigation measures tailored to the specific heritage and townscape context of Ramsgate. Prepared in partnership with retrofit experts Prewett Bizley Architects, the Appraisal is understood to be the first in the country to include such guidance.
Client: Thanet District Council/Historic England