A system of classification

Press, 22 November 1980, Page 15

A system of classification

The buildings classification committee of the Historic Places Trust (whose work is described in the accompanying article) rates buildings into four categories, A, B, C and D, according to their historical significance or architectural quality. If a building is of such architectural quality or historical significance that its preservation is of national importance it is classified "A”; a “B” classification means that the preservation of tjte building is strongly- recommended; a “C" classification that its preservation should be encouraged; and a “D” classification that it will be enough if the buildingis recorded-

The committee also classifies “objects” such as bridges, lighthouses, or early industrial ruins into the same four categories. It can also designate conservation areas or precincts where groups of several buildings are, together, of historical sign-

ificance or architectural quality. A conservation area could include several precincts and a precinct several individual buildings.

An individual building within a precinct could also have its own classification as a single building. Part of the Central Otago town of Clyde is a conservation area. Christchurch has a precinct in the Arts Centre, several of the individual buildings of which have their own classifications. The committee has a long list of criteria which it applies when deciding how to classify a particular building. They include the building’s association with major events or persons; illustrating the social, political, economic, or technological history of New Zealand; being representative of a period or style of architecture or of the vernacular building practices of the time; "integrity,” that is whether it has been altered or

modified; setting; maintenance; accessibility to the public; and whether it enjoys public esteem or interest.

Mr Thornton points 'out that arguments about which of four classifications a building should be given have not interfered at. "all with the committee’s work. He points out, too, that the committee’s classification is not the last word about any particular building.

A classification does not preclude local groups treating a building as worth more than the committee, from a national point of view, thinks it is worth. In addition, local bodies, required to have lists of historic buildings and structures in their areas for town planning purposes, can set their own standards, independent of the committee’s classifications.

(In practice, few local bodies have any expertise in the area of evaluating

and classifying buildings and tend to fall back on the Trust when discharging their responsibilities under the town and country planning acts and regulations.)

Mr Thornton believes that some of the dissatisfaction with some of the committee’s classifications stems from the committee having been “purist” in its approach and so having denied some buildings the high ratings which local interests think they deserve. The committee has set high standards partly from a recognition that the preservation and restoration of older buildings costs money and that it would therefore be unwise to have the Trust seen to be fostering the preservation of large numbers of buildings whose worth is uncertain.

Mr Thornton also feels it is important to remember that the committee takes a national viewpoint, although not to the

exclusion of the local importance of particular buildings. Thus a building in, say, Waiau or Culverden could be given a higher classification than a

similar building in, say, Christchurch, where there might be even two or three hundred buildings of a similar character.

The risk of being charged with being inconsistent is less important, Mr Thornton feels, than the benefit of a classification which recognises the local importance of a building. The buildings classification committee’s listings are likely to become more important in the new year. The new Historic Places Trust Act allows the board of the Trust, with the permission of the Minister, to issue “protection notices” over certain buildings. This will probably be done by the Trust as buildings classified “A” or “B” by the committee are threatened.