Residents help identify 678 heritage assets that make East Cambridgeshire special

Hundreds of buildings, structures, archaeological sites and landscapes valued by East Cambridgeshire residents have been documented as part of a project to protect the district’s local heritage.

A total of 678 assets across all 35 parishes have been added to the Cambridgeshire Local Heritage List Project website.

The entries range from war memorials and traditional telephone boxes to fenland cottages and other landmarks which contribute to the character and identity of their communities.

The Local Heritage List recognises important sites which do not meet the threshold for national listing and may otherwise have little or no protection.

If a planning application affects an asset included on the list, its local importance must be considered by the planning authority. Although local listing does not provide the same protection as national listing, it can help preserve the area’s character and heritage.

As part of the project, 15 East Cambridgeshire assets have also been accepted by Historic England for inclusion on the National Heritage List.

Councillor Lucius Vellacott, Heritage Champion at East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “We are extremely lucky to live in an area that is rich in history and has lots of impressive buildings, parks, gardens, landmarks and structures which are important to local communities.

“This is about capturing what makes East Cambridgeshire special and helping to keep it that way to preserve what we love about our district now and for the future.

“The fact that 15 of these have now been accepted by Historic England for inclusion in the National Heritage List is a testament both to the quality of East Cambridgeshire’s built heritage and to the rigour and thoroughness of the local listing process.”

East Cambridgeshire is the first participating district in the Cambridgeshire Local Heritage List Project to complete its local list.

Residents can continue to nominate assets, comment on existing nominations or volunteer to support the project.

For more information visit https://local-heritage-list.org.uk/cambridgeshire or email christopher.patterson@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.