Rhiwlas Street, Liverpool
Characterisation studies
Some of the same tools employed to draw up a conservation area appraisal are used in area characterisation studies. Characterisation provides an understanding of the historical development of a defined area, from its rural roots to its current urban form. The current approach to area characterisation has been developed by English Heritage to help organisations make informed decisions about area regeneration and redevelopment. Characterisation studies assess townscape, street layout, all the historic buildings in an area, and the impact of recent change to make a judgement of the area’s relative heritage value.
AHP’s latest characterisation study was for Gleeson Regeneration Ltd, which has been commissioned by Liverpool City Council to develop improved housing in the Princes Park area of Liverpool, under the national Housing Market Renewal Initiative. The characterisation study will be used to inform the urban design of future housing development, including the extent to which existing buildings and characteristics will be retained.