Plymouth Civic Centre

Your Questions Answered

Q:  WHY DID ENGLISH HERITAGE LIST THE CIVIC CENTRE?

A:  The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) listed this building on the advice of English Heritage. As the Government’s lead advisory body on heritage, our role is to give expert advice on whether a building has met the strict criteria for listing and is therefore considered to be nationally architecturally important. This is done very carefully and fairly and is not a subjective judgement.  If a building meets these criteria we have a statutory obligation to say so. 

English Heritage recommended that the Civic Centre was worthy of listing because of its innovative design. It is part of a very complete set of civic buildings with fine internal decoration and has unusually rich art work in the Council House, which is themed around Plymouth’s history.  The building is balanced, uplifting and powerful and has a landmark position at the Southern end of the area, which formed the focus of Patrick Abercrombie’s ‘Plan for Plymouth’.  Experts at the 20th Century Society and in Government also agree that this is a nationally important building.

Q: WHY DO PEOPLE THINK THE CIVIC CENTRE IS SPECIAL?

A:  The Civic Centre in Plymouth is one of the most important civic centre buildings of the 1950’s in the country.  In addition to its technical architectural merits, the building symbolises the energy of Britain emerging after the devastation of World War II and shows the hope and aspirations of that newly confident Plymouth. We do believe that it is a building to be proud of, and a striking testimony to the spirit which guided the re-building of the City. It compares very well with others of its date including Newcastle Civic Centre (listed grade II*) and New County Hall, Truro (listed grade II) and puts Plymouth on the map with other major cities in England.

Q:  WHY WAS THE LISTING A SURPRISE TO THE COUNCIL AND THE PEOPLE OF PLYMOUTH?

A: This was not in any way a surprise; we let the City Council know the Civic Centre was being considered for listing in May 2006, which was as soon as we knew ourselves.  This gave them over a year to submit their views and adapt their plans to accomodate the possible outcomes of the Government decision. 

Q: WHY CAN’T WE JUST DE-LIST IT IF PEOPLE ARE UNHAPPY?

A: In order to get a building de-listed, significant new evidence has to be presented to the DCMS that proves that the building now lacks the architectural merits, interior decoration, symbolic status and innovative design that made it worthy of listing in the first place.

Q: DOESN’T LISTING MEAN YOU CAN’T DO ANYTHING WITH IT?

A: Listed buildings are often altered, added to or even demolished when it is shown that that is necessary. Listing tells everyone of a building’s architectural importance and just requires an application for listed building consent before changes are made. 
Last year in England over 90% of listed building consent applications were approved.  It is a straightforward, and free, part of the normal planning process. Listed building consent is designed to make sure that decisions about a building’s future are made with careful thought and that alterations make the most of a building’s historic qualities.

Q: HASN’T THE LISTING BLOCKED REGENERATION IN PLYMOUTH?

A:  Discovering that Plymouth has a new nationally important building could well be the start of a new regeneration scheme in the area.  Other cities such as Sheffield, Birmingham and London have built hugely successful schemes that include special post-war buildings.  English Heritage is expert at helping people to use the historic environment to get the very best regeneration possible and we will have a lot of help and advice to give to Plymouth.
We believe there may be a vibrant commercial future for the building and that it is possible and desirable to develop an imaginative scheme to regenerate the city centre and celebrate the best of its post-war architectural heritage.

Q:   CAN’T ENGLISH HERITAGE GRANT-AID THE REPAIRS TO IT?

A:  The Civic Centre is Grade II and so unfortunately not eligible for English Heritage money, though there are other sources that can be investigated. We will however be doing what we can to support the Council in the early stages of assessment of the building.