Agents and Types of Change in the Conserved Townscape

Abstract

This paper examines factors affecting the form of development in four conservation areas in the West Midlands since 1968. Data have been obtained from the records of planning applications held by local authorities and used to identify the types of change and the agents involved in each change. It is shown that the provenance of agents active in these areas is usually restricted to the immediate locality, particularly for residential areas. Agents active in commercial areas are rather more widespread. Agents of change are divided into two groups, those having direct influence on changes (principally the initiators of plans and their architects), and indirect agents, including planning authorities and the public. It is felt that the influence of the second group is relatively small. The styles of new buildings constructed vary considerably, but reflect a national trend towards 'historicist' styles, with neo-Georgian and neo-Tudor being popular, and historicist elements being used in the post-Modem style. Agents from outside the study areas are most likely to make stylistic innovations, which are then adopted, often speedily, by local developers and architects. In general terms, the implications of the observed processes of change for conserved townscapes appear to be that local architects and developers are inherently conservative in their styles: this explains the enduring popularity of neo-vernacular and the rapid adoption of historicist styles. By contrast, external agents, who may be unfamiliar with the characteristics of an area, generally introduce 'new' styles.

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