Agenda item

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of the Built Environment regarding the draft text of the Barbican Listed Building Management Guidelines Draft SPD, Volume III, due to be published for formal public consultation in March 2021.

At this point, the Chairman sought approval from the Committee to continue the meeting

beyond two hours from the appointed time for the start of the meeting, in accordance with Standing Order 40, and this was agreed.

A Member commented that he was minded to vote against the recommendations noting that there had been much talk under previous applications about minimising embodied carbon in construction, particularly with the adoption of the Climate Action Strategy, and yet this document suggested that tiles should be replaced like for like with no reference whatsoever to any effort  having been made to deal with the embodied carbon. He noted that the City Corporation were the owners and therefore in complete control of these proposals. In response, Officers advised that as much of the original building fabric as possible would be retained which was entirely compatible with whole life carbon and sustainability. In conservation terms, what was being suggested was that the retention of the original fabric was the preferred option but that Officers would also keep an open mind on this if better options were available in terms of carbon footprint.   

Another Member commented that this related to the conservation of the Barbican and that it had taken many years to get this important document in place. He went on to question whether the other Committees that had considered this document prior to the Planning and Transportation Committee had made any changes to it and, if so, how these had been accounted for. Officers confirmed that no changes had been made to the guidelines when considered by other relevant Committees.

RESOLVED – That Members approve the draft text of the Barbican Listed Building Management Guidelines Draft SPD, Volume III and agree that the document be published for formal public consultation in March 2021.