Our services

Creative Heritage provides practical heritage consultancy for historic buildings, listed buildings, conservation areas, buildings at risk and heritage-led regeneration projects. We work with clients from the earliest feasibility stage through to planning, funding, delivery and long-term management.

Our services are designed to help clients understand the significance of heritage assets, assess the impact of proposed change, secure funding, manage risk and develop realistic plans for repair, reuse, conservation and sustainable long-term operation.

When the economy is depressed it can be extremely difficult to justify expenditure on redundant historic buildings, as public budgets are greatly constrained and property end values can exceed refurbishment costs. Local authorities continue to have statutory responsibilities to seek solutions to heritage at risk however, and there are often opportunities for partnership working with the private and voluntary sectors to unlock seemingly intransigent problems.

Private owners understand all too well the risks of leaving historic buildings empty. Mothballing or meanwhile uses may be required to protect investment, alongside the preparation of development plans to create ‘oven ready projects’ for when the economy picks up. The National Planning Policy Framework emphasises the need to understand the significance of heritage assets that may be affected by new development, and places the onus on developers to help planning authorities in assessing the potential impact of proposals on neighbouring heritage assets.

Creative Heritage Consultants provide cost effective, practical advice at all stages of historic building regeneration projects, with creative solutions for all situations.
Services include:

Creative re-use of redundant listed buildings

Creative Heritage helps clients explore practical and sustainable new uses for redundant, underused or at-risk historic buildings. This can include early project advice, assessment of constraints and opportunities, options appraisal, stakeholder engagement, funding strategy and advice on how historic buildings can be repaired, adapted and brought back into beneficial use.

Our approach balances heritage significance with practical viability. We help clients consider not only what is desirable from a conservation point of view, but also what is deliverable, fundable and sustainable in the long term.

Heritage Impact Assessments for development proposals within or near heritage assets

A Heritage Impact Assessment explains how proposed works may affect the significance of a heritage asset, such as a listed building, conservation area, historic townscape or neighbouring heritage feature. It is often required to support planning applications, listed building consent applications or development proposals affecting historic environments.

Creative Heritage prepares Heritage Impact Assessments that combine historical research, site analysis, policy understanding and practical design advice. The aim is to help clients, design teams and planning authorities understand the heritage value of a site and how proposed changes can avoid, reduce or mitigate harm.

Projects where HIAs were involved: Century Buildings, The Long Barn, Bubnell Hall, Greatlow Farm and Brownsfield Mill – Visit our projects page

Statements of Significance

A Statement of Significance identifies what makes a historic building, site or place important. It can explain architectural, historical, communal, evidential and townscape value, and it helps guide decisions about repair, alteration, reuse or development.

Creative Heritage prepares Statements of Significance for listed buildings, conservation area sites, historic townscapes and complex heritage assets where a clear understanding of significance is needed before proposals are developed.

Conservation Management Plans

A Conservation Management Plan sets out why a heritage asset matters, how it should be cared for, what risks it faces and how future change should be managed. It is particularly useful for complex historic buildings, public heritage assets, grant-funded projects and sites with multiple stakeholders.

Creative Heritage prepares Conservation Management Plans that support decision-making, funding applications, maintenance planning, design development and long-term management.

For our Canada House project, we produced a Conservation Management Plan to inform design development and support a National Lottery Heritage Fund application.

Feasibility Studies, Options Appraisals and Market Assessments

Feasibility studies and options appraisals help clients understand what may be possible for a historic building or heritage site before committing to a full project. They can consider condition, significance, constraints, opportunities, repair needs, potential uses, funding options, costs, risks and long-term viability.

Creative Heritage helps clients explore realistic options for the repair, conservation and creative reuse of historic buildings, especially buildings at risk or assets that need a sustainable new purpose.

Heritage Project Management

Heritage projects often involve complex funding, specialist consultants, conservation requirements, stakeholder engagement and staged approvals. Creative Heritage provides heritage project management support to help clients develop, fund and deliver projects involving historic buildings, townscape schemes and community heritage assets.

Our work can include preparing briefs, managing consultants, coordinating supporting documents, liaising with funders, monitoring budgets, managing programmes and helping clients move from early feasibility through to delivery.

Our projects involving management include Cromford Mills, Saving Macclesfield’s Heritage, Tyldesley High Street Heritage Action Zone and Wigan town centre grant schemes.

Grants advice and funding applications

Creative Heritage helps clients develop strong funding cases for heritage repair, conservation, regeneration and community engagement projects. This can include early project shaping, feasibility work, supporting documents, delivery strategies, activity planning, cost planning, coordination and National Lottery Heritage Fund application support.

Kate Dickson has been a member of the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Register of Support Services since 2012, and the site lists a wide range of mentoring and monitoring work for heritage organisations.

Related projects – Cromford Mills; Old Grammar School, Richmond; Sheffield Buddhist Centre; Canada House; All Saints, Toftrees.  View our projects

Community Consultation and Capacity Building

Many heritage projects depend on strong local support, realistic governance and the ability of community organisations to manage complex projects. Creative Heritage supports consultation, capacity building, mentoring and partnership working for voluntary groups, trusts, charities, local authorities and community-led heritage projects.

View our teams page and biographies showing relevant experience in capacity building, audience development, community engagement, governance and social enterprise.

Asset transfer and long-term business strategies

Creative Heritage advises on asset transfer where historic buildings or heritage assets may move into community, charitable or trust ownership. This work can involve assessing organisational capacity, exploring governance options, identifying risks and considering whether a proposed transfer is realistic and sustainable.

We also help clients develop business strategies for the economically viable long-term use of heritage assets. This may include exploring potential uses, income generation, operating models, partnership structures, funding routes and the practical steps needed to turn a vulnerable or underused building into a sustainable asset.

Delivery Plans and Procurement Advice

Creative Heritage helps clients move from project ideas and feasibility work into structured delivery. This can include developing delivery plans, preparing briefs, advising on consultant appointments, supporting procurement processes, coordinating project teams and helping clients meet funder, governance and programme requirements.

This is particularly valuable for heritage projects involving public funding, multiple stakeholders, specialist consultants or complex repair and regeneration work.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a heritage consultant do?

A heritage consultant helps clients understand, manage and make changes to historic buildings, listed buildings, conservation areas and other heritage assets. Their work can include heritage impact assessments, statements of significance, conservation management plans, feasibility studies, grant funding advice, project management and advice on the repair, conservation and reuse of historic buildings.

When do I need a Heritage Impact Assessment?

You may need a Heritage Impact Assessment when proposed works could affect a listed building, conservation area, scheduled monument, registered park or garden, historic townscape or the setting of a heritage asset. It is commonly required for planning applications, listed building consent applications and development proposals near sensitive historic sites.

What is included in a Heritage Impact Assessment?

A Heritage Impact Assessment usually explains the history and significance of the site, identifies the heritage assets affected, assesses how proposed works may affect their significance and recommends ways to avoid, reduce or mitigate harm. It should help the client, design team and planning authority understand the heritage implications of the proposal.

What is a Statement of Significance?

A Statement of Significance explains why a historic building, site or place is important. It may consider architectural, historical, communal, evidential and townscape value. It is often used to guide design decisions, planning applications, conservation work and long-term management.

What is a Conservation Management Plan?

A Conservation Management Plan sets out the significance of a heritage asset, the risks it faces, how it should be managed and how future change should be handled. It is particularly useful for complex historic buildings, public heritage assets, grant-funded projects and sites with multiple stakeholders.

Can Creative Heritage help with listed building consent?

Yes. Creative Heritage can support listed building consent applications by helping clients understand the significance of the building, assess the impact of proposed works, prepare heritage reports and advise on ways to reduce harm while achieving practical project aims.

Can Creative Heritage help with National Lottery Heritage Fund applications?

Yes. Creative Heritage supports heritage organisations, trusts, charities, community groups and public bodies with project development, supporting documents, delivery planning, mentoring and funding applications, including National Lottery Heritage Fund projects. Kate Dickson has been listed as part of the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Register of Support Services since 2012

Does Creative Heritage work with private owners?

Yes. Creative Heritage works with private owners as well as local authorities, developers, public agencies, charities, trusts and voluntary organisations. Private owner projects can include listed building alterations, heritage impact assessments, statements of significance, conservation advice and planning support.

Does Creative Heritage work outside Derbyshire?

Yes. The project examples on the site include work in Derbyshire, Manchester, Sheffield, Birmingham, Stockport, Wigan, Tyldesley, Macclesfield, Richmond and other locations, so the site should make it clearer that the consultancy works beyond Buxton and Derbyshire.

Who does Creative Heritage work with?

Creative Heritage works with local authorities, public agencies, private owners, developers, building preservation trusts, community organisations, churches, charities and voluntary sector bodies responsible for historic buildings and heritage assets.