📢 SIGNIFICANT HERITAGE RECOGNITION FOR CLEVELEYS URC – NDHA STATUS RECOGNISED (26/00116/FUL)

There has been an important development in the planning application concerning Cleveleys United Reformed Church.

Following consultation, Wyre Council Conservation Officer Leah Newton and a range of national and regional heritage bodies have confirmed that the building meets the criteria to be recorded as a Non-Designated Heritage Asset (NDHA), recognising its local historic and architectural significance.

This assessment is supported by the following National Amenities Societies:
• The Twentieth Century Society
• Council for British Archaeology
• Historic Buildings & Places
• Lancashire County Council’s Historic Environment Team

As a result, the church has now been formally added to the Lancashire Historic Environment Record (HER), which is a rare action for a 20th century building to be added to this list. This is a strong indication of much further heritage value being applied to the church, given it's NDHA recognition has significantly increased among more key heritage orgs.

The County Council’s Historic Environment Team also advises that demolition would result in a complete loss of the building’s heritage significance. If the planning authority is minded to approve demolition, they recommend this is only on the basis of a strict planning condition requiring a full Level 3 historic building record, including measured drawings, photographic survey, and detailed written analysis by qualified professionals, in line with national heritage guidance.

While this does not determine the final planning decision, it is a significant recognition of the building’s heritage value and ensures its importance is properly recorded and considered within the planning process.

Remember when this campaign started back on the 28th March 2026?... The applicant developer Breck Homes, had a very dubious heritage statement that they authored themselves and submitted, arguing 'that Cleveleys URC had very little heritage of architectural signifance', or words to that effect.
Well surely now that more and more heritage and archaeological organisations as well as councils have now recognised the church as NDHA significant, and want its archaeological and structural drawings recorded in the local history books, then this proves that Breck Homes were clearly very incorrect in their heritage assessment?

That is food for thought for Wyre Council's planning team to think on. It now makes it much harder for the council to ignore this church's heritage and architectural heritage significance.

Further updates will be shared as the application progresses.

Regards,
Ian French
( Petition Creator )