The Hertfordshire Building Preservation Trust’s Buildings at Risk Committee and BEAMS, its trading arm, work closely with the County, Borough and District Councils to ensure the preservation of buildings at risk within Hertfordshire.



1. What is a Building at Risk?

A building at risk is a listed building which has suffered greatly from long term neglect which can lead to deterioration in its condition, structural instability, and even total loss of the building.
How is it assessed?
English Heritage have devised a risk scale with 6 categories, category 1 being most at risk and 6 being least. A category is determined through an assessment of a building’s condition and its level of occupancy (‘vacant’, ‘partially occupied’ and ‘occupied’).

2. What is the role of the Trust ?

As well as monitoring buildings at risk the Trust also assists local councils and owners of a building to find solutions regarding problematic or long term buildings at risk. The committee meets three times a year to review a list of these buildings and to discuss any progress made in each case.
How can the Trust help?
Not only is long term neglect likely to require major work in order to restore such buildings, it can also be very costly. The Trust explores sources of funding including the purchase of building by itself.

3. The buildings at risk register

Who holds the buildings at risk register?
English Heritage, each of the ten district / borough councils in the county and the Hertfordshire Building Preservation Trust all keep a register of buildings at risk so that they can be monitored, rescued and refurbished.
The register
Information regarding those buildings that are on the register can be gained by contacting the conservation officer or development control officer at the appropriate district or borough council.
The Trust and its trading arm, BEAMS, have prepared a sample list of buildings with the support of the District Councils which are in urgent need of attention. This register is not meant to be fully comprehensive and some buildings have been purposely omitted.