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Historic Building Assessment

Colchester Garrison

There has been a garrison at Colchester since the mid-1700's with permanent and extensive barracks established in the 19th century. Planning was in progress to re-locate the modern garrison to the south of the site and to develop the historic sections of the garrison near the town centre to the north, mainly for residential use. Assessment of the existing historic buildings of the garrison, their historic and architectural significance and their potential for re-use, was an essential part of this planning process. Ingram Consultancy carried out this work of evaluating the historic buildings, both individually and as barracks groups. The assessment included an appraisal of the landscape and its significance to the historical development and context of the garrison.

Our reports fed into the planning process, under the overall direction of Andrew Martin Associates Limited.

The scope of work was as follows:

• Site inspection of the more than 60 historic buildings of the garrison, to identify the extent of original fabric surviving internally and externally, any additions and modifications to buildings.
• Archival Search of original drawings and plans held at the National Monument Record (Swindon) and the Public Record Office (Kew) was carried out to obtain the dates, original site layout and construction details for the historic buildings. Sources for the history of Colchester garrison and for barracks buildings generally were consulted in order to produce an outline history and chronology for the garrison buildings and to set the garrison's buildings in the context of developments nationwide.
• Assessment of significance. Assessment of the local, regional and national significance of the whole site and its component parts was part of the brief. Only six of the historic buildings were listed pre-assessment. Recommendations for giving listed status to additional buildings and extending the boundary of the Conservation Area were made.
• Assessment of potential for re-use. Recommendations were made on adaptive re-use of significant buildings.

Client: RMPA Services Ltd

Ingram Consultancy Limited
Tel: +44 (0) 1747 820 170 - Fax: +44 (0) 1747 820 175
e-mail: enquiries@ingram-consultancy.co.uk

registered in England & Wales No. 3800902