Former banks in Harborough could become ‘non-designated heritage assets’ following consultation

Former banks in Harborough could become ‘non-designated heritage assets’.

Harborough District Council has launched a consultation to consider a number of old buildings to come under the list of assets.

The consultation runs until February 27 and lists nine new buildings including the former Natwest, Barclays and HSBC banks in Harborough. All three branches closed due to falling customer numbers last year, as well as the rise of online banking.

The bank buildings are all over a hundred-years-old, built around the turn of the 20th century.

According to the consultation, the building of a new bank in Harborough around the start of the 20th century reflects the 19th century expansion of the town.

The other assets include:

• Former Station, Kibworth Beauchamp
• Husbands Bosworth Airfield, Sibbertoft Road, Husbands Bosworth
• Tollgate Cottage, Lutterworth Road, Bitteswell
• Village Shop, Springbank, Medbourne
• Auburn Place, Bitteswell Road, Lutterworth
• Engineering Factory, Fairfield Road, Market Harborough

Local heritage lists offer a degree of significance to buildings, ensuring they are better taken into account in planning applications affecting it, and also supports the Local Plan.

The district council’s heritage champion Cllr Darren Woodiwiss said: “Heritage assets such as these are an irreplaceable resource and should be conserved in a manner that is appropriate to their significance so that they can be enjoyed for future generations. We must carefully consider where development is located in order to ensure that important heritage assets are not adversely affected.”

Visit the council website to have your say in the consultation.