How Heritage Services Can Help You Save Costs This Year

Following on from the Pandemic and the global and domestic political machinations of 2022, this year will be at best challenging for the construction industry.

With the Bank of England forecasting a longer than anticipated recession and operators still grappling with shortages in supply chains and skills, sentiment is generally low.

However, looking for positives; the ballooning price inflation in supplies and services, seems to be dissipating, and it is believed the industry is less likely to see further damaging price hikes this year.

The Construction industry has weathered difficult periods before, so we can have confidence that the industry will come together to find innovative ways to meet trading challenges. Right: Andy Buckley, MD of AB Heritage.

The Cost of Business

In 2022, businesses were looking for quick ways to control their costs. Making savings through achieving value-for-money is always harder to assess, but will be even more important in 2023. When it comes to commissioning specialist services, which can be confusing, choosing an accredited supplier is one obvious way to seek best value, less obvious is how those services are delivered.

AB Heritage works hard to put clients at the centre of everything we do to provide our quality service.  We only ever undertake heritage work that is completely necessary to achieve planning approval. 

How do we regularly achieve value for money for our clients?

Earliest Assessment

Clients looking to secure land for future developments can better manage heritage constraints and costs through our Initial Site Heritage Appraisals. These pre-purchase, pre-planning reports give a clear picture of the likelihood for heritage planning requirements and the cost-effective options for future works. They can help clients prepare more thorough risk registers and help with purchase negotiations.

Phased Heritage Works

Early engagement with clients’ design teams is paramount in helping us achieve any potential savings.  Understanding the project targets and restrictions helps us to identify where it may be possible to adjust designs to avoid or reduce heritage impact to save costly works. 

Equally, where built heritage is involved, having a clear understanding of the significance of the historic features, fabrics and various historic developments of a property, can indicate areas where design adjustments may ease the route to planning approvals. We achieve this for clients through our ‘phased’ heritage statement, where the heritage significance of various elements is clarified allowing project designs to be refined. This can save time and cost for clients and demonstrates a thorough understanding of heritage value ahead of a full Heritage Statement to accompany the Planning application. Left: Listed Barn in Kent.

Site Works

When archaeological works are needed, as seasoned field archaeologists, we can design schemes and manage it onsite through trusted sub-contractors. Put simply, we know from experience what is necessary work to undertake and how to achieve it cost effectively within the complexities of a site. We place the needs of our client’s project at the heart of schemes we design, finding the balance between the commercial realities of development and the proper protection of heritage assets. Right: Ysgol Bro Dinefwr site, Carmarthenshire.

Experienced, Knowledgeable and Connected

Successful development is as much about having the right people in the right places, as it is financial and technical expertise. We are proud of our team of highly experienced consultants, on hand to serve clients across the UK.  Our consultants bring together a keen commercial understanding of development with specialist knowledge and experienced stakeholder management to find pragmatic solutions to manage your heritage planning, effectively.

So, as you gear up for the challenging times ahead, whether it’s to manage costs for planned projects in 2023, or to prepare into 2024,  remember that savings can be made through insightful and careful management of heritage and archaeology where it exists on your projects – and that is where AB Heritage can be your trusted partner.