One owner said ‘thank you but no thank you’ to an offer by East Cambs Council to have their historic property placed on a register of buildings of local interest.
They told the council they feared security issues if their home was listed whilst another felt theirs wasn’t worthy of being included.
Local groups and organisations also commented on the register and now four properties have been dropped four from the original list.
The register intends to list any buildings, monuments, places or landscapes having a degree of significance in considering planning applications where a heritage interest is raised.
A draft list of 94 such places was drawn up (following an initial list of 196 nominations) but has now been reduced to 90 following the recent four requests to have buildings removed.
The four buildings that the council has agreed will be delisted are:
•Mission Hall in Dullingham Ley
•The Church of St Matthew in Littleport
•17 Bridge Road in Mepal
•Swedish Houses in Swaffham Bulbeck.
The owners of the Church of St Matthew said they wish to be removed from the proposed register due to privacy issues.
They told the council: “We welcome any genuine inquiries regarding the church and its local history, and have learned as much as we could about it from our neighbours, who are former church wardens and members of the former St Matthews Church.
“Indeed, we are ourselves both employed by the Church of England, and as a former design consultant for historical properties myself, do value the importance of our architectural and cultural heritage.
“However, Old Church House is also our home. Security and privacy are basic to that.”
Mepal Parish Council objected to the inclusion of 17 Bridge Street, as they believe alterations, made to the 18th century house, such as a porch and a roof extension, would make it “inappropriate” for the list. The council says most of the alterations at the property “are not sympathetic to the historic character of the building”.
Objectors to Swedish Houses being listed included the comment that “these properties were initially built as a quick 10 year fix to ease the housing situation post war and have clearly outlived that purpose
“They are not fit for current day living….I feel the inclusion of these as buildings of interest falls short of the public’s perception of such.”
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