Granite Vandalism in Truro
Bert Biscoe, Truro City Councillor and a long‑standing advocate for Cornwall’s historic environment, has written to Historic England urging urgent consideration of statutory protection for Truro’s granite pavements and related historic street features. In correspondence sent several weeks ago, Biscoe set out concerns that proposed highway refurbishment works risk causing lasting harm to elements that are fundamental to the character and significance of Truro’s Historic Town Centre.
In his letter, he highlighted plans to introduce wider joints between granite paving slabs, arguing that these depart from historic construction practices and undermine both the visual coherence and structural stability of traditionally laid stone. He also raised alarm at the cumulative impact of repeated utility works, delayed reinstatement and modern repair methods that fail to respect historic materials or craftsmanship.
Drawing on Truro’s development from the late eighteenth century onwards, Bert emphasised the exceptional quality of the town’s wide granite pavements, sculpted corners, fanned slabs and historic ironwork. He argues that these features reflect the town’s past prosperity and skilled masonry traditions, and that they make a significant contribution to the setting of nearby listed buildings and the wider Conservation Area.
His contention to Historic England was that formal listing would provide a robust framework for ensuring that future works are carried out with appropriate care, traditional techniques and suitable materials. Without such protection, he warns, incremental change risks the steady erosion of one of Truro’s most distinctive historic assets.
The reply received as as shown below
Dear Mr Biscoe.
Your letter was passed to our Cornwall Adviser who offers the following advice:
Whilst street surfaces (such as those in St Ives), gullies (such as the conduits in Helston) and other forms of streetscape furniture have historically been added to the List, our policy today is that street surfaces will now only be considered for statutory protection in exceptional cases: where they can be proved to be early and relatively undisturbed, where they can be regarded as structures, or where they are integral to the design of a listed building (such as a college quadrangle).
The street surfaces make a significant contribution to Truro Conservation Area, and the local authority should be providing maintenance advice to Cormac and external contractors (such as BT) – such as ensuring that surfaces are re-laid as they were and /or repaired like for like. The requirement in legislation and national planning policies for conservation areas is, after all, to preserve and/or enhance.
Additionally, the current Conservation Area appraisal and management plan and its policies (2010), as I’m sure you are aware, includes the statement on p9 of the management plan “There should be a presumption in favour of the repair and replication of historic paving materials within the public realm. as opportunities arise there should be the presumption to recover or replicate historic materials that have been lost in key public spaces and streets” and on p33: “The retention of distinctive granite kerbs and paving slabs and local cast iron gutters where they survive and the reinstatement of them where they are lost is a priority for the public realm. Proposals that seek to reinstate lost historic surfaces, street furniture and features will be encouraged. All public realm proposals should seek to reflect the historic palette of materials, reduce street clutter and enhances the setting and fabric of historic places and features”.
As a member of TCAAC it might be appropriate for you and the group to consider pushing the local authority to revise the CA documents in line with current local plans, to include specific policies for the retention and care of Truro’s street surfaces.
However, if there are certain features which would class as structures then we may consider these for listing, although the bar is very high and the criteria very tight.
I hope the above is of some help.
Kind regards,
Nick Law
Listing Coordinator
SW Region
