Farnham Town Council is asking for the public’s help to identify and protect buildings and heritage features that are important to Farnham. The project was launched during Heritage Open Days at an exhibition organised by the Farnham Society, the Blower Foundation and Farnham Town Council.

The quality of Farnham’s built heritage is very high. The town and its surrounding villages have around 360 listed buildings that include important groups of Georgian buildings. There are also many Buildings of Local Merit, which were previously known as locally listed buildings.

The Buildings of Local Merit status offers protection and conservation to buildings that have local architectural or historic interest. Modern buildings of quality can also be included.

Councillor Carole Cockburn, Lead Member for Planning explains: “Farnham Town Council is committed to undertaking a review to identify all buildings of merit in and around Farnham.”

She adds: “We are inviting members of the public to help us with this important project that aims to respect the best of the old architecture while embracing the best of the new. We are encouraging people to nominate the buildings they love. All we need is a photograph, an address and any information that can be provided about the building.”

The criteria for local listing are largely the same as for national listing and includes:

• older buildings dating from before 1700 and up to 1840, which still retain the essential form and characteristics of their period
• buildings constructed between 1840 and 1914, which retain quality and character and which display particular local features or materials
• buildings of definite quality built between 1914 and the present day
• buildings of special value within their type, which display technological innovation, form part of a significant group, serve as an important landmark or are associated with a well-known character or event

All suggestions must be sent to Farnham Town Council by Friday 12 December so an initial check can be made. This will include seeing if the building is already listed and carrying out consultation with building owners.

Once a full list has been compiled, this will be sent to Waverley Borough Council’s heritage officer for final scrutiny.

For further information, please phone Farnham Town Council on 01252 712667, email us or see our Buildings of Local Merit website pages.

The ‘Buildings of Merit in Farnham’ exhibition can be viewed in the Long Kiln Room at the Farnham Maltings until 24 September.

Photo caption

Pictured at the launch of the Buildings of Local Merit exhibition are from left to right: Alan Gavaghan, Cllr Carole Cockburn, Michael Blower, Cllr Jeremy Ricketts, William Sharples and Damian Blower. © David Fisher