Heritage Office Opens Proposals for Designation and Announces Survey of Buildings and Monuments

The Heritage Office of the Velocity Interoperability Network today published its procedure for proposing a designation. From Monday 7 September 2026 any member organisation, citizen of the Network or owner may propose a site, building or monument for entry on the Register of Protected Sites. Proposals are made by email, are acknowledged within five working days and are assessed against five published criteria: age and rarity, architectural or engineering interest, historic interest, group value and survival. There is no charge.

The Office expects to decide a validated proposal within about four months of receipt, after consulting the owner, the member organisation responsible for the site and any other party with an interest. The first decisions on proposals received in September are expected in December 2026. The seven proposals received under the interim arrangements during the transition period have been carried into the new procedure and their proposers informed.

The Office also announced a Network-wide survey of buildings and monuments, the first to be carried out on a common standard. The survey begins at Central Exchange on 14 September 2026 and proceeds site by site, reaching Meridian Court in December. Its purpose is to record every building and monument of potential interest, whether or not it is protected, so that future designations rest on a complete record. The survey schedule and the categories of building and monument it covers are set out on the Buildings and Monuments page of this site.