LONDON, ENGLAND.- Heritage Minister Andrew McIntosh today announced plans to list a unique seaside structure in Bournemouth, Dorset. Built for the Festival of Britain, the Neck Building at Boscombe Pier dates from 1958-60 and is comprised of four little kiosks at esplanade level, set at an angle on either side of the pier entrance. The complete structure, which also features glazed shelters and some lavatories, is set under a floating canopy formed of thin concrete slab, and is supported on concrete piers and a bastion of rough natural stone.
Heritage Minister Andrew McIntosh said: “The Neck Building at Boscombe Pier is a rarity amongst municipal entertainment structures of the period. It was designed with real conviction and flare. The vivacity of this structure clearly illustrates the revitalization of the British Seaside Resort in the 1950’s.”
The preliminary decision to list the structure was taken on the advice of English Heritage and CABE. When assessing a building for listing, the only factors which the Government’s statutory advisers and the Secretary of State can take into account is whether it possesses special architectural or historic interest. The structure’s state of repair (unless it has harmed the architectural or historic interest), or any planning proposals are not relevant to the assessment of a building's qualification for listing.
Since 1995 the Government has publicly consulted on most plans to list post-war structures. Local people and interest groups now have the chance to tell the Minister whether they believe that the Neck Building merits the extra protection that listing provides.
The public consultation period will last for two weeks. The public and other interested parties are therefore invited to forward their views to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport by 24 October 2004. These should be sent to.