The project began in 2008 when, in consultation with Norwich City Council and English Heritage (as it was then known), a Steering Committee of The Norwich Society planned the project and drew up guidelines for the teams of volunteers who really did 'walk the streets' recording and photographing buildings. Consultations with a panel of three experts and the owners and tenants of the buildings were followed by a public consultation in September 2011, and publication of the final Local List a year later. Norwich City Council agreed in principle that the buildings on the list will form the basis for compiling its own Norwich City Council Local List. While inclusion on the Local List does not afford the same protection as that given to a nationally listed building, it does ensure that 'material consideration' is given when demolition of re-development is proposed.

CRITERIA In order to qualify for inclusion on the draft list all the buildings will have been awarded at least eight points across seven criteria: Townscape; Architecture ; History; Archaeology; Community; Condition ; and Group as follows:

TOWNSCAPE Churches and chapels provide the more obvious landmarks which are focal points of the community, however the contribution of other buildings might not be so obvious: for example the location of a shop on the corner of a terrace street might provide a familiar reference point helping to identify a particular area.

ARCHITECTURE
3 Buildings designed by a well known local or national architect e.g. many Edwardian buildings along Unthank Road are designed by A.F.Scott. or a building of unusual design.
2 Good example of the period. Buildings that have attempted to achieve a higher level of aesthetic quality.
1 Buildings that are typical of their period.
0 Some buildings have been designed to be utilitarian i.e. built to perform their function without attempting to be aesthetically pleasing through the adoption of an architectural style or features.

HISTORY This judges buildings on the same principles as those applied to statutory listed buildings, although more importance is attached to later buildings (this is simply because many pre 1840 buildings are already statutory listed if they are anything like their original condition.)
3 pre 1840
2 1840 - 1914
1 1914 - 1945
0 post 1945

COMMUNITY
4 This identifies buildings that may be conceived as valuable to the local community or the city as a whole.
2 Buildings that have held an event or had a use that is significant for the city as a whole e.g. Hillary House on Unthank Road where Edmund Hilary gave a Christmas Day broadcast to the nation in 1953 following his ascent of Everest.
1 Buildings that may be considered valuable to the local community such as corner shops, community halls, local pubs etc.
0 No Importance

CONDITION (as seen from public views) Due to the nature of the survey it is impossible to ascertain how buildings have been altered at the rear.

3 Buildings that appear to be in original condition.
2 Minor alterations that can easily be reversed, such as windows or chimney stacks.
1 Buildings that have had significant extensions that are visible, such as a garage, but do not adversely affect the appearance of the principal part of the building.
0 Buildings that have been altered to the extent that the original appearance of the building cannot be bought back e.g. a front lean-to extension to a terrace house.

GROUP VALUE Where buildings are considered to be a group, such as a street of terrace houses or semi detached houses, the group should be considered together (in the same way that statutory listed buildings are sometimes considered for their group value.) An appropriate percentage of the group (for example 80%) should retain the majority of their original features.

The full proposed Local List of 122 buildings includes bridges, churches, factories, housing, offices, public houses, schools and shops.