| Description | GUIDE TO EXISTING BUILDING PLANS AND THEIR INDEXES:
The building plans sequence has not been catalogued to item level, but there are various finding aids held by the Archives, Heritage and Photography Department at the Library of Birmingham that can be used to locate building plans held amongst the records of Birmingham City Council. A brief summary of the scope of these plans and their finding aids are as follows:
1876 - April 1961 Plans: Yes (48171-72663 on microfilm). Indexes: Yes (Combination of registers and indexes)
April 1961 - 1965 Plans: Yes (Microfilm). Indexes: Destroyed except April 1960 - 1961 (Ask staff)
1966 - 1968 Plans: Yes (Microfilm). Indexes: Yes (Ask staff)
1968 - 1980 Plans: Very few, major schemes. Indexes: Yes (Ask staff)
1981 - 1983 Plans: Yes. Indexes: Yes (Ask staff)
1983 - 1991 Plans: Yes. Indexes: Yes (Ask staff)
Post-1991: Please contact Building Consultancy, Acivico (Building Consultancy) Limited, PO Box 2062, 3rd Floor, 1, Lancaster Circus Queensway, Birmingham, B4 7DY. Tel: 0121 675 7006).
A detailed inventory of the registers, card indexes and other finding aids for the Birmingham City Council Deposited Plans Sequence can be found in the catalogue records that come under record sub series BCC/1/GG/D/1/7/1 below. Most of these are available to view in the archives search room, located in the Wolfson Centre on the 4th Floor of the Library of Birmingham. Others need to be brought down from our archive stores or searched by a member of staff. Full information is provided on each of the catalogue records for the various finding aids below.
BUILDING PLAN SURVIVAL:
Please note that although you may find a reference to a building plan in the indexes and registers, this does not necessarily mean the plan has survived. Plans were working documents and many have been lost over the years before being transferred to the Archives, Heritage and Photography Service.
Further, it is not always possible to view building plans, as some have deteriorated to such a degree, that to open them would only damage them further. Members of staff will always advise you when this is the case.
ORDERING A BUILDING PLAN:
You would normally need to fill in a green document request slip giving the building plan (BBP) number. Requests to view items from our strong rooms (with references) may be accommodated on the day, depending on the volume of material requested, but generally should be directed to archives.appointments@birmingham.gov.uk or through the main Library of Birmingham enquiries telephone nunber 0121 242 4242. Please also give the date(s) you would like to visit.
HANDLING AND CARE OF BUILDING PLANS:
The building plans have been produced on a variety of different materials, including paper and linen. Linen plans tend to age well, and so are usually fit to serve.
Paper plans, on the other hand, do deteriorate at a faster rate, and the earlier ones in particular suffer from yellowing, brittleness, and cracking. So, although we may be able to show you the plan, the degree to which the plan can be opened will depend on its condition. Serving of plans is at the discretion of Archives, Heritage and Photography staff.
COPYING BUILDING PLANS:
The copying of building plans, like all records held in our archives, is subject to the condition of individual plans and is at the discretion of Archives and Heritage staff. Please note that copies can only be made for personal use. If you wish to have copies made you would need to fill in (a) a Copying Request Form (available at the counter) and (b) a Building Plan Declaration Form (ask staff).
If copying is not possible you are welcome to bring in a camera and take photographs. All we ask is that you do not use flash. If you do use a camera you will still need to fill in the relevant forms detailed above, and there is a £3.50 daily charge for this.
BUILDING PLAN CONSERVATION:
The conservation of the building plan sequences, which account for well over 250,000 plans, is an ongoing and labour intensive activity, and for this reasons certain sequences may not always be available. |