About the Historic Landscape Characterisation
The Birmingham Historic Landscape Characterisation (HLC) was a collaborative project between the council and Historic England (Previously English Heritage).
The project mapped, described and dated all the past and present uses of every piece of land in the Birmingham area, as far back as available sources allowed.
The Birmingham HCL covers an area of 26,798 hectares (66,219 acres) and contains 6,974 records, each made up of one or more pieces of land, and their own specific use history. The data is also combined into 111 ‘character’ areas of larger size to capture the broader picture of the evolution of Birmingham’s landscape.
HLC data can be used to support and inform planning, regeneration and development, and also the teaching and researching of local history.