new Government policies on historic environment published

Wed Mar 24 13:40:07 GMT 2010

I am not sure how these guidelines will affect bell restoration projects,
but it may be a good idea to be acquainted with them.

Anne 

The Government's long awaited policy announcements on the historic
environment were made yesterday with the publication of the first
comprehensive policy statement on heritage for nearly a decade and a new
Planning Policy Statement and Practice Guide.  These provide an important
overview of Government thinking as well as providing the policy framework
within which all planning decisions will be made.  They will remain in force
even after the General Election.  

Government policy statement

The Government statement sets out a Vision and six strategic aims for the
historic environment.

Vision - "That the value of the historic environment is recognised by all
who have the power to shape it; that Government gives it proper recognition
and that it is managed intelligently and in a way that fully realises its
contribution to the economic, social and cultural life of the nation."

The six strategic aims are:

1.    Strategic leadership - committing to "raising the profile of our
heritage" and improving consistency across Government
2.    Protective framework - focused on the existing Heritage Protection
Review and new planning guidance
3.    Local capacity - supporting the role of local authorities and
promoting an early understanding of heritage in the context of development
4.    Public involvement - "we want to provide the public with a much
stronger sense of ownership in the historic environment.  We believe this
will help people to take an increased provide in their local area and will
help us to achieve many other government aims in terms of strengthening
local communities."
5.    Direct ownership - committing to all assets in public ownership
meeting appropriate standards
6.    Sustainable future - addressing the role of heritage in adapting to
climate change.

The statement takes a broad definition of the historic environment and
identifies its wide ranging economic, social and cultural value.  This
includes recognition of the role it plays in helping define local identity
and a sense of community.  While recognising the role of Government in
acting more coherently and providing the right legal and policy framework
there is a considerable emphasis on the role of partnership and public
involvement.  For the civic movement this is especially important in
recognising the voluntary sector can "play an active role in local
place-making".  

There is also recognition of some important challenges, including:

*	Loss and decay of heritage assets

*	Maximising the potential of the historic environment in new
development - acknowledging that many developments have a "'could be
anywhere' quality about them"

*	Ensuring flexibility of the historic environment to meet new
challenges - such as an ageing population, house building pressures or the
original functions of buildings ceasing

*	Training and skills

*	Climate change - acknowledging that the relationship between old
buildings and energy consumption is "a complex one"

*	Economic downturn - which may provide an incentive to adapt and
improve over new build

The statement has been published by DCMS with input from 8 other Government
Departments.  

New Planning Policy Statement

The new Planning Policy Statement 5 Planning for the Historic Environment
replaces PPGs 15 and 16 on the historic environment and archaeology and is
now the keynote statement of planning policy on heritage.  Local development
frameworks must be compatible with PPS5 and it will also impact on decisions
over individual planning applications.

The detail will be pored over by planning practitioners and volunteers in
the coming weeks and we will update you on how the new planning policies are
being interpreted.  The PPS sets out the Government's objectives for
planning for the historic environment and details twelve policies.

The objectives are:

1.    To deliver sustainable development by ensuring that policies and
decisions concerning the historic environment:

*	recognise that heritage assets are a non-renewable resource

*	take account of the wider social, cultural, economic and
environmental benefits of heritage conservation; and

*	recognise that intelligently managed change may sometimes be
necessary if heritage assets are to be maintained for the long term.

2.    To conserve England's heritage assets in a manner appropriate to their
significance by ensuring that:

*	decisions are based on the nature, extent and level of that
significance, investigated to a degree

*	proportionate to the importance of the heritage asset

*	wherever possible, heritage assets are put to an appropriate and
viable use that is consistent with their conservation

*	the positive contribution of such heritage assets to local character
and sense of place is recognised and valued; and 

*	consideration of the historic environment is integrated into
planning policies, promoting place-shaping.

3. To contribute to our knowledge and understanding of our past by ensuring
that opportunities are taken to capture evidence from the historic
environment and to make this publicly available, particularly where a
heritage asset is to be lost.

The policies cover:

HE1   Heritage assets and climate change - recognising that keeping heritage
assets in use avoids use of energy and building materials
HE2   Evidence base for plan-making - placing emphasis on local authorities
having an historic environment record
HE3   Regional and local planning approaches - an important section setting
out the scope of what should be covered in local development frameworks -
including the role of heritage in promoting a sense of place and local
distinctiveness
HE4   Permitted development and Article 4 Directions
HE5   Monitoring indicators
HE6   Information requirements for applications for consent affecting
heritage assets - placing the emphasis on applicants providing information
on the significance of heritage assets affected
HE7   Policy principles guiding the determination of all applications for
consent relating to all heritage assets - the key section of the PPS which
requires local authorities to take account of the significance of a heritage
asset to current and future generations and for them "to take reasonable
steps to seeks the views of that community" where the significance may not
be understood through the usual processes of consultation
HE8   Additional policy principle guiding the consideration of applications
for consent relating to heritage assets that are not covered by Policy HE9
HE9   Additional policy principles guiding the consideration of applications
for consent relating to designated heritage assets - which states that
"There should be a presumption in favour of the conservation of designated
heritage assets and the more significant the designated heritage asset, the
greater the presumption in favour of its conservation should be.  Once lost,
heritage assets cannot be replaced and their loss has a cultural, economic
and social impact...Substantial harm to or loos of a Grade II listed
building, park or garden should be exceptional" and "wholly exceptional" for
Grade I and II*, scheduled monuments, World Heritage Sites, protected wrecks
and battlefields.  The PPS notes that not all elements of a Conservation
Area contribute to its significance and only those elements that do should
be taken into account but also that those elements which do not may be
enhanced as part of the process of place-shaping.
HE10  Additional policy principles guiding the consideration of applications
for development affecting the setting of a designated heritage asset
HE11  Enabling development
HE12  Policy principles guiding the recording of information related to
heritage assets

English Heritage has produced a Practice Guide with support from DCMS and
CLG to assist in implementation of PPS5.  This stretches to over 50 pages.

Copies of all the documents can be downloaded

The Government's Statement on the Historic Environment for England 2010 from
http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/publications/6763.aspx
<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103225340930&s=1356&e=001p-iOlf-tXOh7qsBiEIHe
-v2BsgORPFAgs08DBAbdhIR83_9TQcZFTxCNlVELXbaPvTp3ezGdE0pe9vBI8IYjQpuWXhXr-yNC
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mIKIEdolwA==>   

Planning Policy Statement 5 Planning for the Historic Environment from
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/pps5
<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103225340930&s=1356&e=001p-iOlf-tXOjinxhg8oz4
7qOUCuyGsfZ3tCf27lmBvEM0vBPUGN1I51PlpB1vZ3qrvN1QKEiEtfwJuyUGfznfofta1u6vklZX
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4I71V6_fOA==>   

Historic environment planning practice guide from
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.21136
<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103225340930&s=1356&e=001p-iOlf-tXOimnNMwJaLn
cI2Y5AuMclS1GPFCufjQpI-Yq788lJ9_yuuQB2fnLEk0d6gN3Bpij8pShCmfnMvI6HGZCrFD_mzS
A2JS7oKYpATNUlCpCHx_OtKkTASMsKgboW3nX9oSa3h6ClgcuECgKm0yEvH-94Kz>   

>From 

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