The IHBC has welcomed the introduction of the ‘Historic Environment (Wales) Bill’, the first Wales-only legislation for the historic environment, highlighting in particular the new opportunities it offers for local authorities to address ‘the crisis in the condition of Wales’ protected historic environment’.
IHBC Wales Branch Chair Nathan Blanchard said: ‘The IHBC welcomes the broad proposals set out in the Bill in evolving the system of historic environment protection in Wales, especially the increased ability for local authorities to deal with the crisis in the condition of Wales’ protected historic environment. These include the ability to tackle buildings at risk, to prevent damage to listed buildings more efficiently; the placing of historic parks and gardens on a statutory footing, and the re-establishment of a new advisory panel that will address the loss of the former Historic Buildings Council and Ancient Monuments Board.
However, as with all proposals the devil is in the detail. The accompanying new Technical Advice Note 24, to replace the veteran Circulars, and other associated guidance, especially on the issue of placing Historic Environment Records on a statutory footing, will all need to be carefully scrutinised. We want to ensure that resources within local authorities – which are already financially and operationally hard pressed – will not be diverted away from delivering an effective and efficient front line historic environment service, both to the wider community and to the private sector, to record keeping.
The National Assembly for Wales writes:
A Welsh Government Bill, introduced by Ken Skates AM, Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism. The Business Committee has remitted the Bill to the Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee.
About the Bill
The Historic Environment (Wales) Bill forms part of a suite of legislation, policy, advice and guidance that makes important improvements to the existing systems for the protection and sustainable management of the Welsh historic environment. In broad terms, the Bill gives more effective protection to listed buildings and scheduled monuments, enhances existing mechanisms for the sustainable management of the historic environment, and introduces greater transparency and accountability into decisions taken on the historic environment.
The Bill creates new measures that:
- allow the Welsh Ministers to put an immediate halt to unauthorised works to scheduled monuments and make it easier for action to be taken against those who have damaged or destroyed monuments;
- enable authorities to act quickly if a listed building is under threat from unauthorised works and give them greater flexibility in dealing with historic buildings that require urgent works to protect them from further decay;
- make it easier for owners or developers to create sustainable new uses for unlisted historic buildings by relaxing the conditions for applications for certificates of immunity from listing;
- create a statutory register of Wales’ historic parks and gardens;
- allow owners of historic assets to negotiate partnership agreements with consenting authorities for a period of years, eliminating the need for repeated consent applications for similar works and encouraging more consistent and coherent management of the buildings or monuments;
- secure a more stable future for Wales’ historic environment records, which provide detailed information and advice on the historic environment to local planning authorities and the public;
- make existing structures for the designation of nationally important historic assets more open and transparent by introducing formal consultation with owners and establishing a mechanism to review decisions; and
- establish an independent panel to advise on historic environment policy and strategy at a national level in Wales.
