This policy statement and guidance sets out the English Heritage policy on the assessment, investigation and recording of historic buildings within the English planning framework. Through a combination of written advice and case studies it provides advice on how a specialist understanding of the significance of an historic building can inform a development proposal and assist in the decision-making process. It also identifies the need to record evidence that may be damaged or lost.
The document has been produced to promote and encourage greater consistency in the use of historic building assessment, investigation and recording through the planning process. Aimed at local authority planning and historic environment officers, the policy and guidance has achieved wide support from sector. It is a companion document to the English Heritage guidance, Understanding Historic Buildings: A Guide to Good Recording Practice (Product Code 51125), and a third document, Understanding Historic Areas, is to be produced later in the year.
The policy statement and guidance was provided to all delegates at the IHBC Annual School and is available, together with more detailed versions of the case studies it contains, on the Historic Environment Local Management (HELM) website (www.helm.org.uk ). Copies can also be ordered from English Heritage quoting Product Code 51414.
