The new ‘Localism Bill’ could threaten England’s historic places, the IHBC has highlighted, as current provisions will allow new local planning procedures to override national priorities for the country’s valued places.
Jo Evans, Chair of The Institute of Historic Building and Conservation (IHBC), the professional body for built and historic environment conservation specialists, said:
“The Bill includes precise specifications for new local management procedures to override national cultural interests supported by listing and conservation area designations. The government has already agreed to protect the natural environment under its new planning framework, and it’s unthinkable not to make the same commitment to our historic places; not least for the social, cultural and economic resources that they represent for the people living there.
Only recently VisitBritain highlighted how important the built heritage is to our tourist industry, so the current position in the Bill could blow a huge hole in our prospects for economic recovery. We hope government accepts the importance of looking after the places that people benefit from, enjoy and value, and removes these dangerous provisions from the Bill.”
Seán O’Reilly, Director of the IHBC, said:
“The Bill, as currently proposed, includes a new local management tool, the Neighbourhood Development Order, that could negate Listed Building and Conservation Area procedures that help care for a substantial national resource. This is not how we should look after our valuable and unique historic places, which are already severely threatened by the devastating reductions in local conservation officers recently documented by the sector.”
The IHBC will continue to highlight the danger of maintaining these provisions, and encourages interested organisations to contact its director, Seán O’Reilly, with messages of support and proposals for partnership at director@ihbc.org.uk
Notes
Schedule 12 (paragraphs 22-24), in Volume II of the Localism Bill provide for Neighbourhood Development Orders to override historic buildings and area legislation.
Monitor the progress of the Bill at: LINK
See the documentation at: LINK
See the initial reports on the planning framework on the IHBC’s NewsBlog, and the government commitment to protect the natural environment: LINK
For the VisitBritain report see: LINK
Download Vol I of the localism Bill HERE
Download Vol II of the localism Bill HERE
