The president of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC), the UK’s leadingprofessional body for building conservation and historic environment specialists, fears that the Government’s proposals to simplify the planning system will put the nation’s historic places at risk.
He claims that the new proposals published this week in the Government’s National Planning Policy Framework will reduce the protection of historic places and introduce uncertainty into the development process, delaying regeneration schemes and harming the recovery.
‘The Government’s aims of slimming down policy while maintaining a commitment to the historic environment, were never going to be easily reconciled. Although the new draft improves on its predecessor, the commitment is not fully realised,” says Eddie Booth, IHBC president and secretary.
‘We are particularly concerned that the value of the historic environment to regeneration and the quality of places is not stated and that conservation is not sufficiently connected to other strands of policy. The problem with succinct policy is that it will be widely interpreted. A great deal will depend on parallel guidance, best practice and, in time, precedents.’
He adds: ‘Sustainable development needs to have a long-term vision that these planning proposals – which are biased towards giving permission – clearly do not support.’
Media contacts: Liz Coyle-Camp / Candice Bealing 01747 871752 or 07768 604567
Email: liz@emc2publicrelations.com, www.emc2publicrelations.com
Notes to editors
The Institute of Historic Building Conservation: The IHBC is the principal professional body for building conservation practitioners and historic environment specialists working in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, with connections to the Republic of Ireland. For more information, please visit www.ihbc.org.uk
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