image for illustration: by Joanna Theobald
A new report created by Avalon Planning & Heritage and commissioned by Historic England evaluates the adoption, effectiveness, and the barriers to broader implementation of Article 4 Directions and permitted development rights.
HE writes:
The Heritage-Related Article 4 Direction Report was commissioned by Historic England as an initial research project to aid Historic England’s analysis of the use of Article 4 Directions (A4Ds) in protecting the historic environment in England.
The research, undertaken by Avalon Planning & Heritage, used data, surveys of local authority officers, and targeted interviews to analyse the purposes and effectiveness of A4Ds in protecting the historic environment as well as any drivers or barriers to their implementation.
The report identified over 2000 heritage-related A4Ds across England. The report found that A4Ds were used across all regions and all settlement types, but with greater use in London and the Southeast and urban areas. A4Ds are most commonly either targeted at individual or 2 – 20 dispersed properties, or applied to a designated area (such as a conservation area), and a majority control 1 or 2 forms of development, suggesting that they are being used in a targeted way.
The five most commonly withdrawn permitted development rights are exterior painting, general extensions and alterations, hard surfaces, porches, and the erection of gates, fences, and walls. Survey feedback suggested that the effectiveness is often dependent on stakeholder buy-in, monitoring, and enforcement.
The survey and interview feedback identified clear drivers and barriers – the most important being the availability of resourcing within their authority, the availability of officer time, and the success of stakeholder engagement.
The underlying data supporting the research represents the most comprehensive dataset available to date on the national use of A4Ds to protect the historic environment.
Access the report on Article 4 Directions and heritage here
