The Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) has today welcomed
the aims of the draft Planning Policy Statement 15; Planning for the
Historic Environment, to promote inclusion and involvement and support
sustainable communities by putting the historic environment at the heart of
planning.
IHBC Chair, Dave Chetwyn said:
‘Historic environments have helped towns, cities and rural areas to
transform over the past few decades, physically and economically. We welcome the aim
of the PPS to place the historic environment at the heart of the planning
system. However, to achieve this, we would like to see a far greater appreciation of how historic environments contribute to making sustainable places and low-carbon living; central concerns to planning
It is important to shift the focus from visitors, castles and stately homes
to the vast diversity of historic buildings and places and the way they support modern living. In particular, it is crucial that the PPS focus on how heritage delivers more effective, inclusive and sustainable economic development and regeneration, supporting social enterprise, small businesses and innovation.
We would also like to see a greater emphasis on integrating heritage management with wider urban design considerations.¹
The Consultation paper on a new Planning Policy Statement 15: Planning for the Historic Environment, invites views on a new Planning Policy Statement (PPS) to replace Planning Policy Guidance 15: Planning and the Historic Environment (PPG15) and Planning Policy Guidance 16: Archaeology and Planning (PPG16).
The IHBC will be looking at the detail of the PPS and accompanying guidance over the next few weeks and will comment on the detail in due course’.
The draft PPS is available at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/consultationhistoricpps
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/professionals/en/1115316718015.html
