The IHBC has highlighted the central role of increasingly rare conservation skills and capacity in local authorities if proposals intended to streamline the regulatory burden for owners of listed buildings (LBs), now out for public consultation by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), are to succeed.
IHBC’s Policy Secretary David Kincaid said: ‘The IHBC welcomes the various initiatives to remove red tape. However all of these changes highlight the basic need for access to specialist conservation expertise across local authorities, not least in the preparation of partnership agreements and local consent orders. Although the aim is to remove red tape, the establishment of the new orders and agreements involves a legal process and public consultation. With the cutbacks in local authority conservation staff the time available to take forward the initiatives will be limited, and the skills available even more so!.’
‘Government must continue to remember that both heritage and business sectors are absolutely clear that the best way to make sure the planning system deals with heritage, efficiently as well as speedily, is to have the right conservation expertise in the right place. The business-led Penfold Review was clear on this, and to this end specifically recommended the skills of IHBC members. And of course any local heritage or civic trust can point to the benefits of having access to a good local conservation officer.’
‘So if the government really wants to help owners of listed buildings, as the consultation says, they could start by making sure that conservation skills are accessible and available locally as part of our core public services’.
Planning Portal writes of the proposals:
The proposals focus on removing red tape without changing the existing levels of protection for listed buildings.
That Act contains a number of heritage provisions to simplify the listed building consent system. Draft secondary legislation now under consideration covers such matters as:
· Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreements
· Local Listed Building Consent Orders
· Certificates of Lawfulness of Proposed Works
· the approach to be taken in setting up National Listed Building Consent Orders.
The Government is particularly keen to hear from those engaged in the system of listed building consent including local planning authorities, past or prospective applicants and developers, or heritage and/or planning expert practitioners.
The draft regulations are needed to make sure the new provisions work effectively when they commence on 6 April 2014.
Heritage Minister Ed Vaizey said: ‘These provisions will provide real benefits for owners and local authorities by cutting costs and reducing bureaucracy. But they will also ensure existing levels of heritage protection are maintained whilst allowing local authorities to deliver a more effective and efficient service.’
The consultation, a joint exercise by the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) will run for six weeks and closes on 27 January 2014.
Read the Department for Culture, Media and Sport news release at: LINK
Search Planning Portal: LINK
