{"id":44424,"date":"2025-10-21T17:45:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T16:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/?p=44424"},"modified":"2025-10-21T17:45:00","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T16:45:00","slug":"context-184-under-the-spotlight-ihbcs-accessible-cpd-for-conservation-professionals-with-law-policy-update-a-village-is-not-a-historic-town","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/?p=44424","title":{"rendered":"Context 184 under the spotlight: IHBC\u2019s accessible CPD for Conservation Professionals, with Law & Policy Update – \u2018A village is not a historic town\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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IHBC\u2019s members\u2019 journal Context<\/em><\/a> in June 2025 \u2013 No. 184<\/a> \u2013 focussed on \u2018Leaders of conservation thought\u2019, while including Alexandra Fairclough\u2019s regular Law and Policy update.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Alexandra Fairclough writes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several statutes and policy documents with some relevance to the historic environment emerged in February and March. These can be read in the monthly Historic England Planning Bulletins. I have highlighted heritage law matters that may be of interest to practitioners and given references where available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Written ministerial statements A written ministerial statement dated 13 February 2025 stated that applications for development on Crown land should be submitted to either the Planning Inspectorate or the secretary of state for housing, communities and local government, under provisions in the Levelling- Up and Regeneration Act 2023 and relevant statutory instruments. Nationally important developments on Crown land should be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate directly, instead of to local planning  authorities. Urgent nationally important Crown development should be determined by the secretary of state for housing, communities, and local government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A written ministerial statement emerged on 10 March relating to the possible reform of the statutory consultee system. The government intends to consult on the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022Reducing the number of statutory consultees (including removing Sport England, the Theatres Trust and the Gardens Trust).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022Reviewing the scope of all statutory consultees, to reduce the type and number of applications on which they must be consulted, and making better use of standing guidance in place of case-by-case responses<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022Clarifying consultations, ensuring that local authorities consult statutory consultees only where necessary. Decisions should not be delayed beyond the 21-day statutory deadline unless a decision cannot otherwise be reached, or advice may enable an approval rather than a refusal<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022Creating a new performance framework, in which the chief executives of key statutory consultees report on their performance directly to Treasury and MHCLG ministers.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NPPF update<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026 The revised grey belt definition explains that to qualify as grey belt land, a site must either not fall within a Footnote 7 asset or area, or where it does fall within such an asset or area, the application of Footnote 7 policies must not include a strong reason for refusal (see also Planning Practice Guidance paragraph 006,reference ID 64-006-20250225).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PPG updates<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The updated PPG states that the purpose of preserving the setting and special character of historic towns \u2018relates to historic towns not villages. Where there are no historic towns in the plan area, it may not be necessary to provide detailed assessments against this purpose\u2019. So while historic towns are not defined explicitly, it is now clear that the term does not include villages (Para: 005,Reference ID: 64-005-20250225)\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026 Alexandra Fairclough is a member of the IHBC law panel and a barrister (non-practising). She teaches heritage law at Manchester School of Architecture and is principal built heritage and design officer at Bolton Council.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

See HERE<\/a> for the full article online and in <\/em>Context<\/em> <\/em>184<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Context<\/em> <\/em>184<\/em><\/a>: CONTENTS<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Themed Articles<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n