Regeneration Policy

The historic environment  plays a significant part in the wider planning system, extending far beyond simply dealing with designated sites. The heritage protection reforms outlined elsewhere on the website will have a major impact on the way our heritage is managed, and the current modernisation of the planning system will also have an impact. Information about the planning system can be viewed on the planning pages of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) where you can also find the core government guidance on the historic environment Planning Policy Guidance notes 15 on Planning for the Historic Environment and 16 on Archaeology and Planning.  

One recent development is the introduction of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for a wide range of plans and programmes. English Heritage, the Environment Agency, English Nature and the Countryside Agency are all statutory consultees and they have jointly produced a note to explain how they will be engaging in the process – Strategic Environmental Assessment: Consultation Bodies’ Services and Standards for Responsible Authorities

Changes to the system of heritage protection are currently being taken forward. Streamlining Listed Building Consent - Lessons from the use of management agreements (June 2003) is a research report carried out for English Heritage and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on ways of managing listed buildings more effectively. The project looked at the potential of management guidelines and agreements and other possibilities, such as schedules of consent, to help streamline the listed building consent regime by making it more efficient and predictable. This work will feed into the Heritage Protection Reforms over the coming years.

Local authorities play the central part in the management of the historic environment and it is essential that they have the resources and processes in place to carry out their role effectively. Moving Towards Excellence in Urban Design (July 2003) is a joint publication by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, English Heritage and the Planning Officers Society. It aims to help local authorities put in place the practices and processes that can deliver excellent conservation and design through the planning process. It draws on current good practice and a wide range of guidance and practice reviews.

The results of the MORI Poll of Listed Building Owners, a limited piece of work carried out in October 2002 examined the views of owners of listed buildings to the listed building consent process and looked at the contact they had had with heritage organisations. The results are available to download.

Design issues are of key concern in historic areas. The report Building in Context (2001), for example, looks at good practice for design proposals in historic areas or sensitive contexts. It was jointly produced by English Heritage and the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment. Following on from this publication is the South East regional training programme Building in Context TOOLKIT .

Following on from a consultation document issued in June 2001, the new Guidance on Tall Buildings, produced by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment and English Heritage in March 2003, has been redrafted at the Government's request to reflect the numerous responses received from interested parties during the consultation period. It also takes into account the report of the Transport, Local Government and the Regions Select Committee published in July 2002, and the Government's response to that report.

Sustainability issues are of considerable importance in the work of English Heritage. The English Heritage Environmental Policy Statement sets out the guiding principles for the way in which English Heritage cares for the environment. It is intended to help staff develop and implement environmentally friendly practices, such as reducing the consumption of non-renewable resources and through raising awareness.

Housing issues are currently high on the government’s agenda and English Heritage is active in this field. It will shortly be producing  guidance for dealing with areas of housing where the market is failing. Homes with History [PDF] (2003) produced by the Institute of Field Archaeology in conjunction with English Heritage and the Housing Corporation, contains advice that will enable social landlords to rise to the challenge of integrating the historic environment into housing schemes. The publication offers general guidance, a checklist, and a number of case studies which demonstrate that successful schemes benefit tenants, the community at large as well as ensuring that the historic environment is appropriately managed.

English Heritage also advises the Inland Revenue on buildings in England, which are preserved and made available to the public in return for exemption from Inheritance Tax or Capital Gains Tax:
http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/heritage/index.htm

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