Heritage in Neighbourhood Plans

Heritage in Neighbourhood Plans Dave Chetwyn Managing Director, Urban Vision Enterprise CIC Chair, Historic Towns Forum Planning Adviser, Locality Vice Chair, National Planning Forum Associate of The Consultation Institute

Introduction

Introduction Legislative and Policy Framework Evidence Heritage: Achieving sustainable Development Character and Design Neighbourhood Plan Examples Summary/Conclusions

Legislative & Policy Framework

Listed Buildings Designations Conservation Areas Local lists Historic Parks and Gardens World Heritage Sites Scheduled Ancient Monuments

Heritage Protection Legislation The Town and Country Planning Act 1990 Use and development of land. The Planning (Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas) Act 1990 Preserving or enhancing special interest. The Planning Act 2008 Major infrastructure integrated system. Including heritage consents. The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 Protection of SAMs

Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 Statutory Duties Listed buildings: special regard to be made to the desirability of preserving the building or its setting or any features of special architectural or historic interest which it possesses (Section 66). Conservation areas: special attention shall be paid to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of that area (Section 72).

National Planning Policy National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG) Other Guidance

Sustainable Development The purpose of planning is to help achieve sustainable development. Sustainable means ensuring that better lives for ourselves don t mean worse lives for future generations. At the heart of the National Planning Policy Framework is a presumption in favour of sustainable development Development means growth. Resolution 24/187 of the United Nations General Assembly defined sustainable development as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

NPPF Positive Strategy in Local Plans the desirability of sustaining and enhancing the significance of heritage assets and putting them to viable uses consistent with their conservation; the wider social, cultural, economic and environmental benefits that conservation of the historic environment can bring; the desirability of new development making a positive contribution to local character and distinctiveness; and opportunities to draw on the contribution made by the historic environment to the character of a place.

NPPF Tests for Economic Viability substantial harm to or total loss of significance - refuse consent, unless it can be demonstrated that the nature of the heritage asset prevents all reasonable uses of the site no viable use of the heritage asset itself can be found in the medium term grant-funding or charitable or public ownership is demonstrably not possible outweighed by the benefit of bringing the site back into use.

Evidence

Evidence - Heritage Context Identify heritage assets in and around the neighbourhood area. Understand architectural or historical interest of area/buildings. Townscape/Urban Design analysis. Character appraisals. Condition surveys.

Evidence - Physical Context Infrastructure (access, transport, community facilities, etc). Physical constraints. Site conditions Geographical context Surrounding development and sites

Evidence Socio-Economic Context Local economy (land economy, trends, demand, etc). Market failures (low demand, inflationary pressure, etc) Retail/housing/employment trends Uses in area Use potential for assets (viability) Demographic data

Special Interest / Significance Architectural, planning and urban design history and theory Townscape characteristics, including enclosure and definition of streets and spaces Materials, fabric and features Spatial characteristics Cultural, political, historical and other associations Associations with famous people and events Scarcity and completeness

Heritage: Achieving Sustainable Development

Value to Owners, Occupiers, Communities Utility Value (buildings) Investment Value Amenity (quality of accommodation/place)

Reconciling Values Owners & Occupier Values Spatial Planning Values Amenity Sustainability Placemaking Utility Significance Investment Economic Development Community

Heritage in Neighbourhood Plans What is the area s USP how does heritage contribute? What needs to go in what is already covered? What additional policies would help to protect the neighbourhood s historic environment Positive strategy - heritage as a driver for sustainable development. Highlight role of heritage in delivering plan aims social, economic, environmental. What policies would help to use heritage to deliver growth more effectively?

Delivering Growth & Sustainable Development Use and reuse of heritage assets Contribution to competitiveness and vitality of town centres Supporting enterprise, innovation and creative industries Tourism and visitor economy Environmental quality Attracting business and investment Helps in changing image and perceptions.

Retail and Employment

Increase the Catchment (growth strategy)

Use and Diversification

Character and Design

Character - Building Vernacular

Character - Polite Architecture

Character - Townscape

Character Streets and Spaces

Understanding Context

SPAB It cannot be, it has gone! They believe that we can do the same work in the same spirit as our forefathers whereas for good and for evil we are completely changed and we cannot do the work they did. All continuity of history means is perpetual change, and it is not hard to see that we have changed with a vengeance, and thereby established our claim to be the continuers of history.

Off-the-Peg, Anywhere Design

Site-Specific Design

Design Policies Policies for the whole neighbourhood area Policies for a specific area Site-specific policies / briefs

Things to Avoid Focus on subjective issues like style Vague phrases high quality design Focus on buildings, but not places Over-reliance on quantifiable standards (65 square meter gardens) Being over-prescriptive or suppressing creative design solutions Imposing your own preferences rather than catering for diversity Undermining viability through onerous requirements

Building for Life 12 1. Connections 2. Facilities & Services 3. Public Transport 4. Meeting local housing requirements 5. Character 6. Working with the site and context 7. Creating well defined streets and spaces 8. Easy to find your way around 9. Streets for all 10. Car parking 11. Public and private spaces 12. External storage and amenity space

Neighbourhood Plan Examples

West Ealing

Wirksworth

Alnwick & Denwick

Norland

Cockermouth - NDO C of U of ground floor properties in Market Place to cafes, restaurants and bars C of U within public highway for consumption of food/beverages C of U of upper floors in Main St and Station St to flats Shopfronts, in accordance with design guide Replacement windows and doors to houses

Liverpool Waterfront

Liverpool Baltic Triangle

Stoke

Fenton

Fenton - Assets

Summary

Key Points Heritage is being considered as an integral part of a wider planning context. Emphasise how heriatge helps achieve sustainable development (one of the basic conditions). Consider how heritage can be used to address social, economic and environmental issues raised through community engagement and analysis of evidence. Strong protection is already provided by the special statutory duties and national and local policy, but the neighbourhood plan can be more specific to the locality. Policies must be viable / deliverable. Get involved in delivery - consider using other community rights and asset transfer.

Guidance