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heritage protection reform

We want to ensure that it is run in a sustainable way, and that our heritage is cared for, protected and enhanced for current and future generations to enjoy. We have seen heritage play a prominent role in economic and social regeneration throughout the country and believe that by broadening access to the historic environment, and information regarding its protection, we can realise its potential as a cultural and educational resource.

See also heritage protection review

The aims of the Heritage Protection Reform Programme are to achieve:

• a modernised approach to all of the historic environment
• a better designation process and wider participation
• better management and decision-making
• local participation and management

DCMS, the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and English Heritage are continuing to work closely on a number of reforms to achieve these objectives, including

• a clear statement of the Government’s vision and priorities for the historic environment that properly captures its value in the widest sense, due to be published in Summer 2009
  
  
• a new Planning Policy Statement (PPS) on the historic environment. This will be published in draft for consultation in summer 2009, alongside a working draft of the accompanying guidance. DCMS, CLG and English Heritage are committed to producing a clear and up to date PPS that brings together the various heritage protection regimes and underlines their essential place in the planning context.
  
  
• English Heritage’s Strategic Designation Programme, designed to increase public engagement with heritage protection and to move to a more strategic approach, placing stronger emphasis on thematic programmes of designation rather than on individual ‘spot-listing’ requests. Early next year, English Heritage will begin to canvass opinion on priority themes for the first part of the programme.
  
  
• improving access to the existing List and Schedule of protected buildings and monuments by making more information available via the Heritage Gateway, encouraging greater consultation, transparency and participation in the management of the historic environment.
  
  
• Heritage Partnership Agreements - another initiative that represents a new approach to achieving a more effective way of managing our historic assets. While legislation is needed to deliver the concept fully, the principles of partnership working, responsible management and streamlining administrative processes have already been piloted in many places across England. English Heritage is currently looking at information coming back from a second round of pilot schemes. We hope that these arrangements can be rolled out across more parts of the country in the near future. 
  
  
• extra investment and promotion of local Historic Environment Records and  local listing powers through new guidance  to create more opportunities for local communities to get involved in understanding and managing their local historic environment.
  
  
• the progressive revocation of Class 1 Consent (works associated with agriculture, forestry and horticulture) by the Secretary of State, in relation to scheduled ancient monuments identified by English Heritage as being at high risk from cultivation.

All of this work will be supported by English Heritage’s ongoing training and capacity building programme for the heritage sector. This is crucial to our efforts to ensure there will be skills at local level, for Conservation Officers, Archaeological Officers and planners to deliver historic environment services. The next phase of English Heritage’s training and capacity building programme is due to be rolled out in February.

Together, these reforms demonstrate the continued commitment of Government to our nation’s heritage, and to improving the way we manage it. They are reforms that will have a positive impact on the system of heritage protection and can be enacted in advance of primary legislation.

Will legislative reform be part of the Heritage Protection Reform Programme?

• Legislation will be required to fully develop Heritage Partnership Agreements, put Historic Environment Records on a statutory basis, create a single list of all heritage assets, merge consents, introduce interim protection, and take forward a number of other proposals set out in the White Paper, Heritage Protection for the 21st Century (March 2007)
  
  
• The draft Heritage Protection Bill was published in April 2008 and subject to pre-legislative scrutiny and public consultation over the summer. Government remains committed to this legislation. It will be brought forward at a later date as soon as Parliamentary time allows.
  

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