HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENTS

In order to comply with the advice set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), applicants are required to provide a description of the significance of the heritage asset and/or its setting. This can be presented in the form of a Heritage Impact Assessment.

A Heritage Impact Assessment should provide the Local Planning Authority with enough information to understand the impact of the proposals on the significance of any heritage assets affected. The submission of inadequate information may lead to your application for Planning Permission or Listed Building Consent being made invalid.

Why is a Heritage Impact Assessment needed?

Understanding the significance of an historic building or area (the ‘heritage asset’) and the possible impact of the proposed scheme on this significance is the key to good conservation practice. Good information, available from the outset, can speed up the processing of applications, reduce costs and lead to better overall design.

If the significance of a site has been clearly understood from the outset (based on how the site has changed through time and what survives today), then both the applicant and the Local Planning Authority can better understand the impact of the proposal and seek to minimise the impact of the proposal on that significance. Therefore it is important to understand the significance of a heritage asset when considering proposals to alter, demolish or extend the asset or develop within its setting. An early understanding of the significance will inform the direction of an application and help provide a clear and convincing justification of the proposal.

When is a Heritage Impact Assessment needed?

A Heritage Impact Assessment is needed for any application that directly affects a heritage asset or its setting. A Heritage Impact Assessment will always be required for the following types of application affecting designated heritage assets:

• Applications for Listed Building Consent;
• Applications for Planning Permission for development attached to a listed building;
• Applications for Planning Permission for development within the setting of a listed building;
• Applications for Planning permission for development inside or within the setting of a Conservation Area;
• Applications for Planning Permission for development within the setting of a Scheduled Ancient Monument;
• Applications for Planning Permission for development inside or within the setting of Registered Parks and Gardens;
• Applications for Planning Permission for demolition in a Conservation Area.

It should be noted that Heritage Impact Assessments should also be submitted for applications for Planning Permission that directly affect a non-designated heritage asset or its setting. Non-designated heritage assets are buildings, structures or sites (including archaeological sites) that may never have been assessed or not statutorily designated but have a heritage value as decided by the Local Authority.