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Draft Local Plan

Representation ID: 13606

Received: 23/03/2016

Respondent: Historic England

Representation Summary:

Historic England would recommend additional policy text at the bottom of criterion (f) that sensitive use of heritage assets consistent with their most appropriate conservation use (the optimum viable use) .... (policy continues) ....will be encouraged'.

Full text:

Policies 9.5, 9.6, 9.7, 10.5 and 10.6.

The Local Plan as a whole should be able to demonstrate that it sets out a positive strategy for the historic environment. This means that, on balance, the Local Plan has a positive effect on the historic environment and heritage assets. Policies throughout the plan should help deliver the conservation of the historic environment. The Council have a specific historic environment policy at Policy 9.5 'Listed Buildings', at Policy 9.6 'Conservation Areas' and Policy 9.7 'Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Remains'. Additionally, Policy 10.5 'Public Realm' and Policy 10.6 'High Quality Design Principles' also applies to the historic environment at criterion (f) regarding designated and non-designated 'heritage assets' and at criterion (g) to include information sufficient to assess the potential impact on the significance of the asset and including matters of archaeological significance.

Historic England recommends s additional text is added to Policy 10.6.
For Policy 10.6 'High Quality Design Principles' Historic England would recommend that (f) introduces the concept of optimum viable use at the end of the policy text, dealing with the most appropriate conservation use. National Planning Policy Guidance states that 'If there is only one viable use, that use is the optimum viable use. If there is a range of alternative viable uses, the optimum use is the one likely to cause the least harm to the significance of the asset, not just through necessary initial changes, but also as a result of subsequent wear and tear and likely future changes. The optimum viable use may not necessarily be the most profitable one (guidance continues). Reference is Paragraph: 016Reference ID: 18a-016-20140306 dated 6 03 2014.
Historic England recommends additional suggested text as underlined.
Policy 10.6.(f)
Historic England would recommend additional policy text at the bottom of criterion (f) that sensitive use of heritage assets consistent with their most appropriate conservation use (the optimum viable use) .... (policy continues) ....will be encouraged'.