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Directorate of Environment and Neighbourhoods



HERITAGE STATEMENTS

Heritage Statement (including Historical, archaeological features and Scheduled Ancient Monuments)
The purpose of a Heritage Statement is to identify the important characteristics/significance of the existing heritage asset and to explain how the proposals would affect these and justify why this is necessary or desirable. If appropriate the Heritage Statement can be incorporated as part of a Planning or Design and Access Statement as long as it is clearly identified within the overall document.
A Heritage Statement must include:
  1. Statement of significance of the heritage asset
  2. Details of the proposal
  3. Analysis of the impact of the proposal on the significance (including a statement of need & statement of impact)
A heritage asset includes listed buildings (national or local), buildings and structures identified in the Sites and Monuments Record, conservation areas, archaeological remains, as well as, registered parks and gardens (national and local), sites of historic battlefields and historic wreck sites.
Advice in Planning Policy Guidance Note 15 (PPG 15) Para’s 2.11 and 3.4 indicate that developers are expected to assess and justify the likely impact of their proposals on the special interest of the site or structure in question and to provide such written information or drawings as may be required to understand the significance of the site or structure.
The scope and degree of detail necessary in a Heritage Statement will vary according to the particular circumstances of each application. Applicants are advised to discuss proposals with either a planning officer or a conservation officer and the planning archaeologist before any application is made. The following is a guide to the sort of information that may be required for different types of application and is based on guidance provided by the Department of Communities and Local Government (January 08).
For applications for listed building consent, a written statement that includes a schedule of works to the listed building(s), an analysis of the significance of archaeology, history and character of the building/structure, the principles of and justification for the proposed works and their impact on the special character of the listed building or structure, its setting and the setting of adjacent listed buildings may be required. A structural survey may be required in support of an application for listed building consent. Statements can include supplementary photographs and reports if appropriate.
For applications for conservation area consent for the demolition of a structure, a written statement that includes a structural and condition survey, an analysis of the architectural and historic character of the building/structure, the principles of and justification for the proposed demolition and its impact on the special character of the area will be required. This may include information about the use and viability of the building and evidence that alternative uses or ownership have been fully considered. In addition, the guidance set out in Para’s. 3.19 and 4.25 to 4.29 of PPG15 indicates that the following information should be included:
  • The condition of the building, the cost of repairing and maintaining it in relation to its importance and to the value derived from continued use.
  • The adequacy of efforts made to retain the building in use, including evidence that the building has been offered on the open market at a realistic price.
  • The architectural and historic merit of the building and the contribution that it makes to the conservation area.
  • The merits of alternative proposals for the site.
Any proposal for demolition would normally be considered in conjunction with a detailed application for a proposed redevelopment.
For planning applications either related to, or impacting on the setting of heritage assets, a written statement that includes plans and photographs showing historic features that may exist on, or adjacent to the application site, including historic buildings and structures, historic parks and gardens and scheduled ancient monuments will be required. This should include an analysis of the significance of archaeology, history and character of the building/structure, the principles of and justification for the proposed works and their impact on the special character of the historic building or structure, its setting and the setting of adjacent historic buildings.
For applications within or adjacent to a conservation area, an assessment of the impact of the development on the character and appearance of the area will be required. This would include an analysis of the important characteristics of the area including significant buildings or features as well as views into or out from the proposed development.
For all applications involving the disturbance of ground within an Area of Archaeological Potential as defined by the planning archaeologist or in other areas in the case of a major development proposal or significant infrastructure works, an applicant may need to commission an assessment of existing archaeological information and submit the results as part of the Heritage Statement. Applicants are advised to contact the planning archaeologist at the Seaclose offices regarding these matters.
Further information regarding historic buildings and conservation areas is available on the Council website at; - www.iwight.com/conservation
For heritage assets, advice is provided in Planning Policy Guidance Note 15 Planning and the Historic Environment, (September 1994). For archaeological remains, advice is provided in Planning Policy Guidance Note 16: Archaeology and Planning (November 1990)
August 2008