Historic Buildings & Places has been closely following the progress of the Planning Bill, which has now reached the committee stage in the House of Lords.
The Bill has the potential to significantly impact heritage, particularly in areas such as permitted development rights for large infrastructure projects and proposed changes to the system of payments for applications to alter listed buildings. There are also expected to be unintended consequences for heritage due to the Bill, which need to be identified.
Alongside other organisations – including the National Trust, Local Government Association, Canal & River Trust, South Downs National Park Authority, and the Council for British Archaeology – we have joined a working group convened by the Heritage Alliance to examine both the Planning Bill and the forthcoming Devolution Bill.
This group has been drafting suggested questions for MPs and members of the House of Lords, and producing detailed briefings. These briefings are designed to support those parliamentarians who have shown an interest, encouraging them to ask questions that will help to clarify the Bill’s implications and ensure key details are recorded in Hansard. The Heritage Alliance has been coordinating this work and supporting peers in raising important issues during the committee stage.
The group is also monitoring a number of related consultations expected over the summer. Of particular note are proposals for mandatory training for members of planning committees, and the anticipated consultation regarding changes to the statutory consultee process.
Once work on the Planning Bill is complete, the group will turn its attention to the Devolution Bill as it moves through Parliament. We will adopt a similar approach – producing briefings and suggesting parliamentary questions – as this Bill is also likely to bring both intended and unintended consequences for the heritage sector.
These Bills also present opportunities, and the best way for HB&P to understand and respond to them effectively is by being involved from the outset.
