Heritage statement - Planning validation requirements

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Planning document information

Description 

A Heritage Statement describes the architectural and historic significance of a listed building or heritage asset. Simply put, a heritage asset is a building, monument, site, area or landscape which holds historic interest. 

You can find descriptions of listed buildings on the Historic England website. 

Guidance 

You need to submit a heritage statement if you are submitting an application for listed building consent. 

Your heritage statement must explain: 

  • the design principles and concepts that you have applied to the proposed works 
  • how the design principles and concepts that you have applied to the works take account of: 
  • the special architectural or historic importance of the building 
  • the particular physical features of the building that justify its designation as a listed building 
  • the building's setting  
  • how your proposal deals with access to the building if your application includes work to the outside of the property. You must; 
  • explain the policy you have adopted for access. You must include what alternative means of access you considered, and how you have taken relevant local development documents into account 
  • explain how your access policy takes account of the special architectural or historic importance of the building You must include the particular physical features of the building that justify its designation as a listed building and the building's setting 
  • stating what consultation you have carried out on issues relating to access and what account has you have taken based on the feedback you received 
  • explain how any specific issues which might affect access to the building have been addressed 
  • You can get help and advice from our Duty Planner on heritage statements and planning applications. 

You can get detailed feedback on your proposal by using our pre-application advice service. 

Personal and confidential statement 

We may publish any information you submit as part of your application. You must tell us if there is any information you do not want us to publish when you submit your application.  

If however, we believe that this information is in the public interest, we reserve the right to publish it.  

We may also decide parts of your submission are not in the public interest and may redact this information. This information may include telephone numbers, email addresses and signatures. 

When you need to submit this information

You must submit a heritage statement when you are making an application for listed building consent

You will have to submit a heritage statement when you are making any planning application for a development that affects; 

Validation requirements

Required by 

National requirement. You can find details of this requirement in section 16 of the National Planning Policy Framework 

  • Local requirement. You can find details of this requirement in:  
    • Local plan policy - LPP52
    • Local plan policy - LPP53
    • Local plan policy - LPP58
    • Local plan policy - LPP57
    • Local plan policy - LPP59
    • Local plan policy - LPP55
    • Local plan policy - LPP56

These policies can be found in the Local Plan 2013 - 2033 document