Heritage protection bill
published in draft - 'fundamental reform to strengthen
system and give public greater say' hailed by culture
secretary Andy Burnham
DEPARTMENT FOR
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT News Release (031\2008) issued by The
Government News Network on 2 April 2008
Draft legislation
to unify heritage protection regimes, allow greater public
involvement in decisions and place heritage at the heart of the
planning system, was published today by Culture Secretary Andy Burnham.
The draft Heritage Protection Bill, the first legislation in this
area for 30 years, will now be scrutinised by Parliament. It
includes plans to:
* create a single simple system for designation - to be called
the Heritage Register - which will replace listing, scheduling and
registering, and give the public a greater say in what gets
protected with new consultation rules;
* devolve responsibility for designating land-based assets in
England from the DCMS to English Heritage;
* reform the marine heritage protection regime in England and
Wales, by broadening the range of marine historic assets that can
be protected and bringing greater flexibility to the licensing system;
* introduce a system for provisional registration to give
'interim protection' to historic assets while they are
being considered for designation, and create new appeals
procedures against land-based designation and marine licensing decisions;
* put the historic environment at the heart of the planning
system by replacing listed building consent and scheduled
monument consent with a new Heritage Asset Consent, and merging
conservation area consent with planning permission; and
* secure the basis for informed stewardship of the historic
environment by placing local authorities under a duty to maintain
or have access to an Historic Environment Record (HER).
Andy Burnham said:
"Heritage protection is as important as anything else we do
in this Department. But nobody can sit in an office in London and
decide what is heritage or not. Local communities have strong
feelings about their own heritage and it is important that those
voices are heard.
"By unifying the protection regimes, encouraging wider
participation, and making the system more transparent we aim to
make heritage protection easier to understand and manage, and help
it become an integral part of public life.
"The draft Bill we are publishing today follows long and
extensive consultation. It reflects Government policy as
expressed in last year's White Paper, and the consensus
reached on that. But it is not the last word, because
consultation goes on. That's why we're publishing it in draft.
"We welcome the widest possible debate and, if there are
proposals for further changes, we will consider them carefully in
the light of all the views expressed. I am grateful for the time
and trouble that so many organisations and individuals have taken
getting us to this point."
Lord Bruce Lockhart, Chairman of English Heritage, commented:
"Today's publication of the draft Heritage Bill is a
major step forward towards the way England's heritage is
identified, protected and managed. Although most people believe
the present system has served us well, it has grown over the last
100 years through incremental legislation. We are left with a
system which is over-complex, with confusing overlaps, and hard to understand.
"We now need reform which simplifies, which brings
efficiency and effectiveness, which involves the public and adds
clear and visible accountability.
"Our Heritage is a glorious national asset that gives us a
sense of belonging and of local and national identity. It helps
us to understand who we are and to take pride in our past. Today
over two thirds of the public visit and enjoy heritage sites. Our
heritage is vital to tourism and our economy. It is central to
successful regeneration. It is a unifying force for cohesion and a
foundation for a self-confident future.
"Strong and simplifying legislation will be of great value
to all those in the public, community and private sectors who are
involved together in managing our heritage. I welcome the
publication of the draft Bill and look forward to its scrutiny by Parliament."
Culture Minister Margaret Hodge added:
"This draft Bill is a really important step along the way to
making our system of heritage protection more democratic and,
where necessary, more effective. It has been many years in
preparation and will make a real difference to the way that
ordinary people all over the country engage with our built environment.
"We are publishing it in draft to encourage the widest - and
most searching - scrutiny possible, from Parliament and the
public. I very much look forward to debating its principles over
the months to come."
Legislation to enact the proposals will come before Parliament
when Parliamentary time allows.
Notes to Editors
1. The White Paper, Heritage Protection for the 21st Century, was
published in March 2007 and can be seen on our website http://www.culture.gov .
2. A summary of the draft Bill can also be found on our website
at http://www.culture.gov.uk/Reference_library/Publications/archive_2008/pub_drafthpb.htm
3. The Impact Assessment accompanying the draft Bill can also be
seen on our website http://www.culture.gov.uk
Public enquiries 020 7211 6020
http://www.culture.gov.uk
2-4 Cockspur Street
London SW1Y 5DH
http://www.culture.gov.uk
news release