A History of Heritage Protection Reform

Since 2000 Government, English Heritage and the sector have been looking at the need to reform the system of Heritage Protection.  The following timeline provides background information for exploring Heritage Protection Reform (HPR) in more detail. 

2000   
English Heritage publishes 'A Power of Place'

2001   
Government publishes 'A Force for our Future'

2003   
Government publishes:

• 'Protecting our historic environment: Making the system work better'
• 'Historic Environment Records: benchmarks for good practice (consultation)'

2004   
Government publishes:

• 'Review of heritage protection: the way forward'
• 'The future of Ecclesiastical Exemption'
• 'Protecting our marine historic environment: making the system work better'
• English Heritage publishes a 'Review of the National Monuments Record'

2005    
Government publishes:

• Protecting our marine historic environment - making the system work better Analysis of responses
  
• Ecclesiastical Exemption: the way forward
  
• Revisions to Principles of Selection for listing buildings: Planning Policy Guidance Note 15 (consultation) 

2006   
Government publishes:

• Heritage Protection Review - Assessment of eight pilot projects
  
• English Heritage's Conservation Bulletin, Issue 52 (Summer 2006) is entirely devoted to HPR

2007   
Government publishes:

• 'The White Paper, Heritage Protection for the 21st Century'
• Circular 01/2007 to replace Section 6 of current PPG15 with revised Principles of Selection
• New principles of selection for listing buildings: an analysis of consultation responses 
• Heritage Protection for the 21st Century: An analysis of consultation responses
• Historic Environment Local Delivery (consolidated report) by Atkins

Download these documents at the DCMS website 

English Heritage publishes a series of building selection guides, see Criteria for Protection link opposite

2008   
Government publishes:

• The draft 'Heritage Protection Bill'
• Additional clauses and Explanatory Notes for the draft Bill on Conservation Areas
• Guidance and draft Exemption Order for Ecclesiastical Exemption
• Guidance on Historic Environment Records
• Select Committee Report on the draft Bill and Government response

Download these documents at the DCMS website

English Heritage publishes:

• A Commentary on the draft Bill

Although the draft Bill was not included in the 2009 legislative programme, English Heritage and DCMS remain committed to implementing legislative reform at the earliest opportunity.

2009 
The Department of Communities and Local Government (CLG) publishes Draft 'Planning Policy Statement 15:  Planning for the Historic Environment' 

English Heritage publishes 'Historic Environment Practice Guidance'

CLG publishes 'World Heritage Draft Planning Circular and Guidance'

Defra publishes 'Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009'

English Heritage, IHBC and ALGAO publishes 'Implementing the Heritage Protection Reforms: A Report on Local Authority and English Heritage Staff Resources'

2010
CLG publishes PPS5: Planning for the Historic Environment

English Heritage publishes, IHBC and ALGAO 'Implementing the Heritage Protection Reforms: A second report on local authority staff resources'

DCMS publishes the new Ecclesiastical Exemption (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Order

2011
Good Practice Guide to Local Listing draft for consultation published (consultation closes on 13 May 2011)

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