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Heritage Reform Title

See Also

A New Planning Policy Framework
How is this driving forward the programme of reform?
The Heritage Protection Bill
What impact does delay have on the reform programme?
Resources
What will it take?
PDFDeveloping best practice guidance for local heritage assets (126 Kb)
An outline of a current Heritage Protection Reform project to develop best practice guidance and criteria for the designation of local heritage assets
PDFTransferring all Listing Administration to English Heritage (28 Kb)
DCMS and English Heritage have made a number of changes to the administration of the listing system, in line with the aims of Heritage Protection Reform.

Heritage Protection Reform

England is a historic country and our system for protecting the best of the past has been emulated around the world. 

So why change it?

We can be proud of our system of heritage protection and the role it has played in celebrating and protecting England’s culture and history.  However, the current system has grown up piecemeal over the last 120 years, has become complicated to use and is not as transparent or efficient as it could be. 

What is English Heritage doing?

Since 2000, we have been improving the way heritage is looked after and identified.  We are doing what we can to help make the system simpler to use and more up-to-date with the modern planning process.  We are also opening up the system: providing opportunities for consultation and explanation, and giving more support to Local Authorities at the front line of heritage protection.

Some changes under Heritage Protection Reform have already been achieved, and some will take place under future planning policy statements and guidance, heritage protection legislation and our own projects, including the training and supporting of local authority historic environment services. 

What is in the programme of Heritage Protection Reform?

There are three strands of activity that make up our programme of Heritage Protection Reform. Clicking on each one will let you see what has been achieved and what is still to come. 

Widen public involvement

We invite the public to contribute to the process of celebrating and protecting important places and we will let everyone see how and why decisions are made.

Create an efficient system

We want to remove duplication and red-tape and make the system easier to understand and use.

Improving Heritage Protection

We have a programme of practical and strategic support for local authorities at the front line of heritage protection. We are also closing gaps in protection for historic places and putting into action our modern, positive and collaborative approach to conservation.
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