Draft Regulation 18 Sandwell Local Plan
Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
4.111 Historic England maintains a statutory list of buildings of special architectural or historic interest, known as listed buildings.
4.112 Buildings are listed so that:
- care is taken over decisions affecting its future;
- any alterations respect the character and special interest of the building;
- indiscriminate demolition is prevented;
- irreparable damage to historic buildings caused by poorly executed alterations and extensions is avoided.
4.113 There is a general presumption in favour of the preservation of listed buildings. Any substantial public benefits put forward to be balanced against substantial harm must directly relate to the development itself, must benefit the local community in the long term and must not otherwise be achievable. In addition, demolition or major alteration will not be considered without acceptable detailed plans for the site's development.
4.114 The whole of a building is listed, both the interior and the exterior, as well as objects or structures fixed to the building, or which has been in the curtilage or formed part of the land associated with the building since before 1948. This means that it is the main building, both inside and out, as well as anything within the garden or associated outside area (including the boundary walls) that are listed.
4.115 Conservation Areas may be created where a local planning authority identifies an area of special architectural or historic interest, which deserves careful management to protect that character. In conservation areas there are some extra planning controls and considerations in place to protect the historic and architectural elements that make the place worthy of further consideration.
4.116 Research by the London School of Economics[72] has found that people value living in conservation areas. This is evidenced by properties in conservation areas having higher prices and greater price appreciation, even after adjusting for location and other factors that affect prices.
Policy SHE1 – Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
- The impact of development proposals on the significance of Sandwell's heritage assets and their settings will be considered in accordance with case law, legislation, and the National Planning Policy Framework.
- Development proposals will be required to conserve and enhance local character and those aspects of the historic environment together with their settings that are recognised as being of special historic, archaeological, architectural, landscape or townscape quality.
- All proposals for development that may affect a heritage asset or its setting must be accompanied by an Assessment of Significance that should form part of a Design and Access Statement and / or a Heritage Impact Assessment. It should set out clearly the significance of the heritage asset, including any contribution made by its setting. The proposals should demonstrate how they respond to the significance of the asset.
- Sandwell Council will seek to conserve and enhance the settings of listed buildings by exercising appropriate control over the design of new development in their vicinity and the use of adjacent land; and, where appropriate, by the preservation of trees and landscape features.
- Proposals for new build, alterations or extensions within Sandwell's conservation areas must respect the local historic character and architectural styles. This will include considering building scale, grouping, materials and fenestration. Design and Access Statements should highlight the significant components of the conservation area in relation to the proposal and clearly demonstrate how these proposals conserve or enhance the character and appearance of the conservation area.
- Proposals for enabling development that helps secure a viable future use or improvement to a historic asset may be supported.
Justification
4.117 The protection and promotion of the historic character and local distinctiveness of Sandwell's buildings, settlements and landscapes are key elements of sustainability and transformation and help to deliver Strategic Objective 4, to protect, sustain and enhance the quality of the built and historic environment, whilst ensuring the delivery of distinctive and attractive places.
4.118 Local distinctiveness arises from the cumulative contribution made by various features and factors, both special and commonplace. It is the ordinary and commonplace features of Sandwell that, in fact, give it its distinctiveness and help to create a unique sense of place. This is beneficial for community identity and wellbeing as well as making places attractive to investment.
4.119 Policy SHE1 aims to ensure that where physical evidence of local character persists, it should be conserved. Where development is proposed, every effort should be made to ensure that Sandwell's historic environment is fully appreciated and enhanced in terms of its townscape, landscape and individual heritage assets, and that new development makes a positive contribution to the local character and distinctiveness of Sandwell.