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Fresh in from the Planning Portal, and of possible interest to some of the residents of a certain well overlong thread here.
2 August 2012
DCMS consults on reform of listing regime
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has started consulting on options for changing the system of listed building consents (LBCs) in line with its commitment to take forward the recommendations of the Penfold review of non-planning consents.
The aim of these changes is to simplify the LBC system by reducing the circumstances in which LBC is required and the level of information applicants are required to submit.
The consultation document sets out four options for change:
A system of prior notification
A system of local and national class consents
A 'certificate of lawful works to Listed Buildings'
The replacement of local authority conservation officer recommendations for LBC by those made by accredited agents.
Under the system of prior notification a local planning authority which received a notification could request a full LBC application or allow the specified time period to lapse, at which time LBC would be deemed to be granted.
The second proposal is a system of local and national class consents which would apply to defined works to defined heritage assets and consents would be issued unilaterally by a local authority. For defined classes or classes of works crossing local authority boundaries, the Secretary of State, advised by English Heritage, would also be able to grant class consent.
This option would set aside the need for LBC for a defined class or classes of works affecting a defined area or group of heritage assets.
The third option, a 'certificate of lawful works to Listed Buildings', would apply to proposed works to a listed building which do not have an impact on special interest, or to existing works carried out on the understanding that no LBC was required, with the local planning authority confirming that this was the case.
The fourth proposal is to replace local authority conservation officer recommendations for LBC by those made by accredited agents, if LBC applicants wish to do so. This option reflects the Government's preference to expand the range of expertise involved in decision-making on LBC cases.
The consultation also seeks views on new or improved measures to address building neglect, particularly to buildings which have been on the Heritage at Risk Register for a long time.
Local authorities often find enforcement mechanisms problematic to exercise, and the Government would like to find new measures to tackle this.
Read the consultation on the DCMS website
Roger Milne