Lessons from English Heritage

The historic environment is relevant to many government policies, including sustainable development, climate change, civil renewal, rural affairs, transport, tourism and fiscal reform. English Heritage engages with a wide range of policy issues to draw attention to the public value of the historic environment, and the contribution it can make to the quality of life.

Here are two very important reports that can be absorbed or can be used as references by the forthcoming monitoring committee in Corfu.

Guidance on the management of conservation areas

(English Heritage, August 2005)

identifies the key aspects of good practice that need to be taken into account by local authorities in managing their conservation areas, whilst recognising that resources are limited and have to be prioritised.
It aims to relate the designation and management of conservation areas to the principles of conservation management planning for historic assets, outlines how the management of conservation areas relates to the new development plans system and provides references to other relevant information.
This document replaces Conservation Area Practice (English Heritage, 1995).

Guidance on conservation area appraisals

(English Heritage, August 2005)

offers advice to those undertaking, or commissioning, conservation area appraisals. It complements and should be read in conjunction with the companion English Heritage’s publication Guidance on the management of conservation areas. This document replaces Conservation Area Appraisals (English Heritage, 1997). Both documents have been produced with the assistance on ODPM and DCMS. Illustrated printed versions, including case studies and images will be available shortly.


Both available from English Heritage

Customer Services on 0870 333 1181 .

Planning and the Historic Environment. Planning Policy Guidance Note 15, Department of the Environment/Department of National Heritage, 1994.

Useful addresses
For details of local conservation areas and advice on whether a Conservation Area Partnership scheme is running in your area, contact your local authority planning department.
The English Historic Towns Forum also publishes many useful publications.
For details write to:
EHTF PO Box 22BristolBS16 1RZ

Research
Measuring change in conservation areas:A research report.

English Heritage commissioned ‘The Conservation Studio’ to build on a pilot project they had undertaken which examined change in one conservation area in west London. The intention of the research was to establish the extent to which systematic information might be gathered and how a methodology for measuring change in conservation areas could be developed.
Measuring Change in Conservation Areas part 1 (431KB)
Measuring Change in Conservation Areas part 2 (277KB)
Measuring Change in Conservation Areas Part 3 (3,772 KB)