Heritage Statements

We pride ourselves on offering a heritage service that is tailored to your needs and the project’s circumstances.

Our team of qualified heritage professionals are ready to assist with the creation of bespoke Heritage Statements to support your planning and/or listed building application.

What is a Heritage Statement?

Simply put, a Heritage Statement is a report required by Local Planning Authorities (LPA) to support an application for planning permission or Listed Building consent where the proposal may have an impact on a building or area considered to be of architectural, historical, or archaeological interest.

Local Planning Authorities may refer to this report as a Heritage Statement or a Heritage Impact Assessment, but it may also be referred to as a Heritage Assessment or Significance Assessment.

These reports are required to set out what makes a building or area special and how the proposed development may impact on what contributes to the building or area being considered special. Importantly, this document is an applicant’s opportunity to identify why the works are required and to provide a justification for them. They are also an opportunity to evidence how the proposals have been developed based on an understanding of the special qualities that the LPA have a duty to consider in determining an application, and where necessary provide an applicant to set out an to mitigate any potential impacts.

As a general rule, a Heritage Statement will:

• Identify the building or asset that will be affected by the development or programme of works.
• Provide an assessment and description of what contributes to a heritage assets ‘significance’, based on its historical, architectural and archaeological significance.
• Provide a description of the nature of the proposed development and identify what impact, if any, the proposed development will have on the significance of a heritage asset; and
• Finally, the statement will present a case to justify the proposed development based on an informed understanding of the interrelationship between the degree of heritage significance and the changes proposed.

What is a Heritage Asset?

A Heritage Asset is a building, monument, site, place, area or landscape identified as having a level of heritage interest, often referred to as significance, which merits consideration when assessing planning applications.

The heritage interest of an asset may be derived from its historical, architectural or archaeological interest, or its character and appearance, but underpinning that interest, is its ability to contribute to our understanding of the past both in terms of people and places. Heritage assets include listed buildings and scheduled monuments, and other assets identified by the local planning authority, including those buildings identified through local listing.

Don’t forget heritage assets can also be found both above and below ground.

Importantly, a good Heritage Statement will not only seek to understand the effects of a proposed development through a proportionate analysis of what makes an asset significant, but it will also help guide the programme of work providing any necessary mitigation and identifying opportunities for enhancement in line with the requirements of the NPPF.

It is also worth bearing in mind that a Heritage Statement is not an advocacy document, it does, however, provide an applicant with the opportunity to present their proposed development in the best possible light. For example, by showing how their proposals have taken into account and responded positively to the relative significance of a heritage asset, and how the proposals conforms with the relevant policy requirements.

When is a Heritage Statement Required?

A Heritage Statement is required in support of all development proposals either planning or listed building consents, where the proposed development directly or indirectly has the potential to result in an effect on the character of a recognised “heritage asset” or its setting.

As a general guide, a Heritage Statement is required for any work or works that have the potential to affect the ‘significance’ of a Heritage Asset – what makes it important or special. In planning terms the following will generally require a Heritage Statement:

· development with a potential to affect a Listed Building or its setting;

· development in or affecting the setting of a Conservation Area;

· development with a potential to affect a Scheduled Monument or its setting;

· development with a potential to affect a Locally Listed Building or its setting;

· development within an Archaeological Priority Area.

At Fuller Long, we pride ourselves on offering a bespoke heritage service -a service that can provide both standard packages of heritage support and advice, as well as assessments and reports that are tailored to our client’s needs and the particular circumstances of a proposal.

We produce a range of Heritage Statements that can be used in support of applications, from simple, modest, proposals to complex interdisciplinary developments that have the potential to affect multiple heritage interests. Our approach is pragmatic and informed by years of professional experience and an in depth understanding of the sector, and we will provide robust advice and advocacy on our client’s behalf.

Please contact one of our consultants on 01622 322060 to discuss your individual case or send through the details of your case to hello@fullerlong.com.