Great Tey Neighbourhood Plan 2022-2033 (Regulation 16)

Dear Sir/Madam,

Ref: Great Tey Neighbourhood Plan Regulation 16 Consultation

Thank you for inviting Historic England to comment on the Regulation 16 Submission Draft of the Great Tey Neighbourhood Plan.

Having reviewed the documents provided as part of this consultation, we have the following comments to make:

Inclusion of Historic Environment Section

Whilst there is mention of the historic environment contained within several policies, we would recommend the inclusion of a specific section for the area’s designated and non-designated heritage assets.

Paragraph 196 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2023) sets out that Plans, including Neighbourhood Plans, should set out a positive strategy for the conservation and enjoyment of the historic environment. In particular, this strategy needs to take into account the desirability of sustaining and enhancing the significance of all types of heritage asset where possible, the need for new development to make a positive contribution to local character and distinctiveness; and ensure that it considers opportunities to use the existing historic environment to help reinforce this character of a place.

It is important that, as a minimum, the strategy safeguards those elements of the neighbourhood area that contribute to the significance of those assets. This will ensure that they can be enjoyed by future generations of the area and make sure the plan is in line with the requirements of national planning policy, as found in the National Planning Policy Framework.

The government’s National Planning Practice Guidance on neighbourhood planning is clear that, where relevant, Neighbourhood Plans need to include enough information about local heritage to guide local authority planning decisions and to put broader strategic heritage policies from the local authority’s local plan into action but at a neighbourhood scale. A neighbourhood plan is therefore an important opportunity for a community to develop a positive strategy for the area's locally important heritage assets that aren't recognised at a national level through listing or scheduling.

If appropriate this should include enough information about local non-designated heritage assets, including sites of archaeological interest, locally listed buildings, or identified areas of historic landscape character. This could, for instance, include a list of locally important neighbourhood heritage assets, (e.g. historic buildings, sites, views or places of importance to the local community) setting out what factors make them special.

These elements can then be afforded a level of protection from inappropriate change through an appropriately worded policy in the plan. We refer to our guidance on local heritage listing for further information: HE Advice Note 7 - local listing: https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/local-heritage-listing-advice-note-7


Inclusion of Glossary

We recommend the inclusion of a glossary containing relevant historic environment terminology contained in the NPPF, in addition to details about the additional legislative and policy protections that heritage assets and the historic environment in general enjoys.

We would refer you also to any comments made at Regulation 14 stage, as well for general advice to our detailed guidance on successfully incorporating historic environment considerations into a neighbourhood plan, which can be found here: https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/planning/plan-making/improve-your-neighbourhood/.

To avoid any doubt, this letter does not reflect our obligation to provide further advice on or, potentially, object to specific proposals which may subsequently arise as a result of the proposed plan, where we consider these would have an adverse effect on the historic environment.

Please do contact me, either via email or the number above, if you have any queries.

Yours faithfully,