Preferred Options

I write in my position as Chairman of the Warwick District Council's Conservation Advisory Forum and wish to make the following comments on their behalf.
We are pleased that the Council is taking the historic landscape of Warwick District seriously but would like the policy on historic buildings to be strengthened.

The Conservation Advisory Forum is concerned that the National Planning Policy Framework requires local planning authorities to have a more stringent positive strategy for the conservation and enjoyment of the historic environment.
We are pleased to see that Warwick District is proposing policies to protect the Historic environment (PO11) and that the provision for local designation is included.
The council has provided for a local list of historic parks and gardens since 1992. However, there has never been a list of buildings of local importance.
One of the twelve core principles of the NPPF is that planning should conserve heritage assets in a manner appropriate for their significance so that they can be enjoyed for their contribution to the quality of life of this and future generations. Local planning authorities are urged to take account of opportunities to daw on the contribution made by the historic environment to the character of a place.
It is now increasingly urgent to provide protection for the buildings and structures that are valued by the local community.
We are therefore urging you, not only to include a strongly worded policy to expand on the principle expressed in PO11, but also to include
"in order to preserve local distinctiveness and to protect heritage assets that are valued by the local community, the council will create and maintain a local heritage list, working with local heritage groups, town and parish councils and members of the public. The list will be subject to on-going review"