Policy information sourced from the Barking & Dagenham Local Plan
DMD 4 Heritage assets and archaeological remains
1.
The borough’s designated heritage assets 28, conservation areas and Archaeological Priority Area (APA) are identified on the Policies Map.
2.
Other heritage assets and the wider historic environment will be identified, celebrated and promoted where relevant through the Council’s heritage strategy 29 (or its updated equivalent).
3.
The Council will seek to ensure that new development sustains and enhances the significance of the borough’s historic environment, taking into account the wider social, cultural, economic and environmental benefits that the historic environment can bring. Developments should make a positive contribution to local character and distinctiveness while recognising the role of the historic environment to the character of the place.
Heritage assets
4.
Development proposals affecting designated and non-designated heritage assets of local significance 30 should, where appropriate:
- describe the significance of any heritage assets affected and set out how the application accords with the latest relevant national guidance and London Plan policies
- demonstrate that the proposed development is appropriate in terms of height, scale and massing, form, materiality and detailing and its relationship to the surrounding context
- preserve the setting of the asset/s and its historic significance, and include hard and soft landscape proposals, where appropriate, that respect the character and appearance of the heritage asset
- demonstrate that the proposed use is the optimum viable use, which mitigates any harm to the significance of the asset and its setting, unless clear and convincing justification is provided, and secures its long-term viability
- seek to remove heritage assets from the Heritage at Risk Register in collaboration with Historic England and other relevant stakeholders.
5.
Development proposals that affect the significance of any heritage assets must be accompanied by a Built Heritage Statement. The Built Heritage Statement must provide:
- a description of the significance of any affected heritage assets and their settings
- how the application accords with the latest relevant national guidance and London Plan policies
- how the application justifies any harm to the significance of designated heritage assets, in terms of how the harm or loss is outweighed by the benefit of the proposal
- how the application positively responds to the relevant heritage themes (as set out in the Council’s latest heritage strategy) in their design.
6.
Where a development proposal would lead to harm to designated or non-designated heritage assets, they will be assessed against the relevant criteria in the National Planning Policy Framework, taking into account the scale of harm and the impact on the significance of the heritage asset.
7.
Development within or affecting any heritage assets (including non-designated heritage assets), should respect its local context and avoid materially detracting from its significance, including its archaeological, architectural, historic, landscape or biodiversity interest, or harming its setting.
Conservation areas
8.
Development proposals affecting conservation areas or their settings will be supported where they preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the area including, the established local character of individual buildings and groups of buildings having regard to relevant Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan, as well as the Townscape and Socioeconomic Study (2017) (or its updated equivalent).
9.
Demolition of buildings or structures that are considered to make a positive contribution to a conservation area will not generally be permitted. In exceptional circumstances, where this is permitted, replacement buildings or structures must demonstrably preserve or enhance the conservation area’s character or appearance.
Archaeological heritage
10.
All new development must protect, or enhance, and promote archaeological heritage (both above and below ground) within the borough. Where development is proposed on sites of archaeological significance or potential significance, the Council will require the submission of an archaeological desk-based assessments to inform a planning decision and, where necessary, the results of a field evaluation. Proposals that would adversely affect or have the potential to adversely affect archaeological heritage assets or their setting will be not supported unless they are accompanied by appropriate and proportionate measures to investigate, manage and, where necessary, advance under standing and interpretation of them.
Scheduled monuments (designated heritage assets)
11.
The site of Barking Abbey is Barking and Dagenham’s only scheduled monument. It includes the ruins of the Abbey and most of Abbey Green. Works affecting the scheduled monument (including repair works) are subject to a statutory consent regime administered by Historic England on behalf of the Secretary of State 31. Development proposals must preserve or enhance the significance, including any contribution to that significance by its setting, of Barking Abbey. 12.Development proposals that bring into use or improve an asset so it is no longer deemed ‘at risk’ on the Heritage at Risk Register will be supported where appropriate to their significance 32.
For more information please see the Barking & Dagenham Local Plan