Epping Forest - DM7 Historic Environment

DM7 Historic Environment

Heritage assets (both designated and nondesignated) and their settings will be preserved or enhanced in a manner appropriate to their significance in accordance with national planning policy and guidance. The more important the asset the greater the weight that will be given to its conservation.
Development proposals that affect any heritage asset or its setting should preserve and, wherever possible, enhance the significance of the heritage asset having regard to the special architectural or historic interest of its character, appearance and the contribution made by its setting.
A Heritage Statement, to be produced using appropriate expertise, will be required for any application which may affect the significance of any heritage asset (both designated and nondesignated). The level of detail should be proportionate to the asset’s importance and no more than is sufficient to understand the potential impact of the proposal on the significance of any heritage asset. Where development proposals may affect heritage assets of archaeological interest, an archaeological evaluation will be required.
Where there is evidence demonstrating the neglect of, or damage to, a heritage asset, any consequential deteriorated or damaged state of the heritage asset will not be taken into account in any decision.

Designated Heritage Assets

When considering the impact of proposed development on the significance of designated heritage assets, the Council will give great weight to the assets’ conservation. Any harm or loss will require clear and convincing justification.
Development proposals that would lead to substantial harm to or total loss of significance of a designated heritage asset will not be permitted unless it can be demonstrated that the substantial harm or total loss is necessary to achieve substantial public benefits that outweigh that harm or loss; or alternative criteria are satisfied in accordance with the requirements of national planning policy and guidance. Less than substantial harm to the significance of a designated heritage asset should be weighed against the public benefits of the proposal, where appropriate, securing its optimum viable use.

Non-Designated Heritage Assets

There is a general presumption in favour of retaining non-designated heritage assets. When considering the impact of proposed development on the significance of nondesignated heritage assets, or their setting, including local heritage assets on the Council’s Local List of Validation Requirements, the Council will give weight to the assets’ conservation. Proposals that would lead to harm to the significance of non-designated heritage assets or their loss will not be permitted unless it can be demonstrated that:
1. the level of harm or loss is justified following a balanced judgement of the scale of harm and significance of the heritage asset; and
2. any harm or loss is mitigated through the retention of features of significance and/or good design.

Enabling Development

In exceptional circumstances, where a heritage asset requires significant investment to secure its long term future conservation, and the cost of repair and/or investigation cannot be funded by any other means, the principle of Enabling Development may be considered acceptable.