Policy information sourced from the Reigate & Banstead Local Plan - Development Management Plan

NHE9 Heritage assets

  1. Development will be required to protect, preserve, and wherever possible enhance, the Borough’s designated and non-designated heritage assets and historic environment including special features, area character or settings of statutory and locally listed buildings.
  2. All planning applications that directly or indirectly affect designated or non-designated heritage assets must be supported by a clear understanding of the significance, character and setting of the heritage asset, and demonstrate:
    • how this understanding has informed the proposed development
    • how the proposal would affect the asset’s significance; and
    • any necessary justification proportionate to the importance of the heritage asset and the potential effect of the proposal.
  3. In considering planning applications that directly or indirectly affect designated heritage assets, the Council will give great weight to the conservation of the asset, irrespective of the level of harm. Any proposal which would result in harm to or total loss of a designated heritage asset or its setting will not be supported unless a clear and convincing justification is provided. In this regard:
    • Substantial harm to, or loss of, Grade II assets will be treated as exceptional and substantial harm to, or loss of, Grade I and II* assets and scheduled monuments will be treated as wholly exceptional.
    • Where substantial harm to, or loss of designated heritage assets would occur as a result of a development proposal, planning permission will be refused unless there are substantial public benefits which would outweigh the harm or loss; or
      • it can be robustly proven that there are no other reasonable and viable uses for the asset in the short or medium term nor any other realistic prospect of conservation; and
      • the harm or loss would be outweighed by the benefits of redevelopment.
    • Where less than substantial harm to a designated heritage asset would occur as a result of a development proposed, the harm will be weighed against the public benefits of the proposal.
  4. Non-designated heritage assets of archaeological interest that are demonstrably of equivalent significance to scheduled monuments will be subjected to the tests in (3) above.
  5. In considering proposals that directly or indirectly affect other non-designated heritage assets, the Council will give weight to the conservation of the asset and will take a balanced judgement having regard to the extent of harm or loss and the significance of the asset.
  6. All development proposals must be sympathetic to a heritage asset and/or its setting by ensuring the use of appropriate high quality materials, design and detailing (form, scale, layout and massing).
  7. Development that would help secure the long term viable use and sustainable future for heritage assets, especially those identified as being at risk of loss and decay, in a manner consistent with its conservation will be supported. Any associated or enabling development should have an acceptable relationship to the heritage asset, and character of the surrounding area.
  8. Proposals which retain, or if possible, enhance the setting of heritage assets, including views, public rights of way, trees and landscape features, including historic public realm features in a manner consistent with its conservation, will be supported.
  9. Proposals affecting a Conservation Area must preserve, and where possible, enhance the Conservation Area, paying particular regard to those elements that make a positive contribution to the character of the Conservation Area and its setting, and the special architectural or historic interest of the area.
  10. Demolition (full or partial) of a building or removal of trees, structures or other landscape features in a Conservation Area will be permitted only where:
    • a replacement development has been approved; and
    • the loss of the existing building, structure, tree or landscape feature will not detract, or where appropriate enhances, the character or appearance of the Conservation Area. Assessment of the contribution of an existing building must have regard to its character, design and construction, but not its condition.
  11. Development within or affecting the setting of a historic park or garden will be required to:
    • Avoid subdivision.
    • Retain or restore features of historic or architectural interest, including trees, other distinctive planting and hard landscaping, and garden features.
    • Where relevant, be accompanied by an appropriate management plan.
  12. An archaeological assessment including where appropriate a field evaluation, will be required to inform the determination of planning applications for:
    • Sites which affect, or have the potential to affect, Scheduled Monuments.
    • Sites which affect, or have the potential to affect, areas of Archaeological Importance or High Archaeological Potential.
    • All other development sites exceeding 0.4ha.
  13. Where the policies map, or other research, indicates that remains of archaeological significance are likely to be encountered on a site, the Council will require schemes for the proper investigation of the site to be submitted and agreed. These must incorporate the recording of any evidence, archiving of recovered material and publication of the results of the archaeological work as appropriate, in line with accepted national professional standards.

For more information please see the Reigate & Banstead Development Management Plan