Conservation The Government has issued draft revised planning policy guidance notes on two issues germane to the historic environment - development plans, and regional planning. The CBA is considering its formal response to both proposals. Development plans are published by local authorities as the basis of their planning strategies for the coming 10 to 20 years. The Government's draft guidance proposes a strengthening of the plans, to ensure a greater compliance between individual planning decisions and the development plans. The proposals greatly increase the need to ensure that archaeology and the historic environment are properly recognised in development plans.
Current plans vary widely in the importance they give to historic conservation.
On regional planning, guidance issued through the Government's regional offices at present usually mirrors national policy. Under the new draft proposals, regional planning guidance is to become more regional in emphasis. In the CBA's view, the proposals are potentially beneficial but also fraught with danger, with the possibility of individual regions choosing to scale down their conservation expectations. Consultation on regional proposals may also become more regionally focused, with the risk that national conservation bodies may be bypassed and heavier burdens of responsibility laid on local conservation groups. The Government is also consulting on a Rural White Paper.