Planning Policy Statement 5 Planning for the Historic Environment

NB On 25 March 2015 PPS5 guidance was cancelled and replaced with Historic environment good practice advice.

Planning Policy Statements (PPS) present national policy on planning in England. PPS5 set out planning policies on the conservation of the historic environment.

Planning Policy Statement 5 (PPS5): Planning for the Historic Environment, was published by the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) in 2010.

Its publication cancelled:

Planning Policy Guidance Note 15: Planning and the Historic Environment (PPG15, 1994).
Planning Policy Guidance Note 16: Archaeology and Planning (PPG16, 1990).

Publication of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in March 2012 replaced a wide range of previous planning policy statements and planning policy guidance, including PPS5. However, the intent of the NPPF is similar to PPS5 and the guidance related to PPS5 remains relevant.

A guide to Planning Policy Statement 5 (PPS5): Planning for the Historic Environment: Historic Environment Planning Practice Guide was published by Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) and English Heritage in March 2010. It was replaced in Spring 2015 by guidance prepared by English Heritage (now Historic England) and the Historic Environment Forum. See Historic environment good practice advice for more information.

The guides states that PPS5 ‘…recognises the unique place the historic environment holds in England’s cultural heritage and the multiple ways it supports and contributes to the economy, society and daily life. The PPS also identifies the historic environment as a non-renewable resource. Its fragile and finite nature is a particularly important consideration in planning. Conserving this resource for future generations accords with the principles of sustainable development. Government places a priority on its conservation and has set out tests to ensure that any damage or loss is permitted only where it is properly justified.’

PPS5 makes clear that the government’s objectives in relation to the historic environment are:

To deliver sustainable development by ensuring that policies and decisions concerning the historic environment:

Recognise that heritage assets are a non-renewable resource.
Take account of the wider social, cultural, economic and environmental benefits of heritage conservation.
Recognise that intelligently managed change may sometimes be necessary if heritage assets are to be maintained for the long term.

To conserve England’s heritage assets in a manner appropriate to their significance by ensuring that:

Decisions are based on the nature, extent and level of that significance, investigated to a degree proportionate to the importance of the heritage asset.
Wherever possible, heritage assets are put to an appropriate and viable use that is consistent with their conservation.
The positive contribution of such heritage assets to local character and sense of place is recognised and valued.
Consideration of the historic environment is integrated into planning policies, promoting place-shaping.

To contribute to our knowledge and understanding of our past by ensuring that opportunities are taken to capture evidence from the historic environment and to make this publicly available, particularly where a heritage asset is to be lost.

It includes the following policies: