Statutory designation

Statutory refers to a body or organisation defined by law or a statute, they are shaped by an Act of Parliament and set up by the Government to act in certain fields. A statutory designation is where a particular area or object is given special status or purpose by the acting body or organisation which is defined in law. A non-statutory designation is effectively a similar status but one that is awarded by a non-statutory body under common law, formed by executive resolution or teh action of a Government rather than in law or statute.

Designations, both statutory and non-statutory in nature can be used to protect areas considered of value, scientifically, environmentally, historically and culturally. There are a number of known and accepted statutory designations which are material considerations within UK planning law and thus assessed during any planning application. These are;

[edit] Statutory Area Designations

[edit] Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)

SSSIs were first established in 1949 by the Nature Conservancy so the conservation of important sites of natural habitat, wildlife and geological heritage could be taken into account during the planning process. Today, Natural England has responsibility for identifying and protecting SSSIs in England under the provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

SSSIs include Ancient woodlands, species-rich grasslands, heathlands, unique geological formations, coastal marshes and mudflats.

[edit] Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)

SACs are areas designated under the European Union’s Habitats Directive to be of value for species, plants and habitats. They comprise marine and terrestrial SACs. For more information see: Special Areas of Conservation

[edit] Special Protection Areas (SPA)

SPAs are designated under the Birds Directive to protect internationally valuable populations of bird species. They comprise inshore marine SPAs and terrestrial SPAs. For more information see: Special Protection Areas

[edit] National parks (NP)

National parks are areas of the countryside designated to conserve and enhance their natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage and the open air recreation they facilitate. For more information see: National parks

[edit] Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)

ANOBs are designated to conserve natural beauty in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. For more information see: Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty

[edit] National Scenic Area (NSA)

In Scotland, a National Scenic Area (NSA) is an area of countryside with high scenic value of national importance and interest that has statutory protection to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of its landscape. For more information see: National Scenic Area

[edit] National Nature Reserves (NNR)

NNRs are areas managed in England by Natural England for the preservation of flora, fauna, geological and physiological features of special interest. For more information see: National Nature Reserves

[edit] Ramsar Sites

Ramsar sites are wetlands of international importance designated under the Ramsar Convention. For more information see: Ramsar sites

[edit] Local Nature Reserves (LNR)

LNRs are areas of special local wildlife or geological interest.

[edit] Marine protected areas (MPA)

Marine protected areas include Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) for habitats of European importance, Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for birds, Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) and Marine Nature Reserves designated to conserve marine flora and fauna and features of special interest.

[edit] Statutory object designations

[edit] Ancient monuments

Designated under the Ancient Monuments Act 1979, they vary widely in type, from Stonehenge to war camps and there are around 20,000 scheduled monuments in England.

[edit] Listed buildings

Designated under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, for buildings of special architectural or historical interest. Works for the demolition, alteration or extension (but not the repair) of a listed building require listed building consent.

[edit] Wrecks

A National Heritage List also includes sites covered by the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 of special historical, artistic or archaeological interest. There are 61 such sites in the United Kingdom, 46 of them in English waters. Access to wreck sites is controlled by Historic England (or CADW in Wales). Further wreck sites are protected by the Ministry of Defence as war graves under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986.

[edit] Non-statutory area designations

[edit] Local sites

Local sites are designated by Local Planning Authorities. They include Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCS), Sites of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCIs), County and Local Wildlife Sites (LWS).

Other local sites where restrictions might apply include registered common land and registered town or village greens. In addition, conservation areas, tree preservation orders and listed buildings require additional consent for development.

[edit] Global Geoparks

Global Geoparks are part of the Global Geopark Network supported by UNESCO.

[edit] Biosphere reserves

Biosphere reserves are designated under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme.

[edit] National Trails

National trails are long-distance trails through National Parks or Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. They are not normally statutory designation in theor own right but are managed by statutory bodies such as Natural England and Natural Resources Wales. For more information see: National Trails

[edit] Heritage Coasts

Heritage coasts are defined areas of coastline managed to conserve and enhance their natural beauty. They are defined areas rather than designated, so establishing them does not require the statutory designation process, they are protected by planning through development control. For more information see: Heritage coast

[edit] World Heritage Sites

World heritage sites are sites with internationally important cultural or national heritage sites. Designation by UNESCO does not bring additional statutory control, other designations such as listed buildings, scheduled monuments can bring statutory protection. For more information see: World Heritage Sites

[edit] Registered parks and gardens

Registered parks and gardens are designated under Historic England by the National Heritage Act of 1983. There are over 1600 sites in the English National Register.

[edit] Registered battlefields

Designated without specific statutory authorization to Historic England 43 battlefields are registered in England.

[edit] Non-statutory object designations

[edit] Conservation areas

Designated under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 and local planning authorities are under an obligation to keep them under review. A conservation area is one of special architectural or historic interest, unlike the statutory listing of buildings, local authorities have the power to designate conservation areas.

[edit] Local listing

Local lists are non-statutory lists compiled by local planning authorities, regarded as heritage assets which have to be given special consideration.

[edit] Archaeological sites

Designated by inclusion in a local Heritage Environment Record accessible to planning authorities. These sites are not statutory designations unless they are designated nationally via another designation such as ancient monuments.

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• Archaeology.
• Civic Amenities Act.
• Conservation area review and management.
• Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.
• Designing future heritage buildings
• Ecclesiastical exemption.
• Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 and listed buildings.
• Heritage Action Zone.
• Historic England.
• IHBC responds to supporting defence infrastructure and the future of time-limited permitted development rights.
• Listed buildings.
• National Planning Policy Framework.
• National Scenic Area NSA.
• Nature Conservation Order NCO.
• Planning.
• Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act.
• Scheduled monuments.
• Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI).
• Types of land.