DEV21 - Development affecting the historic environment
The Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan has now been adopted! To find out more please visit the Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan: Adoption page.
Visit the interactive Plymouth Plan to see other policies that affect decision making across Plymouth City including the Council and its partners.
Development proposals will need to sustain the local character and distinctiveness of the area by conserving and where appropriate enhancing its historic environment, both designated and non-designated heritage assets and their settings, according to their national and local significance. The following provisions will apply:
- The significance, character, setting and local distinctiveness of heritage assets should be considered within an appropriate assessment to determine impact.
- Great weight will be given to the conservation of the Plan Area's designated heritage assets. Where development proposals will lead to any harm to the significance of a designated heritage asset, they must be fully justified against:
- the public benefits of the development, and whether there are substantial public benefits in cases where there would be substantial harm
- whether it has been demonstrated that all reasonable efforts have been made to sustain the existing use, find new uses or mitigate the extent of harm to the assets significance and if the work is the minimum required to secure its long term use.
- Development that harms the significance of locally important non-designated heritage assets, or their contribution to the character of a place will only be permitted where it can be justified on the basis of a balanced judgement, having regard to the scale of any harm or loss and the significance of the heritage asset.
- Where harm to designated and non- designated heritage assets can be justified applicants will be required to undertake excavation or recording as appropriate, followed by analysis and publication to professionally acceptable standards.
- Development should help secure the long term sustainable future for the Plan Area's heritage assets, especially those identified as being of greater risk of loss and decay and that might have a community benefit where possible.
- Development should respond positively and creatively to ensure those elements that contribute to the special character and appearance of conservation areas are conserved or enhanced using, where appropriate, Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Plans to inform future development.
