Much of our advocacy activity in February has been devoted to presenting the sector’s concerns to Government in relation to its planning proposals in the Housing and Planning Bill in England introduced with the aim of increasing and accelerating housing development, but inadvertently presenting real threats to the historic environment in general and archaeology in particular.
CIfA submitted evidence to Communities and Local Government Committee considering revisions to national planning policy (including a presumption in favour of the development of brownfield land) to support those proposals and, together with CBA and ALGAO: England submitted a joint response on the consultation relating to those proposed changes. The Bill is currently progressing through the House of Lords and CIfA, along with other bodies in the sector, remains closely involved in making Government and others aware of the vulnerability of the historic environment in the face of a highly deregulatory agenda.
In the last month we have also been active in Scotland, submitting responses to consultation on the Historic Environment Scotland draft Corporate Plan and on a draft Land Use Strategy for Scotland 2016-2021. In addition we have responded to a consultation on Archaeology 2025, a draft strategy for archaeology in the whole of Ireland and hope further to be involved in the evolution of that document.
With the passing of the Historic Environment (Wales) Bill, there will be more work to do in Wales, ensuring that the provisions in the Act (including the ground-breaking duties with regard to historic environment records) are implemented so as to maximise benefits for the historic environment. There is no sign that Spring will herald any downturn in our activity.
