Using Historic Landscape Characterisation
Using Historic Landscape Characterisation
Using Historic Landscape Characterisation
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Spatial Planning<br />
Chapter 3<br />
Spatial Planning<br />
The role of archaeology in the planning<br />
process was firmly established in 1990<br />
by Planning Policy Guidance note 16:<br />
Archaeology and Planning. This clearly<br />
stated that archaeological remains are<br />
an important resource but are often<br />
highly vulnerable to damage and<br />
destruction. It outlined the importance<br />
of development plan policy to balance<br />
the need for development with the<br />
interests of conservation, including<br />
archaeology. The effect of development<br />
on archaeology has since been<br />
controlled and mitigated through the<br />
planning process, supported by<br />
sympathetic development plan policies.<br />
Many plan policies, however, focus only<br />
on individual sites and monuments.<br />
<strong>Historic</strong> <strong>Landscape</strong> <strong>Characterisation</strong><br />
(HLC) shows the need for broader<br />
historic landscape-based policies as<br />
well.<br />
Development plans<br />
In most cases, HLC projects consist of<br />
two broad phases – an assessment<br />
(providing a description of the historic<br />
landscape and its distinctive Character<br />
Types) and a strategy (where<br />
recommendations for the conservation<br />
and sustainable management of each<br />
Type are outlined). In spatial planning<br />
neither is sufficient without further<br />
development – assessment is policy<br />
neutral, providing descriptive information<br />
and aiding understanding, while the<br />
strategy is wholly concerned with<br />
general management objectives, most of<br />
which will fall outside the development<br />
control system. For spatial planning<br />
purposes, therefore, HLC needs to be<br />
taken one step further, in conjunction<br />
with a broadening of the debate to<br />
include planners and others responsible<br />
for landscape management as well as<br />
archaeologists, so that it can more fully<br />
inform development plans and planning<br />
policy.<br />
Despite the long time-scales involved in<br />
preparation and review, there are<br />
already several examples of how HLC is<br />
beginning to have an impact upon<br />
development plans, both as policy and<br />
as supplementary planning guidance<br />
(SPG). This chapter summarises these<br />
using examples chosen from the<br />
The <strong>Historic</strong><br />
<strong>Landscape</strong> in<br />
East Cheshire<br />
© Cheshire<br />
County<br />
Council<br />
27
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