Planning Policy Wales - Brecon Beacons National Park

6.5.12 While it is an objective of Assembly Government policy to secure the conservation and
sustainable use of historic buildings, there will very occasionally be cases where demolition is
unavoidable. Listed building controls ensure that proposals for demolition are fully scrutinised and
justified before any decision is reached. The demolition of any Grade I or Grade II* listed building
should be wholly exceptional and require the strongest justification. In determining applications for
total or substantial demolition of listed buildings, authorities should take into account the condition
of the building, the cost of repairing and maintaining it in relation to its importance and to the value
derived from its continued use, the adequacy of efforts made to retain the building in use and the
merits of alternative proposals for the site. The Assembly Government would not expect consent to
be given without convincing evidence that all reasonable efforts have been made to sustain existing
uses, or to find viable new uses, and that these efforts have failed; that preservation in some form of
charitable or community ownership is not possible or suitable; or that redevelopment would produce
substantial benefits for the community which would decisively outweigh the loss resulting from
demolition. Authorities should not authorise demolition of an historic building to make way for new
development, unless it is certain that the new development will proceed. This requirement can be
secured by condition. Conditions may also be used to require the preservation of particular features
and/or to require works to be carried out in a certain way.
6.5.13 The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales must be notified
of all proposals to demolish listed buildings and is allowed access to buildings which it wishes to
record before demolition takes place. Local planning authorities should consider, in all cases of
alteration or demolition, whether it is appropriate to make the recording of features that would be
destroyed by the works, a condition of planning consent 23 . Authorities should not, however, require
applicants to finance recording programmes in return for the granting of consent and applicants
should not be expected to be granted consent because they have arranged suitable programmes.
6.5.14 The objectives of listed building designation can generally be met through a planning
authority’s development planning and development control functions. In exceptional circumstances,
where there is a real and specific threat, Article 4 Directions bringing certain categories of
permitted development within planning control can be made by local authorities without the need
for approval by the Assembly Government. Directions must relate solely to a listed building or to
development within the curtilage of a listed building, provided that they do not affect the carrying
out of development by a statutory undertaker 24 .
6.5.15 Local planning authorities have the power to serve Building Preservation Notices in
respect of buildings which are not listed, but which they consider are of special architectural or
historic interest and in danger of demolition or alteration in such a way as to affect their character
as buildings of such interest. A Notice applies a majority of the Act’s provisions relating to listed
buildings 25 26 to the building concerned and takes effect immediately it is served.
92
Planning Policy Wales Edition 3 - July 2010 - Chapter 6 Conserving the Historic Environment