Planning for Rutland’s Future - Issues and Options Consultation

Issue 9: Conserving and enhancing Rutland's historic assets

Strategic Objective 6 Protecting and enhancing Rutland's varied and high-quality environment, including its natural landscapes, green infrastructure and biodiversity, as well as its rich historic built environment and cultural assets.

Rutland has a rich built and historic environment with many attractive stone-built villages and two historic town centres that provide a distinctive local character to the area. There are 34 designated Conservation Areas, 16 Article 4 Directions and approximately 1,700 listed buildings that are afforded statutory protection and two Registered Parks and Gardens at Burley Park and Exton Park. One of the core land use principles established in the NPPF is that planning should conserve heritage assets in a manner appropriate to their significance so that they can be enjoyed for their contribution to the quality of life of this and future generations. The guidance is set out in the NPPF (paragraphs 189-208).

The NPPF requires plans to set out a positive strategy for the conservation and enjoyment of the historic environment, including heritage assets most at risk through neglect, decay or other threats. It recognises that heritage assets are an irreplaceable resource and demands they are conserved in a manner appropriate to their significance, which should take into consideration the wider economic, social and environmental benefits that the historic environment can bring.

These heritage assets play an important part in the local character and identity of the County. It is important that both designated and non-designated heritage assets are recognised and protected and wherever practical enhanced by development.

The Council will need to consider how the new local plan can best plan for conservation and enhancement of Rutland's heritage assets whilst still achieving the growth that is needed, this includes addressing the issue of the impact of renewable energy proposals on the historic environment. The Historic Environment PPG encourages the development of specific policies in relation to use of buildings and design of new development and infrastructure. The withdrawn Local Plan included policies on the historic and cultural environment and protecting historic assets.

These policies were largely supported, through consultation and it is considered these policies will provide a useful starting point for developing policies in the New Local Plan.