10 Managing our Historic Environment

The Historic Environment

North Lincolnshire has a rich and distinctive natural and historic environment that is valued and enjoyed by those who live here. This needs to be understood and taken fully into account as developments are being planned, designed and implemented. National policy set out in the NPPF and associated guidance outlines core principles in respect of the natural and historic environment for those that reside and invest here. The condition of the surrounding natural and historic environment, including many heritage assets, are critical to North Lincolnshire’s image, having a significant impact on the quality of life as well as bringing both social and economic benefits to its communities.

Environmental considerations are, therefore, fundamental to all planning policy areas whilst achieving the Council’s ambition and outcomes where everyone is safe, well, prosperous and connected. They are also central to creating a cleaner, greener and safer place.

Within North Lincolnshire there are currently (January 2019): 39 Grade I Listed Buildings; 36 Grade II* Listed Buildings; and 837 Grade II Listed Buildings, together with 17 Conservation Areas. There are also 46 Scheduled Monuments. The Conservation Area Appraisals also include a number of buildings, whilst not listed on the National Heritage List, are considered important local buildings of townscape merit. A large area of the Isle of Axholme is designated as historic landscape of special interest for its ancient open strip field character and turbaries (peat reserve). There is also a slither of land within North Lincolnshire that is a part of the Registered Park at Brocklesby (the only one in relation to North Lincolnshire).

Historic Environment Record (HER)

Heritage assets are recorded and maintained on the Councils Historic Environment Record (HER). They include several thousand archaeological sites, monuments and buildings, as well as historic places and landscapes. Listed Buildings and Scheduled Monuments are also included.

The records cover a wide variety of sites, from prehistoric times up to the 20th Century. Nationally important sites include Gainsthorpe Deserted Medieval Village and Thornton Abbey. Both of these are Scheduled Monuments, open to the public. Many other heritage assets and sites are of regional or local importance. The HER provides planning advice, both to the Council and to developers and their consultants. All planning applications are checked against the HER, and recommendations for investigations on development sites are provided, in line with government and local planning policy.

The Councils Historic Environment Record database contains up to date evidence about the historic environment in the area and is used to:

1. assess the significance of heritage assets and the contribution they make to the environment; including their settings and
2. predict the likelihood that currently unidentified heritage assets, particularly buried sites of historic and archaeological interest, will be discovered in the future.

Applicants, and their consultants or contractors who are working on Environmental Statements or Desk-Based Assessments can request a search of the North Lincolnshire Historic Environment Record. Commissioned HER searches will incur a charge per hour of staff time.

Several projects have been completed in North Lincolnshire or are ongoing that will produce further evidence for the HER which include:

• Heritage at Risk (national register issued annually by Historic England covering Scheduled Monuments, LB grade 1 & II*, Conservation Areas)
• Lincolnshire Heritage at Risk (LBs grade II, archaeological earthworks)
• Lincolnshire Farmsteads Assessment Framework
• Lincolnshire Extensive Urban Survey Characterisation
• Lincolnshire Historic Landscape Characterisation
• East Midlands Archaeological Research Agenda and Strategy
• Countryside Commission report for Policy LC14 (Miller, 1997)

An up to date register of nationally protected heritage buildings and sites can be found on the National Heritage List for England website. As these records are subject to continuous review and change, these assets have not been identified on the Policies Map.

Heritage Assets

The NPPF advises that applicants seeking planning approval should be required to describe the significance of any heritage assets affected by the development proposals, including any contribution made by their setting. The NPPF also provides guidance regarding consideration of harm and of viability.

A Heritage Asset is defined within the NPPF as a building, monument, site, place, area or landscape identified as having a degree of significance meriting consideration in planning decisions, because of its heritage interest. It includes designated heritage assets and assets identified by the local planning authority (including local listing).

NPPF applies different tests to ‘designated’ and ‘non-designated’ heritage assets. A designated Heritage Asset is A World Heritage Site, Scheduled Monument, Listed Building, Protected Wreck Site, Registered Park and Garden, Registered Battlefield or Conservation Area designated under the relevant legislation."

Local planning authorities may identify non-designated heritage assets. These are buildings, monuments, sites, places, areas or landscapes identified as having a degree of significance meriting consideration in planning decisions because of heritage interest but which are not formally designated heritage assets. Heritage interest may be archaeological, architectural, artistic or historic. In some areas, local authorities identify some non-designated heritage assets as ‘locally listed’. Non-designated heritage assets are included in the North Lincolnshire Historic Environment Record. The record is updated as and when new heritage assets are identified, including through the consideration of development proposals. Neighbourhood Plans may also identify non-designated heritage assets.

North Lincolnshire’s heritage assets including the significant historic building stock and archaeological resource, are irreplaceable and require careful management as the area evolves and undergoes growth and regeneration.

The opportunities to retain, enhance and improve North Lincolnshire’s historic environment include:

• Using the income generated from the growing local tourism economy to invest in the maintenance and upkeep of historic assets.
• Ensuring new development schemes enhance the setting of heritage assets and do not detract from their character and the appearance of the area.

Scheduled Monuments

A Scheduled Monument (SM) is a historic building and/or site that is included in the Schedule of Monuments compiled by the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports. They have statutory protection under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979(1). These are monuments of national importance and their preservation from the effects of development is extremely important. It is an offence to damage these sites. Consent is required from the Secretary of State before any works are carried out on these sites. Applications to schedule or deschedule a monument are administered by Historic England, who will carry out an assessment and make a recommendation to the Secretary of State.

The Schedule of Monuments includes sites such as Roman remains, burial mounds, castles, bridges, earthworks, the remains of deserted villages and industrial sites. Monuments are not graded, but all are, by definition, considered to be of national importance. The Schedule can be viewed online on the National Heritage List for England. Scheduled Monuments may also appear on the local Historic Environment Record.

Owners of SMs, or developers, should consult with Historic England on any proposals prior to applying for the relevant planning permission. The 46 entries in North Lincolnshire are included on the Council’s Historic Environment Record. These represent the scheduled sites known at the time of plan preparation. Policy HE1p will apply to all Scheduled Monuments whether or not depicted on the proposal maps. It should be noted that not all nationally important remains meriting preservation will necessarily be scheduled.

Conservation Areas

Conservation Areas are areas of special architectural or historical interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance. To date, seventeen conservation areas have been designated in North Lincolnshire. These are:

• Alkborough
• Appleby
• Barrow upon Humber
• Barton upon Humber
• Brigg
• Burton upon Stather
• Crowle
• Epworth
• Kirton in Lindsey
• Normanby
• Redbourne
• Saxby all Saints
• Scawby
• Old Crosby, Scunthorpe
• New Frodingham, Scunthorpe
• Winteringham
• Winterton

Conservation area appraisals were prepared for all 17 conservation areas in North Lincolnshire between 2001 and 2005. The conservation area appraisals define and record what makes these places “areas of special architectural or historic interest”. They identify their special character and qualities, and provide a clear definition of what makes them special. They also set out what it is important to retain.

A review of the character of the Council's Conservation Areas has taken place to fulfil the Council’s overarching responsibility to preserve and enhance its conservation area. A Conservation Area Appraisal document for each conservation area has been adopted by the Council to inform the development process as it affects these Conservation Areas and as guidance document for Town Planning purposes.

The Conservation Area Appraisal documents provide statements of an area’s character and say things about better management of conservation areas.

The effect of a proposed development on the character or appearance of a Conservation Area is always a material consideration in the determination of planning applications. All development should preserve or enhance that character or appearance. It is also important that the spaces around and within the conservation area are retained, where they add to its character.

Demolition within a conservation area should only be allowed in exceptional circumstances, and will normally be permitted only if the Council is satisfied that the proposal for redevelopment is acceptable and there is an undertaking to implement it within a specified period. The NPPF has more details in this regard.

Development within conservation areas must respect the local character and be carefully designed to respect the setting, through consideration of scale, height, massing, alignment, and use of appropriate materials. Keeping valued historic buildings in active and viable use is important for both the maintenance of the building concerned and the overall character of the conservation area. Proposals to change the use of a building might therefore be supported, where features essential to the special interest of the individual building are not lost or altered to facilitate the change of use.

Listed Buildings

Listing a building or structure means that it has been recognised as nationally important. When buildings are listed they are placed on statutory lists of buildings of ‘special architectural or historic interest’. The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport is responsible for compiling the lists. Historic England provides expert advice on which buildings meet the criteria for listing, and for administering the process.The National Heritage List for England (NHLE) is the only official, up to date, register of all nationally protected historic buildings and sites in England - listed buildings, scheduled monuments, protected wrecks, registered parks and gardens, and battlefields.

Buildings are judged according to a set of standards. The main criteria used to select listed buildings are Architectural interest, Historic interest and Group value.

The older and rarer a building is, the more likely it is to be listed. All buildings built before 1700 that survive in anything like their original condition are listed, as are most built between 1700 and 1840. After that date, the criteria become tighter, because of the much larger numbers that have survived. Post 1945 buildings have to be exceptionally important to be listed.

The buildings are classified in grades to show their relative importance as follows:

• Grade I – These are buildings of exceptional interest (only about 2 per cent of listed buildings are in this grade).
• Grade II* – These are particularly important buildings of more than special interest (some four per cent of listed buildings).
• Grade II – These are buildings of special interest. Every effort should be made to preserve them.

There are 914 listings in North Lincolnshire at present. You can search the Historic England List for England or contact the North Lincolnshire Historic Environment Record to get details of these buildings.

The Council will use its powers to ensure that listed buildings do not fall into an unacceptable state of disrepair. This may involve the use of Urgent Repair Notices, Repair Notices, Building Preservation Notices, and listed building enforcement measures. The Council will maintain a register of historic buildings at risk and will, where necessary, exercise its powers under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 to secure the proper preservation of listed buildings.

It is important that listed buildings are regularly maintained and kept in a good state of repair. This will involve using appropriate materials and skills. Technical advice is available from Historic England or from the officers of the Council.

Listed building consent is required for works affecting the character of the listed building. Those seeking to undertake work that may affect the character of the building are advised to contact officers of the Council at an early stage so that the need for an application can be resolved.

Alterations and additions should not adversely affect the essential character of the building, should be in keeping with its architectural style and features and should harmonise with its surroundings. In particular such development will have to be of a high standard of design. The external appearance and materials will be expected to match, as near as possible those of the existing building in kind and in detail.

The setting of a building of special architectural or historic interest often contributes to its character. The setting could be its garden, grounds, open space or the general street scene. Developers are advised to contact the Council at an early stage to discuss the nature and extent of the setting. It is therefore important to consider the impacts of development and other proposals within the vicinity of listed buildings. Control over the quality of design of new development in close proximity to a listed building will be necessary to protect its setting.

Conditions may need to be imposed on such development to achieve the quality required. The best way of preserving the character and appearance of buildings of architectural or historic importance will be to keep them in their original use. Some listed buildings are no longer required for their original use and there is a danger that they could lie empty and fall into disrepair, causing an eyesore and increasing pressure for them to be demolished. Therefore, there is a need to be flexible in considering alternative uses for such buildings if that use holds the key to a building’s preservation. For such a change of use to be acceptable, it should maintain the integrity of the building in terms of its appearance and character. This might include retaining the original interior layout and important architectural features.

Before demolition can take place on Grade II listed buildings, or demolition or part demolition takes place on Grade II, Grade II* or Grade I listed buildings, listed building consent must be given which entails consultation with the Secretary of State for the Environment who makes the final decision. Other interested organisations are also consulted. These include Historic England, the council for British Archaeology, the Ancient Monuments Society, the Georgian Group and the Victorian Society and the Society of the Protection of Ancient Buildings”.

Listed buildings are of recognised architectural or historic interest and their loss through demolition would be detrimental to the character and appearance of the surrounding area and to the overall heritage of North Lincolnshire. Demolition will therefore only be allowed in the most exceptional circumstances and only if this is the last feasible option. Following demolition of the listed building, the site may be of archaeological interest and Policy NHE6p will apply.

It is appreciated that companies wish to identify and advertise their premises. However, special care is needed to ensure that any advertisement displayed on, or close to, a listed building does not detract from the integrity of the building’s design, historical character or structure, and does not spoil or compromise its setting.

Most advertisements on listed buildings will constitute an alteration to the building and will, therefore, also require listed building consent.

Archaeology

Archaeological remains are a finite and non-renewable resource and form an important part of our national heritage, valuable for their own sake and for their role in education and tourism. They contain irreplaceable information about the past and are highly vulnerable to damage and destruction.

Local Planning Authorities may require developers to assess the potential impacts of their proposal on archaeological remains in order to reach a decision on a development proposal. Where archaeological impacts are indicated, developers are expected to work with the local planning authority to devise a scheme for mitigating such impacts, which may form part of a planning condition or a planning obligation. Such conditions are designed to ensure that such remains are either preserved in situ or recorded. All archaeological work should be based on a thorough understanding of the available evidence, and of the local, regional and national contribution it makes.

In accordance with NPPF, the planning authority will require sufficient information from applicants to assess the potential impact of their proposals on any archaeological remains and their settings. This will enable informed planning decisions to be taken. In some cases, an archaeological assessment will be required which may comprise a desk-based study, or fieldwork, such as an auger or geophysical survey, and limited trial trenching. To avoid potential delays in determining planning applications, developers are strongly recommended to include, as part of site feasibility research, an initial investigation to establish whether the site in question is known to contain, or likely to contain archaeological remains. HER staff check all planning applications against the record in order to determine their potential effect on Scheduled Monuments or sites of known or potential archaeological importance and will advise the planning authority of the appropriate course of action.

Developers are therefore advised to consult the HER at an early stage when considering development proposals to discuss the potential archaeological implications. Developers may wish to commission a professional archaeological consultant or contractor to undertake this consultation on their behalf. This early liaison allows developers to make adequate financial and timescale provision for any archaeological requirements.

Where development sites are shown to contain significant archaeological remains, which would be adversely affected, the planning authority will need to be satisfied that adequate mitigation measures will be implemented. The preferred option for important archaeological remains is preservation in situ; this may be achieved by modifications of proposals, where appropriate, for example changes in site layout or redesign of foundation construction.

Where the preservation of the archaeological remains in situ is not possible or desirable, evidence in the form of a written scheme of investigation, or specification, will be required in advance of a determination of a planning application to demonstrate that the developer has made appropriate and satisfactory provision for the recording of the remains. The written scheme of investigation should be prepared in consultation with the HER officer who will advise the planning authority. Preservation by record can take place either in advance of or during development and may involve full excavation followed by post-excavation assessment and analysis, and publication of results. The site archive should be deposited with an appropriate recognised repository, usually North Lincolnshire Museum Service and the Archaeological Data Service, within an agreed timescale. Planning conditions or more rarely, legal agreements, will used to secure the implementation of the agreed written scheme of investigation.

Monitoring

Indicator	Target
Number of planning applications granted contrary to Historic England objections	No planning applications granted subject to sustained objection from Historic England due to impact on historic environment.

Area of Special Historic Landscape Interest

The Isle of Axholme has been the subject of an intensive study of landscape character commissioned by the Countryside Commission. The study has identified significant areas of ancient open strip fields and turbaries, both of which are of considerable national importance. These attributes together with enclosed land and the overall settlement pattern of the area make it unique in the country. The Lincolnshire Historic Landscape Characterisation Project 2011, also recognised this landscape as nationally important. It is essential therefore that future development is not allowed to adversely impact on this valuable historic resource. This is particularly so in relation to the character of settlements and to individual buildings or overall groups of buildings in the open countryside.

The landscape of the Isle is a heritage asset of historic interest as defined in the NPPF. The policy area incorporates various historic landscape character types that the Countryside Commission report describes and maps. These historic landscape character zones are also mapped on the North Lincolnshire HER GIS maps and applicants can obtain this spatial data by commissioning a search of the HER.

Within the policy area the Ancient Open Strip Fields (AOSF) form the historic character core of the Isle of Axholme historic landscape and are buffered by Early Enclosed Land (EEL), areas of piece-meal enclosure of blocks of former strips into small irregular fields, and the Recent Enclosed Land (REL) generally the surrounding low-lying lands drained and enclosed for farmland from the seventeenth century. These three historic landscape character types encompass the majority of the policy area, together with discrete character type areas of the Turbaries and Moorland Allotments (RM&T), and designed parkland etc.

The historic landscape character of the Isle of Axholme is the sum of these historic landscape character types. The policy area includes all the character types within the designated area and seeks to protect the character, appearance and setting of the historic landscape as a whole.

The essential character and appearance of the AOSF historic landscape type is of open unenclosed agricultural land and the lack of any physical boundary features including hedgerows and fences; other characteristics of this landscape include the roads, common ways and access tracks known locally as meres; a general absence of farms in the open fields, these being located in the built up settlement areas; and the presence of visual reference points such as church, mill and water towers that afford legibility to the core historic landscape and form part of its setting.

Monitoring

Indicator	Target
Number of permissions grated contrary to this policy.	No permissions granted contrary to this policy.
Number of appeals upheld contrary to this policy.	No Appeals upheld.