(1)Section Four - Historic and Natural Environment

Heritage assets

4.1 Designated heritage assets include:

• Scheduled monuments
• Listed buildings
• Registered historic parks and gardens
• World heritage sites
• Protected wreck sites
• Registered battlefield sites.

They are the buildings, monuments, sites, places, areas and landscapes that have statutory heritage significance and so merit special consideration in planning decisions.

4.2 Conservation areas are also designated heritage assets. Each of the 18 conservation areas in Hastings and St. Leonards has a distinct character. In addition to seeking a high standard of development in conservation areas, the Council will also seek to preserve the distinctive character of the different areas of the town, by ensuring that new designs and materials are appropriate to the character of each of the specific conservation areas.

4.3 Policy EN1 "Built and Historic Environment" of the Planning Strategy, describes how the borough of Hastings has a very rich and varied historic environment. The policy also outlines how there is a presumption in favour of the conservation of these assets and their setting. The policies of the Development Management Plan support policy EN1 of the Planning Strategy through providing details about what is likely to be required in support of planning applications that have an impact upon heritage assets. This will ensure that we preserve the best of the historic and architectural legacy of Hastings and St Leonards, for future generations to enjoy. It is important that the potential impacts of any scheme are considered at an early stage by the applicant. This is especially important when considering the significance and setting of heritage assets. Full assessment of the significance of the heritage assets and consideration of the heritage impacts of various design options are a prerequisite of developing proposals that will have an acceptable impact on the historic environment. This evaluation process should be completed before detailed plans for a scheme are drawn up.

4.4 Other consent regimes (Listed Building consent and Conservation Area consent) apply to proposed works in respect of listed buildings and scheduled monuments (both classed as heritage assets), and these matters are not dealt with in this Local Plan⁴. The policies of this plan are for guidance in judging applications for planning permission in relation to heritage assets. The policies do, though, deal with the impact of development on the setting of all heritage assets including conservation areas, listed buildings and scheduled monuments. According to national guidance, a key requirement of any proposal that may affect heritage assets is that the applicant demonstrates a detailed understanding of the significance of the heritage assets and also of the implications of their proposed development on both the heritage asset(s) and their setting.

4.5 The significance of a heritage asset is a measure of its cultural value to this and future generations because of its heritage interest. That interest may be archaeological, architectural, artistic or historic. Significance derives not only from a heritage asset’s physical presence, but also from its setting. The impact that a proposed development might have on the historic environment will be better understood when the significance of any heritage assets affected has been identified. Once the significance is identified, it should then be easier to assess the likely implications of various design options on the elements that make up that significance. Appropriate design solutions or mitigation measures can then be included within a proposed scheme, to ensure that the significance of the heritage asset is sustained and enhanced through the development process.

4.6 Through the implementation of these policies, the Council will encourage applications for good quality and sensitive new development for these special places that will, over time, help to sustain and enhance their heritage value.

4.7 Applicants will need to demonstrate their understanding of the local character of the area of the borough of Hastings within which they hope to develop. This will include the impact of the local topography on views towards the development and the impact of their proposals on the setting of heritage assets.

4.8 The setting of a building may be provided by the other buildings and landscape that immediately surround it. However, in a hilly town like Hastings, we must also consider that a new development some streets way, or across the other side of the valley, may also significantly affect the setting of a heritage asset.

4.9 A full assessment, in the form of a Heritage Asset Statement, of the impact of the proposals (including changes of use), on all affected heritage assets will be required as part of the planning application submission. East Sussex County Council provides a service to help applicants complete Heritage Asset Statements. Further information is available directly form East Sussex County Council at county.archaeology@eastsussex.gov.uk

4.10 The County Council also has other information about heritage assets including a Historic Environment Record (HER) that can be accessed and should be used to inform schemes that affect the significance and setting of heritage assets. Further information is available directly form East Sussex County Council at county.archaeology@eastsussex.gov.uk

4.11 Part of the planning application process includes the requirement for supporting documents to be provided with an application before it can be ‘validated’ (i.e. accepted as a complete and comprehensive package of application information that is worthy of consideration by the Council for consideration. To view what is required in support of an application that may impact a upon heritage asset please see the “validation check list” available at: www.hastings.gov.uk/environment_planning/planning/info_advice/app_forms_guidance_notes/

4.12 All applications put before the Council should demonstrate how they comply with policy DM1 of this Development Management Plan (and where appropriate, those policies of the Planning Strategy that are referenced with Policy DM1, e.g. Policy SC3).

Relationship to other plans

Planning Strategy (2012):

Objectives:

1. Achieve and sustain a thriving economy
2. Ensure everyone has the opportunity to live in a decent home, which they can afford, in a community in which they want to live
3. Safeguard and improve the town’s environment

7. Making best use of the Seafront and promoting tourism

Policy:

EN1: Built and Historic Environment

Changing doors and windows

(1)4.13 There are circumstances where planning permission is required to change the doors and windows of a property in a Conservation Area. The Council receives many applications that involve such proposals. Original timber sliding sash and casement windows, and timber panel doors can contribute greatly to the character and appearance of buildings within a conservation area, and so enhance its overall significance. However, sometimes these elements reach the end of their useful life, and require replacement. Under these circumstances, the Council will encourage the choice of replacement doors or windows that retain the original character of the building.

Relationship to other plans

Planning Strategy (2012):

Objectives:

1. Achieve and sustain a thriving economy
2. Ensure everyone has the opportunity to live in a decent home, which they can afford, in a community in which they want to live
3. Safeguard and improve the town’s environment

7. Making best use of the Seafront and promoting tourism

Policy:

EN1: Built and Historic Environment

4.14 Further Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD) that provide guidance for replacement doors and windows for listed buildings in Conservation Areas are also available on the Council’s web pages: www.hastings.gov.uk/environment_planning/planning/localplan/documents/#spd

Demolition involving heritage assets

4.15 In cases where the Council agrees to the demolition of a building in a Conservation Area, the case is often finely balanced, and the acceptance of the demolition relies on the quality of the building that is proposed as a replacement. If development does not follow demolition, then a loss to the overall significance of the conservation area may result. Also, the Council wishes to avoid situations where buildings are demolished in conservation areas and then the site sits vacant, potentially becoming a local eyesore and attractive to vandalism. It is therefore critical to ensure that the new development occurs within a reasonable interval, and to the required quality, after demolition has taken place.

Relationship to other plans

Planning Strategy (2012):

Objectives:

4. Achieve and sustain a thriving economy
5. Ensure everyone has the opportunity to live in a decent home, which they can afford, in a community in which they want to live
6. Safeguard and improve the town’s environment

8. Making best use of the Seafront and promoting tourism

Policy:

EN1: Built and Historic Environment

Protecting heritage assets with archaeological and historic interest or potential interest

(1)4.16 In a town with the historic significance of Hastings, archaeology is an important consideration. There are 6 Scheduled Ancient Monuments in the town and these are identified on the Policies Map. Separate Scheduled Monument Consent is required for any work affecting a Scheduled Ancient Monument. In addition the Policies Map identifies various areas of the town recognised as being of particular archaeological importance. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) also points out that heritage assets with archaeological interest are the primary source of evidence about the substance and evolution of places, and of the people and cultures that made them.

4.17 The Council will therefore seek to ensure that when a planning application is submitted, which affects a known archaeological asset or an area or building having archaeological potential, the archaeological importance of the site is suitably examined and evaluated. Where possible, the Council will encourage the preservation of significant archaeological remains in place.

Relationship to other plans

Planning Strategy (2012):

Objectives:

1. Achieve and sustain a thriving economy
2. Ensure everyone has the opportunity to live in a decent home, which they can afford, in a community in which they want to live
3. Safeguard and improve the town’s environment

7. Making best use of the Seafront and promoting tourism

Policy:

EN1: Built and Historic Environment

Non designated heritage assets and local lists

(3)4.18 Not all potential heritage assets are of a quality to be worthy of national level designation and protection. However, there are likely to be historic features within the Borough that have local heritage value, and so are worthy of consideration in making planning decisions. Such local heritage assets might include buildings or groups of buildings of high townscape value or distinctive local character, items of historic street furniture, and local historic parks and gardens etc. These are what we refer to as non-designated heritage assets. The Council has undertaken to compile a public record, or Local List, of these local non-designated heritage assets, during the plan period.

4.19 The effect of a development on the significance of, or on the setting of, a non-designated heritage asset is a material consideration in the planning process. The weighting that can be given to the conservation of the heritage asset, within the assessment of the development proposals, will depend on the balance between the scale of harm or loss that will result from the development, and the significance of the asset.

Relationship to other plans

Planning Strategy (2012):

Objectives:

1. Achieve and sustain a thriving economy
2. Ensure everyone has the opportunity to live in a decent home, which they can afford, in a community in which they want to live
3. Safeguard and improve the town’s environment

7. Making best use of the Seafront and promoting tourism

Policy:

EN1: Built and Historic Environment

The Green Infrastructure Network

(1)4.20 The protection of habitats and species are important subjects in their own right, and these are described in national policy and the Hastings Planning Strategy, specifically in policies EN3, EN4 and EN5. The Planning Strategy also outlines the principles of prevention, then mitigation and then, as a last resort, compensation in terms of nature conservation.

(1)4.21 Access to green infrastructure and open space has tremendous value in terms of people's quality of life, providing access to the natural environment and recreational uses. There are also indirect benefits in economic terms of having a good quality natural environment as opportunities are created for leisure and recreation, making the area more attractive to people and businesses alike.

(2)4.22 The Policies Map displays the boundaries of all of the protected green spaces in the borough, both nationally and locally designated. These include Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), National Nature Reserves, Local Nature Reserves, Local Wildlife Sites, Ancient Woodland and more. These all enjoy existing policy support in the Planning trategy and further policies are not required in this Plan

(1)4.23 The Development Management Plan provides for the recognition and protection of three further locally identified sub-categories of open or green space: private open space, allotments and local green spaces. Their importance is primarily based on their social and amenity value, and they are identified on the Policies Map.

Private open space

4.24 Private open spaces are an important part of the Green Network in Hastings. Most do not enjoy any statutory protection and are vulnerable to development pressures. They include large private gardens, woodlands and in some instances open land. Private open space often has townscape value as well as its green space importance. The most significant private open spaces are indentified on the Policies Map and Policy HN6 seeks to protect these.

Relationship to other plans

Planning Strategy (2012):

Objectives:

3. Safeguard and improve the town’s environment

5. Supporting sustainable communities

Policies:

EN2: Green Infrastructure Network
EN5: Open Spaces – Enhancement, Provision and Protection

Allotments

4.25 Allotments serve a number of purposes. They support wildlife and biodiversity, they contribute to the green infrastructure network, they are a source of healthy food and they provide recreation for urban dwellers. There are presently 14 Council-owned allotment sites in Hastings and one private site in Vale Road. All but one of the Council sites are directly managed, although the Council does encourage self-management.

4.26 Waiting lists for allotments vary over time but at the time that the Plan was prepared they were at their lowest for a number of years. This is due in part to the Council creating additional plots through sub-division and bringing back uncultivated land into use. There are no plans to create additional allotment sites. The Council will however seek to retain existing sites in allotment use. Policy HN7 will provide the necessary protection.

Relationship to other plans

Planning Strategy (2012):

Objectives:

3. Safeguard and improve the town’s environment

5. Supporting sustainable communities

Policies:

EN2: Green Infrastructure Network
EN5: Open Spaces – Enhancement, Provision and Protection

Local Green Spaces

4.27 This includes those green spaces that are not designated nature sites, public open space, playing fields, allotments or private open space. They are considered important in their local areas and make a valuable contribution to amenity and the green infrastructure network. They do not however enjoy any statutory protection. It is not possible to identify all of these areas in the Plan. The Policies Map does however identify the most significant ones and policy HN8 seeks to protect these.

Relationship to other plans

Planning Strategy (2012):

Objectives:

3. Safeguard and improve the town’s environment

5. Supporting sustainable communities

Policies:

EN2: Green Infrastructure Network
EN5: Open Spaces – Enhancement, Provision and Protection

Green Infrastructure in New Developments

4.28 In accordance with policy EN2 of the Planning Strategy, the existing ‘green network’ of protected spaces is identified on the Policies Map. It is also important to take opportunities that might be available through development to protect, reinforce or improve green areas and the connections between them.

4.29 Where new development takes place it often provides an opportunity for adding to or strengthening the green network. This could be by the provision of a new area or, especially in the more densely developed areas of Hastings, to aid in the management and enhancement of those that already exist. The type of space needs to be appropriate to the surrounding area, yet offer a suitable variety of environments, fulfilling amenity, recreational, visual and ecological purposes.

4.30 Certain sites allocated for development will be able to provide more green space than others. Identified in the site allocations section of this plan are those sites that should include particular contributions to the green network. Policy HN9, however, sets out the Council’s general expectations of the protection and promotion of ecology in proposals that are submitted. This policy will apply both to allocated sites and to sites which are brought forward during the course of the plan period.

Relationship to other plans

Planning Strategy (2012):

Objectives:

3. Safeguard and improve the town’s environment
4. Addressing the impacts of climate change
5. Supporting sustainable communities

Policies:

EN2: Green Infrastructure Network
EN3: Nature Conservation and Improvement of Biodiversity
EN4: Conservation and Enhancement of Landscape
EN5: Open Spaces – Enhancement, Provision and Protection

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⁴ For more information see: www.hastings.gov.uk/environment_planning/planning/info_advice/pre_app_advice/#listed