Chilterns culture and character
The Chilterns National Landscape is characterised by its special historic features, including a large array of heritage assets like parks, listed buildings and monuments.
The culture and character of the Chilterns National Landscape has been shaped by humans over many centuries through settlements, farming, industrialisation and management. The area has a wide range of heritage assets with some 2,189 listed buildings, including 47 Grade I and 116 Grade II*, 94 conservation areas, 113 scheduled monuments, and 19 Historic Park and Gardens (Registered Landscapes). The resulting distinctive landscape and historic features are special qualities that you may wish to feature in your Neighbourhood Plan as you look to protect and enhance your local area. The main points to consider about the Chilterns’ culture and character are listed below.
Special quality: Culture and character
- Distinctive Buildings and Attractive Villages
- National trails
- Industrial heritage
- Archaeological landscapes
- Ancient boundaries, field patterns and hillforts
| Definition of a ‘heritage asset’: 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. Source: National Planning Policy Framework |
Using Local Lists to define heritage assets
Local heritage is increasingly being recognised as important by councils, organisations and groups, and Historic England promote the creation of Local Lists.
Local Lists (or Local Heritage Lists) identify distinctive and valuable features of a setting that are not designated in any other way, such as being Scheduled Monuments or Listed Buildings. Creating Local Lists of such ‘non-designated heritage assets’ allows communities to assess what matters and build up a picture of the significance of these assets. Protecting locally listed heritage relies heavily on the planning system when determining planning applications. Many local planning authorities compile lists of local buildings (sometimes called ‘local buildings of merit’) and other heritage assets of non-designated interest (such as some archaeology). The National Planning Policy Framework recognises this and allocates planning ‘weight’ or importance to such local heritage. Local Lists are incredibly suitable for a Neighbourhood Plan, helping to identify and protect local heritage assets.
Buckinghamshire Council launched a new online resource in 2021, inviting local groups to submit buildings, structures or archaeology features to compile a Local List. In its introductory webpage, the Council provide an excellent explanation of the process: ‘Buckinghamshire has a large number of locally important heritage assets, which contribute positively to the local character and identity of Buckinghamshire, and which are valued by local people. These heritage assets, which may be buildings, archaeological remains, parks, gardens or public works of art, sometimes have little or no protection, and over time our special places can be lost. By adding these heritage assets to a Local Heritage List we can ensure their local importance is recognised and taken into account in the planning process. Once on the list, these assets become known as Non-Designated Heritage Assets (NDHAs). They differ from those sites that have statutory protection and national designations, such as Listed Buildings, Scheduled Monuments and Registered Parks and Gardens’.
Historic England (the Government Agency with the lead responsibility for heritage protection and its promotion) has produced a handy Advice Note on Local Heritage Listing: Identifying and Conserving Local Heritage Historic England Advice Note 7 (Second Edition). This contains useful Selection Criteria for assessing buildings and sites (see page 11 which deals with Asset type [monuments, sites, places, areas, parks, gardens and designed landscapes], age, rarity, architectural and artistic interest, group value, archaeological interest, historic interest and landmark status). Historic England can also help you get involved in local heritage projects.
- Neighbourhood Plan point: We recommend investigating Local Lists as part of your planning process; an example to follow can be found in appendix 5 of the Dorchester-on-Thames Neighbourhood Plan.
Protecting assets of community value
The Localism Act 2011 requires local authorities to maintain a list of Assets of Community Value (ACV) that have been nominated by the local community. If an asset is listed as an ACV, and comes up for sale, the community then has six months to put together a bid to buy it. There may be some overlap between ACVs and local heritage assets: as long as they meet the requirements set out in the Localism Act 2011, heritage assets on a local heritage list may also qualify as assets of community value. This is a different process to the Neighbourhood Plan process.
You may want to protect an ACV, such as a village shop, pub, community centre, allotments, or a local library. A Parish Council or Neighbourhood Forum is deemed an appropriate body to promote the protection of a community asset. It is important that this promoting organisation has a local connection. To qualify, land or buildings must be deemed to have ‘community value’: the use of the land or building currently, or recently, promotes the social interests or wellbeing of the local community. This cannot include residential properties, their gardens, ancillary outbuildings or any other land within their curtilage (the area of residential ownership and occupation).
To progress this process, you must complete a Nomination Form, which is submitted to the Local Authority. Various details here will require the address, details of ownership, details of the site, an explanation as to why this is a potential asset of community value and confirmation as to eligibility (i.e., status as a Parish Council). The Local Authority will retain a list of all such community assets.
This process includes a 6-week Interim Moratorium in which the Parish Council or a similarly nominated body enjoys the opportunity to be considered as a bidder. Further to this, they may seek a Full Moratorium of 6 months in which the owner cannot sell on the open market (exchange contracts) except to the Parish or similarly nominated body.
After the interim and/or full moratorium period has expired – either the six weeks (and assuming no community interest), or the full six months (and still no interest or a bid) – then the owner is free to sell to whomever they so wish and on the open market.
- This is a separate procedure to a Neighbourhood Plan, but follows a similar approval process and may be pursued in parallel with the Neighbourhood Plan.
Acquiring a community right to build order
A Community Right to Build Order is designed to allow small-scale developments, mostly (but not exclusively) residential developments of 5-10 houses, especially small, affordable, rural housing schemes. A pre-requisite is that the community group must acquire the land and retain financial benefits for the community in the long term. A Neighbourhood Development Order grants a schedule for types of minor development; in effect, amounting to local permitted development. You do not need a Neighbourhood Plan to do this.
- This is a separate procedure to a Neighbourhood Plan, but follows a similar approval process and may be pursued in parallel with the Neighbourhood Plan.
Next steps
View our assessment criteria, checklist and supporting documentation to help you consider culture and character within your Neighbourhood Planning processes.
Our Chilterns Neighbourhood Planning Toolkit was created as part of the Chalk, Cherries and Chairs Landscape Partnership Scheme, made possible with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Published by the Chilterns Conservation Board (CCB), a Conservation Board established under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.
DISCLAIMER: While every effort is made to ensure all the legal and policy references are correct, CCB always recommends that these are checked as revisions and updates will occur.
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