The Government has published Guidance for local authorities in their implementation of new brownfield registers of land suitable for housing. Sites entered on Part 2 of the new brownfield registers will be granted permission in principle. The proposals came in to force in mid April 2017 and local authorities will be expected to have compiled their registers by 31 December 2017.
The Government states that brownfield registers will not undermine the protection of heritage assets as ‘Local planning authorities must take into account the National Planning Policy Framework when identifying sites to include in their brownfield registers. The Framework has strong policies to protect the natural and built environment and conserve and enhance the historic environment. It also requires authorities to ensure that a residential use is appropriate for the location and that a site can be made suitable for its new use’.
However, the list of sites which should not be included on Part 2 of brownfield registers, i.e. sites which should not be granted permission in principle, set out at para 12, does not explicitly include sites with heritage assets.