Decision details

The Council is committed to helping local people to reduce their energy consumption, costs and pollution and to providing access to affordable warmth wherever residents live, including in listed buildings.

There has been a perception that it is currently difficult to obtain listed building consent for changes to listed buildings but in fact around 90% of listed building applications obtain consent.  Those applications that are resisted are usually in clear conflict with the outstanding universal values and attributes pertaining to the World Heritage Site.  The proposed guidance should go some way towards addressing misconceptions that may exist.

The Panel supported the report that went to Cabinet including the two additional recommendations.

(i)  To test the balance between sustainability and the conservation agenda by looking at pilot projects especially in the Council’s property portfolio and in association with Curo and other partnerships to prove the capacity of Bath and North East Somerset to demonstrate exemplar projects in a World Heritage Site.

(ii)  A further report to come to the Cabinet and this Panel in one years’ time to report on progress.

(1) To ADOPT the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Guidance for Listed Buildings and Undesignated Historic Buildings as an appendix to the Sustainable Construction and Retrofitting SPD;

(2) To TEST the balance between sustainability and conservation agenda by looking at pilot projects in the Council’s property portfolio and in association with Curo and other partnerships to prove the capacity of Bath & North East Somerset to demonstrate exemplar projects in a World Heritage site;

(3) To:

·  Continue to progress the work through the Sustainability Team and engagement with the key stakeholders and other authorities;

·  Continue to liaise with Central Government on legislative requirements;

·  Constantly review the guidance to ensure that it does reflect existing legislation at any given time; and

(4) To ASK for a further report to come to Cabinet in one years time to report on progress.

The Guidance will provide information regarding how best to alter historic buildings to improve energy efficiency consistent with architectural conservation best practice without harming or compromising their architectural and historic interest.

(1) An option was to issue no guidance, however there has been strong demand for guidance such as this from the public and stakeholder organisations including Bath Preservation Trust, Curo Group and Transition Bath.

(2) It should be recognised that the retrofitting of listed buildings is a developing area and the Guidance is considered to be an important first step in an on-going process. The Guidance would therefore benefit from periodic review as the result of on-going specialist research emerges. There will remain a need to be cautious until new technologies are proven.  The planning department will continue to work with other Council departments and English Heritage to review and amend the Guidance as necessary.

(3) There might also be further opportunities to act at a local level, through the wide-ranging Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act. This received Royal Assent in May this year and brought forward a number of the provisions previously outlined in the stalled Heritage Bill of 2008. This includes the possibility of introducing national and local listed building consent orders. The exact details of how this might work in practice are not known, as the regulations and secondary legislation have not been prepared. It is likely however to facilitate the grant of consent up front, even before it is applied for. This may be of some relevance although will have resourcing implications for Planning Services. Furthermore, it should be noted that English Heritage advised at a meeting held 28th June 2013 that they did not think it would be wise to commence any testing or trialling in areas of obvious sensitivity and international importance such as a World Heritage Site. Cabinet may wish to consider if monitoring how the emerging system works in practice at other locations will be a more effective alternative to time and effort committed on a separate campaign.