The borough has a wealth of architectural heritage with:
These historic buildings, areas and landscapes provide valuable evidence of our social and economic history.
The Historic Environment Team is responsible for a wide range of key functions including:
The Archaeology and Historic Buildings Record (AHBR) is the Historic Environment Record for Hampshire. It is an index to the known archaeological sites and finds, historic buildings, designed and historic landscapes, parks and gardens, and industrial monuments in the county. For further information, visit Hampshire County Council's Historic Environment webpage.
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is an approach to development that aims to leave the natural environment in a measurably better state than beforehand. This means protecting and enhancing important existing habitats and ensuring that environmental features which are lost or degraded are compensated for by restoring or creating new habitats; it is a necessary approach to help enable the recovery of nature across England in light of the ecological emergency we are facing.
Mandatory biodiversity net gain commenced under Schedule 7A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as inserted by Schedule 14 of the Environment Act 2021) for major development on the 12 February 2024 and for ‘small site’ development on 2 April 2024. Every grant of planning permission, subject to some exemptions, is subject to meeting the biodiversity gain objective of at least a 10% increase in biodiversity value, quantified using Defra’s statutory biodiversity metric. The statutory BNG framework is distinct from other existing environmental legislation, surrounding protected species, for example.
Further information about the council guidance on the Biodiversity Net Gain webpage.
BNG does not undermine other national legislation, therefore there is an interaction between BNG and the historic environment. Scheduled monuments and listed buildings are most likely to be affected by the BNG legislation.
These are nationally important archaeological sites and incorporate tales of the vast British history.
It is against the law to:
If BNG provision is to be undertaken, then Scheduled Monument Consent is likely to be needed. This is most applicable for works that involve the planting or uprooting of trees, hedges or shrubs or any other works likely to disturb the soil below the maximum depth of regular ploughing (5 to 10cm) or works that are to be carried out multiple times within six years.
Please contact Historic England, should you have any further queries regarding Scheduled Monuments.
These are structures of high architectural or historical importance and hold special protection measures. While most are listed due to their age, design, usage, and/or location, some may draw significance from their landscape setting.
This may be especially true for agricultural buildings which form part of a traditional farmstead with traditional farming practices such as an intact field system, or country houses that may draw part of their significance from formal landscaped gardens associated with the house. The wider landscape context is therefore may be inflexible to environmental change.
In these cases, extra consideration may be needed if BNG is to be applied within the setting, where changes to habitat would alter the land usage or landscape context. Some examples being if woodland creation would disrupt an arable field system within farmland or landscaped gardens being managed as neutral grassland instead.
Please contact our historic environment team, should you have any queries regarding listed buildings email the Development Control Team.
For further information on BNG please view the related links on the right of this page or email the Biodiversity Team.
If you have a planning enquiry, send a message to the Planning Development Team
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