Enabling development is an established and useful planning tool by which a community may be able to secure the future of a heritage asset, and sometimes other benefits, provided it is satisfied that the balance of public advantage lies in doing so.

An example might be the construction of new housing in part of the grounds of an important historic country house or former rural hospital in a particularly poor state of repair so that the main building can be appropriately restored.

The concept of enabling development

Many planning applications affect heritage assets. Most either enhance, or are not materially damaging to, the asset or its setting, they conform with other planning policies, and planning permission rightly follows.

On occasion, however, ‘enabling development’ is proposed which, whist it would achieve significant benefit to a heritage asset, would normally be rejected as clearly contrary to other objectives of national, regional or local planning policy.

Such proposals are put forward on the basis that the benefit to the community of conserving the heritage asset (and sometimes additional objectives, for example providing affordable housing or employment) would outweigh the harm to other material interests.

The essence of a scheme of ‘enabling development’ is that the public, typically the community in a particular area, accepts some disbenefit as a result of planning permission being granted for development which would not otherwise gain consent, in return for a benefit funded from the value added to the land by that consent.

Success therefore depends crucially on the integrity and sustainability of the heritage asset not being materially compromised by the development, the ability of the scheme to deliver the promised result, and consensus, through consultation, that public gain outweighs public loss. Such a consensus is indeed vital to acceptability.

The English Heritage position

English Heritage has become increasingly concerned by the damage caused by developments contrary to established planning policy, put forward primarily as a way of benefiting heritage assets, but which destroy more than they save. Permission should only be granted if the asset is not materially harmed, and the applicant convincingly demonstrates that on balance, the benefits clearly outweigh any disbenefits, not only to the historic asset or its setting, but to any other relevant planning interests

The Enabling Development Tests

English Heritage believes that there should be a general presumption against enabling development which does not meet all of the following seven criteria:

1. The enabling development will not materially detract from the archaeological, architectural, historic, landscape or biodiversity interest of the asset, or materially harm its setting
2. The proposal avoids detrimental fragmentation of management of the heritage asset
3. The enabling development will secure the long term future of the heritage asset, and where applicable, its continued use for a sympathetic purpose
4. The problem arises from the inherent needs of the heritage asset, rather than the circumstances of the present owner or the purchase price paid
5. Sufficient financial assistance is not available from any other source
6. It is demonstrated that the amount of enabling development is the minimum necessary to secure the future of the heritage asset, and that its form minimises disbenefits
7. The value or benefit of the survival or enhancement of the heritage asset outweighs the long-term cost to the community (i.e. the disbenefits) of providing the enabling development

These criteria may also be helpful in framing exception policies in local plans in relation to enabling development. If it is decided that a scheme of enabling development meets all these criteria, and so on balance is acceptable, English Heritage believes that planning permission should only be granted if:

• The impact of the development is precisely defined at the outset, normally through the granting of full rather than outline planning permission
• The achievement of the heritage objective is securely and enforceably linked to it, bearing in mind the guidance in DOE Circular 01/97, Planning Obligations or subsequent guidance documents
• The heritage asset is repaired to an agreed standard, or the funds to do so made available, as early as possible in the course of the enabling development, ideally at the outset and certainly before completion or occupation
• The planning authority closely monitors implementation, if necessary acting promptly to ensure a satisfactory outcome.

More detailed guidance on this and a range of case studies is contained in the full version of Enabling Development and the Conservation of Heritage Assets – Policy Statement and Practical Guide to Assessment (June 2001).

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