Issues

Read a selection of our Rescue’s previous consultation responses.

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Stonehenge Update (January 2010)

The planning application for a new Stonehenge visitor centre and associated works was considered by Wiltshire Council’s Strategic Planning Committee on Wednesday 20 January. http://www.salisbury.gov.uk/planning/development-control/planning-applications/2009/1527/application-documentation.htm In summary, the scheme proposals are for closure of the A344/A303 junction at Stonehenge Bottom and greening of the A344 up to the Henge; removal of parking and other facilities from the present location to Airman’s Corner, at the junction of the A344 with the A360 on the western edge of the WHS; retention of a small, partly underground facility for security etc. on the present site; and use of the A344 as a visitor-transit route between the Henge and new visitor-facilities at Airman’s Corner. The Stonehenge Alliance, of which RESCUE is a member organisation, objected to the planning application (see Alliance letter on the website link, above, at ‘Consultee Response’: 1 December 2009). Although we welcomed proposals to close the A344 to general traffic and removal of the visitor-facilities from the vicinity of the Henge, we objected to the extensive new car and coach parks to be set in the open countryside of the World Heritage Site, and the departure from planning policies for the WHS; and we raised a considerable number of questions about matters on which insufficient information had been provided and on which we felt further consultation was needed before a planning decision could be made. We also raised matters concerning the Appropriate Assessment of possible impacts of the development on nearby European Special Areas of Conservation. An Appropriate Assessment is required under European law and must be undertaken by the determining authority in advance of determination of the application. The Alliance, being of the opinion that the application would be best considered at a Public Inquiry, wrote to the Government Office for the South West (GOSW), asking for a call-in to be recommended to the...
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Save Colchester Circus: Rescue backs the campaign

Rescue has now been told that the initial campaign to raise £200,000 has been successful - many congratulations to the campaigners - see http://www.romancircus.org/2010/03/01/thank-you-appeal-reaches-its-200000-target/ Destination Colchester and Colchester Archaeology Trust are together trying to raise funds to buy the Sergeants’ Mess building and garden of Abbey Fields from developers Taylor Wimpey to save a unique site from redevelopment and help preserve Colchester’s town’s unique heritage. Deadline now February 2010 The Appeal has had the deadline to raise enough money to buy the land containing the 8 starting gates of Britain’s only known Roman chariot racing circus extended, from the end of January 2010 by one month. The gates lie within the front garden of the former garrison sergeants’ mess at the northern end of Abbey Field. This distinguished Victorian Grade 2 listed building is otherwise destined to become private housing, closing off public access to an important section of this unique archaeological site. The appeal organisers believe that Roman Colchester including the Roman circus, the Roman walls, the Temple of Claudius, the Roman theatre and other sites should become a national visitor attraction, giving the town a strong identity, bringing business into the centre and helping to revitalise Britain’s oldest recorded town. The aim is to preserve the site as a celebration of the town’s unique Roman heritage. The Sergeants’ Mess building will provide a new and highly appropriate home for the Colchester Archaeological Trust as well as somewhere for people who live, work and visit Colchester to enjoy and learn about our historic past. Working with local councils and county councils, the majority of the circus site will be transformed into an archaeological park. Where possible, earth mounds will be built to show its great size and...
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Rescue adds its voice to concern over damaging Olympic proposals for Greenwich Park

Rescue is backing a campaign led by NOGOE - No to Greenwich Olympic Equestrian Events to ensure that The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) fully considers the archaeological implications of the planned Olympic Equestrian events in Greenwich Park. Greenwich Park is an area of intense archaeological interest, within the World Heritage Site.

A Roman temple complex was discovered in 1902 on a mound in the Park by the then Superintendant, A D Webster and the noted Blackheath antiquary, Herbert Jones. Further excavations led by Harvey Sheldon in 1978 – following the felling of Elms on the mound – and in 1999, by Time-Team, for their Millennium series, suggest that the building was part of a temple complex. The park also contains a Saxon barrow cemtery. The Royal park is of 15th-century origin, laid out in the 1660s, with continued development until the 20th century and contains some unrivalled garden features, such as the parterre garden designed by Andre Le Notre....
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PPS Alert

The Consultation period for a new Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 15: Planning for the Historic Environment ended on the 31st October. Rescue responded, together with an array of institutions with interests in the future  of British Archaeology. We have tried to collate below as many links as possible to relevant responses. However, please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like a link to your response to be added. These links open in a new window unless otherwise stated. ...
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Heritage Bill Dead?

The Queen's Speech, setting out the Government's legislative programme for the forthcoming year, has once again failed to include provisions to enact the much delayed Heritage Bill. There was little prior expectation this time around of the Bill appearing however, with very few within the heritage profession still clinging to the suggestion that this ill-fated piece of legislation might ever see the light of day. Queen's speechWith the November 2009 publication of a new policy statement on Scheduled Monuments by DCMS (which would be unnecessary if the Bill were to proceed), we realistically have to now conclude that the Government has abandoned this project entirely. Rescue looks forward to an official statement clarifying the position. Links ...
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Government U-turn on PPS 15

PPS 15RESCUE is pleased to see that the government has acknowledged the widespread concern over the content of the proposed PPS expressed by bodies concerned with heritage and conservation. We welcome the comment by the spokesman for the The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) quoted in the Daily Telegraph
"The redraft is extremely welcome news, though we will need to examine the final policy closely to make sure that it addresses our serious concerns"
RESCUE will be scrutinising the revised draft carefully to ensure that the concerns that we highlighted in our response to the consultation have been acknowledged and addressed. Further Information ...
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Rescue responds to PPS15

PPS 15Rescue have responded to the Consultation paper on a new Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 15: Planning for the Historic Environment. The Department for Communities and Local Governement says "PPS15 reflects a more modern, integrated approach which defines the historic environment in terms of heritage assets to be conserved in accordance with a set of principles and in proportion to their significance." You can read Rescue's response below. PPS 15 Consultation Rescue Response

PPS Planning for the Historic Environment:

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Rescue Responds to the Permitted Development Consultation

The Department for Local Government and Communities is current consulting on proposals to improve permitted development. You can find out more, and download the original consultation here: http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/improvingdevelopmentconsultation You can read Rescue's response below. Communities & Local Government Improving Permitted Development Consultation Comments by RESCUE: the Briti... ...
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Rescue responds to the PPS 15 Practice Guide

RESCUE has responded to the PPS 15 Practice Guide, prepared by English Heritage, as a 'living draft' giving guidance on the application of the pricniples contained within the new PPS for the Historic Environment. You can find out more about the Practice Guide on the English Heritage website: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.21136 You can read the RESCUE response below. PPS 15 - Practice Guides: Rescue Comments ...
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PPS 15: Planning for the Historic Environment – The Consultation Period has begun

PPS 15 - Planning for the Historic Environment invites views on a new Planning Policy Statement (PPS) that will replace Planning Policy Guidance 15: Planning and the Historic Environment (PPG15) and Planning Policy Guidance 16: Archaeology and Planning (PPG16). It reflects a more modern, integrated approach which defines the historic environment in terms of heritage assets to be conserved in accordance with a set of principles and in proportion to their significance. It also takes account of the commitment in Planning for a Sustainable Future: White Paper, published on 21 May 2007, to streamline existing PPSs and PPGs and separate policy from guidance. It is supported by guidance by English Heritage. --> Please go to http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/consultationhistoricpps to download the PDF. --> Please go to http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.20037 to download the PDF of the English Heritage guidance paper.

PPS 15 - Planning for the Historic Environment invites views on a new Planning Policy Statement (PPS) that will replace Planning Policy Guidance 15: Planning and the Historic Environment (PPG15) and Planning Policy Guidance 16: Archaeology and Planning (PPG16).

It reflects a more modern, integrated approach which defines the historic environment in terms of heritage assets to be conserved in accordance with a set of principles and in proportion to their significance. It also takes account of the commitment in Planning for a Sustainable Future: White Paper, published on 21 May 2007, to streamline existing PPSs and PPGs and separate policy...
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