Subject Committees: Planning & legislation

The historic environment is under constant pressure in both town and country. Its protection must be reconciled with the legitimate needs of economic growth and development. Ancient Monuments legislation provides protection for only a small proportion of archaeological sites. Provision for the protection and investigation of the great majority of archaeological sites has come about through the development of planning legislation and recognition of archaeology as a material consideration in the planning process which is devolved to the three nations.

Planning and Legislation Committee: England

The Planning and Legislation Committee was established to consider the wide range of planning and legislation matters directly related to the interests of the Association, and pursue particular issues on behalf of its members. The Association, through its Planning and Legislation Committee, seeks to encourage best practice in implementing government guidance and aims to ensure that appropriate policies for the conservation of the historic environment are incorporated into development plans and strategic documents.

Since 1997 ALGAO has carried out a number of surveys of its membership to gather information on staffing and casework levels, and to monitor changes in best practice in implementing PPG 16 and PPG15, and also in dealing with aspects of work which fall outside the planning system.

In 2005 ALGAO published Local Government Archaeological Services: Report on staffing and casework surveys 1997-2003. This summary is of key results from research undertaken by the Association of Local Government Archaeological Officers (ALGAO) and English Heritage into local government archaeological services: published in 2002 as Archaeological Services in Local Government and Planning and Conservation Casework Survey 1997-99. It also includes results from the ALGAO survey of staffing and casework for 2003.

From 2006, ALGAO has worked with IHBC and Historic England (formerly English Heritage) to collect annual staffing and casework statistics. The Eighth Report on Local Authority Staff Resource (2016) can be accessed from the Historic England website.

England National Framework

Guidance

Planning and Legislation: Scotland

Scotland National Framework

Planning and Legislation Sub Group: Wales

ALGAO Cymru maintain a Planning sub group meeting involving all development management archaeologists in Wales including representative from the Welsh Archaeological Trusts, the National Park Archaeologists, CADW and CBA Wales. Meetings are held annually.

Wales National Framework

Future Wales
Planning Policy Wales
Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2016

Guidance

TAN24: The Historic Environment
Cadw guidance & (https://cadw.gov.wales/advice-support/historic-assets)

Northern Ireland Framework and Guidance

Guidance and good practice