York Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Plan Heritage Impact Assessment Draft V2.0 Prepared for York Minster December 2020
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York Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Plan Heritage Impact Assessment Draft v2.0 Prepared for York Minster December 2020 Alan Baxter Draft York Minster NP HIA draft v2.0 / 1547-20 / December 2020 Alan Baxter York Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Plan Heritage Impact Assessment Draft v2.0 Prepared for York Minster December 2020 Contents 1.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................2 3.0 Summary history ...............................................................................................8 6.0 Option development and assessment .................................................. 14 1.1 Background .....................................................................................................................2 3.1 A two thousand year history ...................................................................................8 6.1 Iterative process ......................................................................................................... 14 1.2 Purpose .............................................................................................................................2 3.2 Roman and Anglian York ...........................................................................................8 6.2 Assessing the impact on the historic environment ..................................... 14 1.3 Scope .................................................................................................................................2 3.3 The Medieval Precinct.................................................................................................8 6.3 Five iterations ............................................................................................................. 14 1.4 Methodology and structure .....................................................................................2 3.4 After the Reformation: opening up the Precinct .............................................8 7.0 Impact assessment of proposed Neighbourhood Plan policies 1.5 Relevant national and local policy .........................................................................3 3.5 Victorian road building...............................................................................................8 and project areas .................................................................................................. 20 1.6 Advice and guidance ..................................................................................................3 3.6 The modern Precinct ...................................................................................................8 7.1 Methodology ............................................................................................................... 20 1.7 Evidence base ................................................................................................................3 4.0 Assessment of significance ........................................................................ 10 7.2 Neighbourhood Plan policies ............................................................................... 20 1.8 Authors .............................................................................................................................3 4.1 What is significance ................................................................................................. 10 7.3 Project Area 1: Policy PA1 Minster Yard and College Green .................... 22 1.9 Abbreviations .................................................................................................................3 4.2 Methodology ............................................................................................................... 10 7.4 Project Area 2: Policy PA2 West Front and Queen’s Square ..................... 24 2.0 Summary description of the historic environment .............................5 4.3 Statement of significance ....................................................................................... 10 7.5 Project Area 3: PA3 Learning and Gardens ..................................................... 26 2.1 Complexity and assets ................................................................................................5 7.6 Project Area 4: Back of house and residential ................................................ 29 5.0 Neighbourhood Plan objectives .............................................................. 13 2.2 Descriptions and analysis in the evidence base ...............................................5 Appendix A: YCHCCAA Character Area 9: the Minster Precinct York Minster NP HIA draft v2.0 / 1547-20 / December 2020 Alan Baxter Draft 1.0 Introduction Executive summary and conclusion This Heritage Impact Assessment is part of the evidence base for the York At the end of this process, it is possible to consider the cumulative There are some localized aspects of potential harm, for example to the Minster Precinct Neighbourhood Plan. By following best practice advice impact of the Neighbourhood Plan policies and proposals as a whole. In below-ground archaeology and the setting of small sections of the City issued by Historic England, the report: making this overall judgement, this Impact Assessment concludes that Walls and views from it. However, if the recommendations in this HIA the Neighbourhood Plan will deliver substantial heritage benefits of are followed, the great majority of potential harm can be avoided or • Presents a summary of the history and significance of the Precinct drawn national importance because of the exceptional significance of the historic mitigated. The limited degree of residual harm that might be identified is from a substantial literature including the York Minster Conservation environment of the Precinct. These benefits are exceptionally wide-ranging, overwhelmingly balanced by the substantial heritage benefits outlined Management Plan, the Central Historic Core Conservation Area encompassing buildings, landscape, archaeology and collections, in the above. Therefore, the cumulative impact of the Neighbourhood Plan Appraisal, the Royal Commission on Royal Commission on Historic form of: policies and proposals on the historic environment is judged to be strongly Monuments of England volumes and other sources. positive, and the Plan is judged to meet the requirements of legislation, • an enhanced setting for the Minster through major improvements to the NPPF and local policy with respect to preservation of the historic • Explains the options development process and how potential impacts landscape and public realm environment. on the historic environment were evaluated and helped to determine the proposed Policies and options. • substantial improvements to facilities for the care and conservation of its fabric and collections • Assesses the impact of the draft Policies and the proposals for the four project areas. In some of these project areas, notably 3 and 4, there • enhancements to the facilities provided for the Minster’s internationally- are potentially considerable impacts on the historic environment. The renowned stonemasons, sustaining training and endangered skills assessment identifies a series of measures by which these impacts can be avoided and any residual harm mitigated and balanced. • better facilities by which the public and visitors can access, understand and enjoy the Minster and the historic environment of its Precinct • improved education facilities • improved security measures to protect the Minster • new publicly-accessible uses for the redundant school buildings York Minster NP HIA draft v2.0 / 1547-20 / December 2020 1 Alan Baxter Draft 1.0 Introduction 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Background 1.2 Purpose 1.4 Methodology and structure York Minster and its neighbours and partners are preparing a Effective Neighbourhood Plans are built on a robust evidence. York Minster The HIA has been prepared following best practice guidance issued by Neighbourhood Plan for the Precinct of the Minster. Once adopted, the Plan Precinct Neighbourhood Plan is atypical in some of its aspects, including Historic England (see below) and the evidence base outlined in 2.4 above. will create clarity about planning for future change in such a complicated the exceptional significance of its historic environment. This level of and sensitive area of the city. It forms a key objective of Chapter’s Strategic significance requires a thorough assessment of significance and assessment Multiple site visits were undertaken during 2018, 2019 and 2020. Plan 2015-2020, in which Chapter acknowledged it needed a Precinct wide of the potential impact of the Plan policies, in order to demonstrate that the The methodology was agreed with City of York Council and Historic Masterplan. Plan is consistent with legislation and policy for the historic environment. England, and both were consulted on a draft in April 2020. Responses The Neighbourhood Plan will provide a long-term policy framework and This Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) provides that analysis and will be from Historic England (inspectors for archaeology, buildings and areas, a coordinated spatial plan. This will guide Chapter in managing its limited deposited as part of the submitted and publicly-scrutinized evidence base and planning advisor) and City of York Council (conservation architect, city resources appropriately to maintain both a sustainable Precinct and a viable of the Neighbourhood Plan evidence base. archaeologist) were taken into account