LONDON’S WORLD HERITAGE SITES - GUIDANCE ON SETTINGS SUPPLEMENTARY PLANNING GUIDANCE MARCH 2012 LONDON PLAN 2011 IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK LONDON WORLD HERITAGE SITES - GUIDANCE ON SETTINGS SPG LONDON WORLD HERITAGE SITES - GUIDANCE ON SETTINGS SPG i LONDON’S WORLD HERITAGE SITES - GUIDANCE ON SETTINGS SUPPLEMENTARY PLANNING GUIDANCE MARCH 2012 LONDON WORLD HERITAGE SITES - GUIDANCE ON SETTINGS SPG GREATER LONDON AUTHORITY MARCH 2012 Published by Greater London Authority City Hall The Queen’s Walk More London London SE1 2AA www.london.gov.uk enquiries 020 7983 4100 minicom 020 7983 4458 ISBN 978-1-84781-491-3 Copies of this report are available from www.london.gov.uk Crown Copyright 2012. Ordnance Survey 100032216 GLA The Mayor would like to acknowledge the work of Urban Practitioners in the preparation of this draft SPG and Vocal Eyes for the photo of the audio tour on page 53. He would also like to acknowledge the contribution of the stakeholders, particularly English Heritage, ICOMOS UK, representatives of the World Heritage Site steering groups and consultative committees and those who responded to the consultation. LONDON WORLD HERITAGE SITES - GUIDANCE ON SETTINGS SPG iii CONTENTS FOREWORD BY BORIS JOHNSON, MAYOR OF LONDON 1 1 INTRODUCTION 3 2 POLICY CONTEXT 7 International Planning Context 9 National Planning Context 9 London Plan Policies 10 Local Policy 13 World Heritage Site Management Plans 14 3 OUTSTANDING UNIVERSAL VALUE 17 Introduction 18 Statements of Outstanding Universal Value 18 Summaries of Statement of Outstanding Universal Value 21 Buffer Zones 26 4 ELEMENTS OF SETTING 31 Introduction 32 Context 34 Character 36 Landscape, Topography 40 Relationship with the River Thames 42 Views 44 Routes 46 Public Realm 48 Diurnal and Seasonal Consideration 50 Accessibility and Inclusion 52 Safety and Security 54 Historic/Cultural Relationships 56 Other Environmental Factors 58 Sustainability and Climate Change 60 5 MANAGING CHANGE: AN ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK 63 Introduction 64 A Framework for Assessing the Effect of Development Proposals 66 LONDON WORLD HERITAGE SITES - GUIDANCE ON SETTINGS SPG 6 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 75 Introduction 76 Local Roles 76 Strategic Roles 80 APPENDIX 1 STATEMENTS OF OUTSTANDING UNIVERSAL VALUE 85 APPENDIX 2 GUIDE FOR ASSESSING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HERITAGE ASSETS 111 APPENDIX 3 GUIDE FOR ASSESSING SCALE OF CHANGE 117 APPENDIX 4 PROPORTIONATE APPROACH TO ASSESSING MAGNITUDE OF IMPACT 121 APPENDIX 5 FURTHER SOURCES AND CONTACTS 125 GLOSSARY 129 LONDON WORLD HERITAGE SITES - GUIDANCE ON SETTINGS SPG 1 FOREWORD London has a unique built and natural heritage, with iconic buildings recognised across the world. This is reflected in the fact we have four internationally designated World Heritage Sites. Each says something about our city’s story and its changing place in the world; each presents distinct opportunities and challenges. But they all contribute to London’s identity and character, providing immeasurable benefit to our economy, culture and quality of life. The sites themselves have been designated as they have outstanding universal value of international significance. That this is true is demonstrated by the fact that they are almost obligatory stops on the itinerary of visitors to London. Many other World Heritage Sites around the world are located where there is very little pressure for development or change. This is clearly not the case here; London’s sites are set in a very dynamic, complex urban environment in which pressure for development is high. The In July 2011, I published my new London Plan challenge is to ensure we protect the qualities of which strengthened the policies related to World the designated sites that make them worthy of Heritage Sites, and is much more explicit about international designation, while allowing the city the importance of the settings of World Heritage to grow and change around them. Sites and their relationship to the outstanding universal value of each. These are important One of the things that makes London distinctive issues; they go to the heart of the question is the way it combines old and new, protects of how the old can co-exist with the new in heritage but encourages change. This is the ways that preserve the integrity of both to the way London has grown and changed over the enrichment of London and Londoners – and of centuries; it is a fundamental part of our city’s those who admire our city from further afield. history and identity – and of the character of our World Heritage Sites. How we manage this Boris Johnson dynamic juxtaposition in ways that respect the past, while welcoming the future, will be a mark of our success in maintaining London as a really world class city. Mayor of London 3 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION LONDON WORLD HERITAGE SITES - GUIDANCE ON SETTINGS SPG Introduction “Setting is the surroundings in which 1.1 There are currently four designated World an asset is experienced. Its extent is not Heritage Sites in London and one potential fixed and may change as the asset and site on the Tentative List: its surroundings evolve. Elements of a setting may make a positive or negative • Palace of Westminster and Westminster contribution to the significance of an asset, Abbey, including St Margaret’s Church may affect the ability to appreciate that (inscribed 1987); significance or may be neutral.” • Tower of London (inscribed 1988); • Maritime Greenwich (inscribed 1997); 1.5 Policy 7.10 of the London Plan 2011 seeks and, to conserve, promote, make sustainable use of and enhance World Heritage • Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (inscribed 2003) Sites and their settings, and states that development should not cause adverse • Darwin Landscape Laboratory (Tentative impacts on World Heritage Sites or their List) settings, and should not compromise the 1.2 The four sites have been designated ability to appreciate their Outstanding as World Heritage Sites through their Universal Value, integrity, authenticity or inscription by the United Nations significance. The policy also states that the Educational, Scientific and Cultural Mayor will provide guidance on defining Organisation (UNESCO) as they are the settings of London World Heritage deemed to be of Outstanding Universal Sites. Value (OUV) and acknowledged to be of international significance. Both 1.6 It is not the intent of this SPG however individually and together they are a vital to define the specific settings for each part of London’s identity and character, of the individual sites as that is more providing enormous social, environmental appropriately done through the steering and economic value to London. groups and consultative committees set up for each World Heritage Site. Rather, 1.3 The setting of a World Heritage Site is the intention of the SPG is to ensure a recognised as fundamentally contributing more consistent interpretation of setting to the appreciation of a World Heritage and understanding of their importance Site’s Outstanding Universal Value and in contributing to an appreciation of changes to it can impact greatly, both Outstanding Universal Value to help adversely and beneficially, on the ability to support consistency in decision making appreciate its Outstanding Universal Value. to conserve the World Heritage Sites’ Outstanding Universal Value, integrity, 1.4 The setting of heritage assets, including authenticity and significance. World Heritage Sites, is defined in the London Plan 2011 as follows: LONDON WORLD HERITAGE SITES - GUIDANCE ON SETTINGS SPG 5 LONDON PLAN POLICY 7.10 WORLD HERITAGE SITES 1.7 The purpose of this Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) therefore is to Strategic support the implementation of Policy 7.10 by providing: A Development in World Heritage Sites and their settings, including any buffer • a consolidated source of information on zones, should conserve, promote, make understanding World Heritage Sites and sustainable use of and enhance their their settings in the context of London; authenticity, integrity and significance and • a discussion of the elements of setting Outstanding Universal Value. The Mayor that contribute to the appreciation of will work with relevant stakeholders to Outstanding Universal Value that should develop supplementary planning guidance be considered by policy makers, developers to define the setting of World Heritage and other stakeholders to ensure World Sites. Heritage Sites and their settings are conserved and enhanced; Planning decisions • an assessment framework with a stepped approach to assess the effect of B Development should not cause adverse development proposals and proposals for impact to World Heritage Sites or their change in plan making on London’s World setting, (including any buffer zone). Heritage Sites and their settings. In particular, it should not compromise a viewer’s ability to appreciate its 1.8 The SPG also supports the implementation Outstanding Universal Value, integrity, of other London Plan policies which should authenticity and significance. In be considered in the development of local considering planning applications policy and consideration of development appropriate weight should be given to proposals affecting London’s World implementing the provisions of the World Heritage Sites and their settings. It is Heritage Site Management Plans. further complemented by other London Plan Supplementary Planning Guidance as LDF preparation well as World Heritage Site management plans which have been prepared for each C LDFs should contain policies to: of the sites and which set