Speaking at the launch of the English Heritage report, Heritage Counts 2008, Culture Secretary Andy Burnham suggested that the Heritage Protection Bill will not be included in the forthcoming Queen’s Speech.

Although Mr Burnham committed the Government to working to protect the historic environment, he warned that legislation to address the current economic situation would take priority.

The Heritage Protection Bill, which is currently in draft form, was expected to be included in the Queen’s Speech following on from its inclusion in the Government’s draft legislative programme.

When enacted, it will unify the designation and consent regimes for heritage assets and transfer responsibility for the designation of these assets from the Secretary of State to English Heritage.

By introducing the Bill, the Government hopes that the consent system will be clarified and streamlined to replace the system that has built up over several years based on different pieces of legislation.

RICS, together with:

• Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI)
• Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC)
• Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)
• Planning Officers Society (POS)
• Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)

has responded to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's consultation on the draft Heritage Protection Bill.

RICS warmly welcomes the changes that will be brought about as a result of the measures in the Bill. In particular we support:

• The creation of a simplified, accessible, accountable and responsive management system for the historic environment strongly integrated into the planning system, and reaching across terrestrial and marine domains.
  
• The associated guarantees to retain or improve current levels of heritage protection, including in particular the commitment from DCMS to underwrite new demands on capacity generated by the proposed changes in England.
  
• The clarity and accessibility of the new process arising from the broad adoption of terms and definitions from existing statute and case law, including the duty to have ‘special regard’ to the ‘special interest’ of heritage assets.

The Government will continue to address heritage issues through other methods, most notably with a new Planning Policy Statement.