8th November 2005, 01:44 PM
PPG16 as guidance
PPG16 is part of the planning system, and is only one of twenty-something Planning Policy Guidance documents overall. The purpose of the PPG system (currently being reformed as PPSs) is to help local authorities determine what policies they should have in their Local Plans on the given topic, and how they should implement those policies in the planning and development control process.
That means that archaeology is treated in the same way as a whole ream of other topics, and in the big picture each of those other topics is as important as archaeology. You may think that the whole system needs reform, but I would struggle to provide a convincing argument as to why archaeology should be treated differently in the planning system from other aspects of the environment.
The Local Plans and their implementation are mandated by the Town and Country Planning Acts, so decisions made under the planning system, in accordance with PPG16, do actually have the force of law behind them, even though PPG16 is not legislation in itself.
Notwithstanding that, we do actually have legislation governing archaeology, in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. It gives very strong protection to Scheduled Ancient Monuments, but this protection is only applied to very few sites. It would be at least as valid to say that the Act is inadequate as to say that PPG16 is inadequate.
1man1desk
to let, fully furnished
PPG16 is part of the planning system, and is only one of twenty-something Planning Policy Guidance documents overall. The purpose of the PPG system (currently being reformed as PPSs) is to help local authorities determine what policies they should have in their Local Plans on the given topic, and how they should implement those policies in the planning and development control process.
That means that archaeology is treated in the same way as a whole ream of other topics, and in the big picture each of those other topics is as important as archaeology. You may think that the whole system needs reform, but I would struggle to provide a convincing argument as to why archaeology should be treated differently in the planning system from other aspects of the environment.
The Local Plans and their implementation are mandated by the Town and Country Planning Acts, so decisions made under the planning system, in accordance with PPG16, do actually have the force of law behind them, even though PPG16 is not legislation in itself.
Notwithstanding that, we do actually have legislation governing archaeology, in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. It gives very strong protection to Scheduled Ancient Monuments, but this protection is only applied to very few sites. It would be at least as valid to say that the Act is inadequate as to say that PPG16 is inadequate.
1man1desk
to let, fully furnished