Policy DM18 requires development proposals to preserve and enhance heritage assets' character and setting. It applies to heritage assets, Conservation Areas, and Locally Listed Buildings. The council will resist harm to these assets and support high-quality designs that integrate with the historic environment.
Plain-English summary of the adopted policy text below. The full text is the rule; this is the gist.
DM18.1 To preserve and enhance the character, appearance and setting of heritage assets within the borough, the Council will determine all development proposals that affect heritage assets in accordance with the following:
Croydon Local Plan 2024
DM18.4 To preserve and enhance the character, appearance and setting of Conservation Areas within the borough, the Council will determine all development proposals that affect Conservation Areas in accordance with the following:
a. Development affecting heritage assets will only be permitted if their significance is preserved or enhanced;
a. The demolition of a building that makes a positive contribution to the special character and appearance of a Conservation Area will be treated as substantial harm;
b. Proposals for development will only be permitted if they preserve and enhance the setting of the heritage asset affected or have no adverse impact on the existing setting;
b. Where the demolition of a building in a Conservation Area is considered to be acceptable, permission for its demolition will only be granted subject to conditions linking demolition to the implementation of an approved redevelopment scheme; and
c. Proposals for changes of use should retain the significance of a building or structure and will be supported only if they are necessary to keep the building in active use; and
c. All proposals for development must have regard to the development principles in the Conservation Area General Guidance Supplementary Planning Document and Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan Supplementary Planning Documents or equivalent.
d. Where there is evidence of intentional damage or deliberate neglect to a heritage asset, its current condition will not be taken into account in the decision-making process.
DM18.5 To preserve and enhance the character, appearance and setting of Locally Listed Buildings within the borough, the Council will determine all development proposals that affect Locally Listed Buildings in accordance with the following:
DM18.2 Applications for development proposals that affect heritage assets or their setting must demonstrate:
a. Substantial weight will be given to preserving and enhancing Locally Listed Buildings; where demolition is proposed, it should be demonstrated that all reasonable attempts have been made to retain all or part of the building;
a. How particular attention has been paid to scale, height, massing, historic building lines, the pattern of historic development, use, design, detailing and materials;
b. That it is of a high quality design that integrates with and makes a positive contribution to the historic environment; and
c. How the integrity and significance of any retained fabric is preserved and enhanced.
DM18.3 To preserve and enhance Listed Buildings, Scheduled Monuments and Registered Parks and Gardens within the borough, the Council will determine all development proposals that affect these heritage assets in accordance with the following:
a. Substantial harm to or loss of a Grade II Listed Building or Registered Park and Garden should be exceptional;
b. Substantial harm to or loss of a Grade I or II* Listed Building or a Scheduled Monument should be wholly exceptional; and
c. All alterations and extensions should enhance the character, features and setting of the building or monument and must not adversely affect the asset’s significance.
b. All alterations and extensions should preserve and enhance the building’s character, setting and features and must not adversely affect the significance of the building; and
c. All proposals for development must have regard to Croydon’s Local List of Buildings of Historic or Architectural Importance Supplementary Planning Document or equivalent.
DM18.6 To preserve and enhance the character, appearance and setting of Local Heritage Areas within the borough, the Council will determine all development proposals that affect a Local Heritage Area in accordance with the following:
a. Substantial weight will be given to protecting and enhancing buildings, townscape and landscape features that make a positive contribution to the special character and appearance of a Local Heritage Area; and
b. All proposals for development must have regard to the development principles in the Conservation Area General Guidance Supplementary Planning Document and the Local Heritage Area evidence base.
DM18.7 Substantial weight will be given to preserving and enhancing landscape features or planting that makes a positive contribution to the special historic character and original layout of Registered and Locally Listed Historic Parks and Gardens.
DM18.8 All development proposals must preserve and enhance War Memorials and other monuments, and their settings.
DM18.9 In consultation with the Greater London Archaeological Advisory Service, or equivalent authority, the Council will require the necessary level of investigation and recording for development proposals that affect, or have the potential to affect Croydon’s archaeological heritage. Remains of archaeological importance, whether scheduled or not, should be protected in situ or, if this is not possible, excavated and removed as directed by the Greater London Archaeological Advisory Service or equivalent authority.
Croydon Local Plan 2024
A Place to Belong: Urban Design Heritage and Local Character
How the policy works
6.188 While the Council recognises that many non-designated heritage assets do not benefit from statutory protection, the Council will seek to protect all heritage assets from demolition due to their national or local historic and architectural significance and the contribution they make to the borough’s townscape character. The Council will seek to retain original features and detailing present on buildings and ensure that alterations and extensions to historic buildings are carried out in a manner that does not harm their significance and respects the scale, character, detailing and materials of the original building and area. Proposals that include the reinstatement of significant lost architectural or landscape features or the removal of harmful alterations, where this can be demonstrably undertaken without harm to the significance of the heritage asset, will be supported in principle.
6.189 In addition to the collective value of buildings and their relationship to each other, the character of Conservation Areas and Local Heritage Areas may be defined by the wider townscape, land uses, public realm, open spaces, road layout or landscaped areas. This character can be relatively consistent or in larger areas may contain several ‘character areas’ within the Conservation Area or Local Heritage Area. In addition to protecting individual buildings the Council will ensure that the wider character of an area is protected and enhanced.
6.190 All planning applications submitted that relate to heritage assets should include a heritage statement with a description of the significance of the heritage asset affected and analysis of the resultant impact of the development on the heritage asset and its setting. The level of detail of this statement should be proportionate to the significance of the asset affected and will, if necessary, be directed by the Council.
6.191 All development that relates directly to heritage assets or affects their setting must be of a high quality design that preserves and enhances their special character. New development must be informed by and well integrated with the established character and heritage significance of the heritage asset.