New laws to protect England’s cultural and historic heritage have
been announced by Communities Secretary today.
The new legal protections mean that historic statues should be
‘retained and explained’ for future generations. Individuals who
want to remove any historic statue, whether listed or not, will
now require listed building consent or planning permission.
Under the new regulations, if the council intends to grant
permission for removal of a particular statue and Historic
England objects, the Communities Secretary will be notified so he
can make the final decision about the application in question.
Historic England and the Secretary of State will apply the new
policy of “retain and explain”, meaning historic statues will
only be removed in the most exceptional circumstances.
Many unlisted heritage assets are of interest, significance and
pride to the local communities in which they are erected and it
is right that protections are put in place for them.
These new laws will protect 20,000 statues and monuments
throughout England for future generations.
These landmark legal changes come in the tradition of previous
landmark heritage protection laws such as the Civic Amenities Act
1967 and the Town & Country Planning Act 1947.
Communities Secretary Rt Hon MP said:
“For hundreds of years, public statues and monuments have been
erected across the country to celebrate individuals and great
moments in British history.
“They reflected the people’s preferences at the time, not a
single, official narrative or doctrine. They are hugely varied,
some loved, some reviled, but all part of the weft and weave of
our uniquely rich history and built environment.
“We cannot – and should not – now try to edit or censor our past.
That’s why I am changing the law to protect historic monuments
and ensure we don’t repeat the errors of previous generations,
losing our inheritance of the past without proper care.
“What has stood for generations should be considered
thoughtfully, not removed on a whim, any removal should require
planning permission and local people should have the chance to be
properly consulted. Our policy in law will be clear, that we
believe in explaining and retaining heritage, not tearing it
down.”
Culture Secretary Rt Hon MP said:
"I strongly believe that we should learn from our past - in order
to retain and explain our rich history.
"The decisions we make now will shape the environment inherited
by our children and grandchildren.
"It is our duty to preserve our culture and heritage for future
generations and these new laws will help to do so."
The new rules will also apply to unlisted historic plaques,
memorials or monuments which will also require planning
permission and Historic England to be informed.
