Southwark's Historic Environment - Consultation on the Draft Heritage Supplementary Planning Document

Overview

We want to hear your views and suggestions on the Draft Heritage SPD, to help us make the best we can of Southwark's amazing heritage.

The immensely rich and varied architecture, archaeology and history of Southwark is of national and international significance, ranging from prehistoric flint scatters, through Shakespearean playhouses, to the vast industrial Tate Modern. Our historic environment is an important and essential community benefit, contributing many tangible and intangible benefits to wellbeing, culture, and the sense of place and identity.

At the same time, Southwark also has some of the highest regeneration activity experienced anywhere in London. We recognise that Southwark’s unique historic environment is a finite and non-renewable resource, and requires sustainable management based upon best practice, clear principles, consistent policies and sound guidance. Our aim is to find a balance between our commitment to the historic environment and to sustainable development.

The aim of this Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) is to provide guidance on how to apply the relevant policies of the Southwark Plan and the emerging New Southwark Plan concerning the historic environment. It gives advice on how to conform to the additional national and local legislation and policies, within which the council must operate.

Its aim is to help people to understand heritage matters and provide advice on the conservation, preservation and enhancement of the historic environment. It is designed for a wide readership, including applicants, owners, residents, planners, community groups and developers.

The Draft Heritage SPD is available at the link below. We recommend you take some time to familiarise yourself with the document before answering the consultation questions.

Why your views matter

We want to make sure that the draft Heritage SPD is as clear and usable as possible and achieves its aim to help us conserve, preserve and enhance Southwark's historic environment. We really need residents and those with an interest in planning and heritage to tell us if there are any changes that we need to make.

What happens next

All submissions will be read and used to help us revise the document, which will then be submitted to Southwark's Cabinet for approval.